National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Project Managers earn a national median of $98,580/year vs Surgeons at $297,800/year. Surgeons earn 202% more nationally. The gap is $199,220 per year — or $16,602 per month.
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Project Manager
$98,580
national median/year
$8,215/mo • $47/hr
VS
Surgeon
$297,800
national median/year
$24,817/mo • $143/hr
Annual salary gap
$199,220
Surgeons earn 202% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $2,258,217.
Best states for Surgeons
vs Project Managers
Alaska+$219,680
Hawaii+$219,680
California+$215,680
New Jersey+$212,680
Connecticut+$209,680
Best states for Project Managers
vs Surgeons
Mississippi+$-179,680
West Virginia+$-183,680
Arkansas+$-185,680
Georgia+$-185,680
Louisiana+$-185,680
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Surgeons earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Project Managers is $98,580 versus $297,800 for Surgeons — a difference of $199,220 per year or $16,602 per month.
The national median salary gap between Project Managers and Surgeons is $199,220 per year. Surgeons earn 202% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $2,258,217.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Project Managers the highest median salary at $122,320 per year.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Surgeons the highest median salary at $338,000 per year.
Salary is one factor — Surgeons earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Project Management Specialists and Surgeons both have different educational paths, licensing requirements, and long-term growth projections. Use salary as a starting point, not the only factor.
Based on a standard 2,080-hour work year, Project Managers earn approximately $47 per hour nationally and Surgeons earn approximately $143 per hour. Actual hourly rates vary based on overtime, part-time work, and whether the role is salaried or hourly.
Methodology: Salary data from Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2024-2025. Figures represent median annual wages for wage and salary workers. Self-employed excluded. Hourly rates calculated at 2,080 hours per year. State salary figures from same BLS OES dataset. Updated annually.
