National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Teachers earn a national median of $63,680/year vs Surgeons at $297,800/year. Surgeons earn 368% more nationally. The gap is $234,120 per year — or $19,510 per month.
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Teacher
$63,680
national median/year
$5,307/mo • $31/hr
VS
Surgeon
$297,800
national median/year
$24,817/mo • $143/hr
Annual salary gap
$234,120
Surgeons earn 368% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $2,653,819.
Best states for Surgeons
vs Teachers
California+$252,010
New Jersey+$247,160
Washington+$246,680
Hawaii+$245,820
Virginia+$245,660
Best states for Teachers
vs Surgeons
Mississippi+$-201,170
West Virginia+$-202,130
Wyoming+$-205,820
Arkansas+$-208,130
Louisiana+$-210,160
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Surgeons earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Teachers is $63,680 versus $297,800 for Surgeons — a difference of $234,120 per year or $19,510 per month.
The national median salary gap between Teachers and Surgeons is $234,120 per year. Surgeons earn 368% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $2,653,819.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, New York pays Teachers the highest median salary at $89,240 per year.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Surgeons the highest median salary at $338,000 per year.
Salary is one factor — Surgeons earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Elementary and Middle School Teachers and Surgeons 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, Teachers earn approximately $31 per hour nationally and Surgeons earn approximately $143 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.
