National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Surgeons earn a national median of $297,800/year vs Real Estate Agents at $61,480/year. Surgeons earn 79% more nationally. The gap is $236,320 per year — or $19,693 per month.
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Surgeon
$297,800
national median/year
$24,817/mo • $143/hr
VS
Real Estate Agent
$61,480
national median/year
$5,123/mo • $30/hr
Annual salary gap
$236,320
Surgeons earn 79% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $2,678,757.
Best states for Real Estate Agents
vs Surgeons
Mississippi+$-211,520
West Virginia+$-213,520
Arkansas+$-215,520
Idaho+$-217,520
Louisiana+$-217,520
Best states for Surgeons
vs Real Estate Agents
California+$255,520
Connecticut+$251,520
New Jersey+$250,520
Alaska+$249,520
Massachusetts+$247,520
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Surgeons earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Surgeons is $297,800 versus $61,480 for Real Estate Agents — a difference of $236,320 per year or $19,693 per month.
The national median salary gap between Surgeons and Real Estate Agents is $236,320 per year. Surgeons earn 79% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $2,678,757.
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 Real Estate Agents the highest median salary at $82,480 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 Real Estate Sales Agents 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 Real Estate Agents earn approximately $30 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.
