National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Surgeons earn a national median of $297,800/year vs Registered Nurses at $93,600/year. Surgeons earn 69% more nationally. The gap is $204,200 per year — or $17,017 per month.
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Surgeon
$297,800
national median/year
$24,817/mo • $143/hr
VS
Registered Nurse
$93,600
national median/year
$7,800/mo • $45/hr
Annual salary gap
$204,200
Surgeons earn 69% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $2,314,667.
Best states for Registered Nurses
vs Surgeons
Mississippi+$-184,800
West Virginia+$-188,000
Maine+$-189,200
Arkansas+$-190,000
New Mexico+$-191,200
Best states for Surgeons
vs Registered Nurses
Virginia+$220,000
New York+$219,200
New Jersey+$218,600
Illinois+$217,000
Connecticut+$216,800
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Surgeons earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Surgeons is $297,800 versus $93,600 for Registered Nurses — a difference of $204,200 per year or $17,017 per month.
The national median salary gap between Surgeons and Registered Nurses is $204,200 per year. Surgeons earn 69% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $2,314,667.
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 Registered Nurses the highest median salary at $133,300 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 Registered Nurses earn approximately $45 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.
