National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Social Workers earn a national median of $54,150/year vs Surgeons at $297,800/year. Surgeons earn 450% more nationally. The gap is $243,650 per year — or $20,304 per month.
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Social Worker
$54,150
national median/year
$4,513/mo • $26/hr
VS
Surgeon
$297,800
national median/year
$24,817/mo • $143/hr
Annual salary gap
$243,650
Surgeons earn 450% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $2,761,844.
Best states for Surgeons
vs Social Workers
California+$269,680
New Jersey+$266,680
New York+$265,680
Connecticut+$259,680
Massachusetts+$259,680
Best states for Social Workers
vs Surgeons
Mississippi+$-211,680
West Virginia+$-213,680
Arkansas+$-217,680
Louisiana+$-221,680
Alabama+$-222,680
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Surgeons earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Social Workers is $54,150 versus $297,800 for Surgeons — a difference of $243,650 per year or $20,304 per month.
The national median salary gap between Social Workers and Surgeons is $243,650 per year. Surgeons earn 450% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $2,761,844.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Social Workers the highest median salary at $68,320 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. Child, Family, and School Social Workers 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, Social Workers earn approximately $26 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.
