National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Surgeons earn a national median of $297,800/year vs HVAC Technicians at $57,620/year. Surgeons earn 81% more nationally. The gap is $240,180 per year — or $20,015 per month.
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Surgeon
$297,800
national median/year
$24,817/mo • $143/hr
VS
HVAC Technician
$57,620
national median/year
$4,802/mo • $28/hr
Annual salary gap
$240,180
Surgeons earn 81% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $2,722,511.
Best states for HVAC Technicians
vs Surgeons
Mississippi+$-207,380
West Virginia+$-207,380
Arkansas+$-213,380
Louisiana+$-215,380
Oklahoma+$-215,380
Best states for Surgeons
vs HVAC Technicians
California+$264,380
New Jersey+$254,380
Connecticut+$253,380
New York+$253,380
Massachusetts+$251,380
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Surgeons earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Surgeons is $297,800 versus $57,620 for HVAC Technicians — a difference of $240,180 per year or $20,015 per month.
The national median salary gap between Surgeons and HVAC Technicians is $240,180 per year. Surgeons earn 81% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $2,722,511.
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, Hawaii pays HVAC Technicians the highest median salary at $74,620 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 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers 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 HVAC Technicians earn approximately $28 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.
