National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Surgeons earn a national median of $297,800/year vs Human Resources Managers at $136,350/year. Surgeons earn 54% more nationally. The gap is $161,450 per year — or $13,454 per month.
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Surgeon
$297,800
national median/year
$24,817/mo • $143/hr
VS
Human Resources Manager
$136,350
national median/year
$11,363/mo • $66/hr
Annual salary gap
$161,450
Surgeons earn 54% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $1,830,083.
Best states for Human Resources Managers
vs Surgeons
Georgia+$-149,650
Virginia+$-149,650
North Carolina+$-156,650
Arizona+$-157,650
Colorado+$-157,650
Best states for Surgeons
vs Human Resources Managers
Alaska+$193,650
Hawaii+$179,650
North Dakota+$171,650
South Dakota+$171,650
Wyoming+$171,650
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Surgeons earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Surgeons is $297,800 versus $136,350 for Human Resources Managers — a difference of $161,450 per year or $13,454 per month.
The national median salary gap between Surgeons and Human Resources Managers is $161,450 per year. Surgeons earn 54% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $1,830,083.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Surgeons the highest median salary at $338,000 per year.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Human Resources Managers the highest median salary at $172,350 per year.
Salary is one factor — Surgeons earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Surgeons and Human Resources Managers 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, Surgeons earn approximately $143 per hour nationally and Human Resources Managers earn approximately $66 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.
