National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Surgeons earn a national median of $297,800/year vs Nurses at $89,010/year. Surgeons earn 70% more nationally. The gap is $208,790 per year — or $17,399 per month.
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Surgeon
$297,800
national median/year
$24,817/mo • $143/hr
VS
Nurse
$89,010
national median/year
$7,418/mo • $43/hr
Annual salary gap
$208,790
Surgeons earn 70% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $2,366,696.
Best states for Nurses
vs Surgeons
Mississippi+$-187,680
West Virginia+$-189,680
Louisiana+$-194,680
Arkansas+$-194,790
Maine+$-195,680
Best states for Surgeons
vs Nurses
Maryland+$229,680
New Jersey+$229,680
Virginia+$229,680
New York+$228,680
Illinois+$224,680
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Surgeons earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Surgeons is $297,800 versus $89,010 for Nurses — a difference of $208,790 per year or $17,399 per month.
The national median salary gap between Surgeons and Nurses is $208,790 per year. Surgeons earn 70% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $2,366,696.
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 Nurses the highest median salary at $131,470 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 Registered Nurses 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 Nurses earn approximately $43 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.
