National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Surgeons earn a national median of $297,800/year vs Occupational Therapists at $96,320/year. Surgeons earn 68% more nationally. The gap is $201,480 per year — or $16,790 per month.
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Surgeon
$297,800
national median/year
$24,817/mo • $143/hr
VS
Occupational Therapist
$96,320
national median/year
$8,027/mo • $46/hr
Annual salary gap
$201,480
Surgeons earn 68% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $2,283,835.
Best states for Occupational Therapists
vs Surgeons
Mississippi+$-177,680
Arkansas+$-181,680
West Virginia+$-183,680
Alabama+$-184,680
Louisiana+$-184,680
Best states for Surgeons
vs Occupational Therapists
California+$227,680
New York+$221,680
New Jersey+$220,680
Connecticut+$219,680
Massachusetts+$215,680
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Surgeons earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Surgeons is $297,800 versus $96,320 for Occupational Therapists — a difference of $201,480 per year or $16,790 per month.
The national median salary gap between Surgeons and Occupational Therapists is $201,480 per year. Surgeons earn 68% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $2,283,835.
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 Occupational Therapists the highest median salary at $110,320 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 Occupational Therapists 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 Occupational Therapists earn approximately $46 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.
