SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Diagnose and perform surgery to treat and prevent rheumatic and other diseases in the musculoskeletal system. Excludes “Pediatric Surgeons” (29-1243).
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 29-1242.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $84,170 | $7,014 | $1,619 | $40.46 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $180,610 | $15,051 | $3,473 | $86.83 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $358,550 | $29,879 | $6,895 | $172.38 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $530,700 | $44,225 | $10,206 | $255.15 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $659,290 | $54,941 | $12,679 | $316.97 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric is $358,550, which is 603% higher. Among the 71 occupations of the field Healthcare Practitioners and Technical, it ranks number 6 by median pay. With 14,100 jobs, it makes up about 0.9 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric pay by state
The highest median pay was in Missouri ($842,800), West Virginia ($597,740) and Wisconsin ($572,060). The lowest was in Indiana ($177,710), Iowa ($189,410) and Texas ($200,780). The most jobs were in New York (1,450), Florida (580) and North Carolina (560). The occupation is most concentrated in Arkansas, where its share of all jobs is 2.9 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Missouri | not published | $842,800 | $624,070 | $405.19 |
| West Virginia | 120 | $597,740 | $522,050 | $287.38 |
| Wisconsin | 290 | $572,060 | $535,750 | $275.03 |
| Montana | not published | $560,820 | $509,240 | $269.62 |
| Arizona | 110 | $558,970 | $542,140 | $268.73 |
| New Hampshire | 80 | $555,670 | $441,460 | $267.15 |
| Washington | 290 | $553,310 | $464,800 | $266.01 |
| Mississippi | not published | $544,130 | $523,450 | $261.60 |
| Minnesota | 320 | $537,830 | $592,220 | $258.57 |
| Oklahoma | 30 | $530,070 | $419,180 | $254.84 |
| Nebraska | 200 | $507,770 | $456,110 | $244.12 |
| Virginia | 170 | $478,710 | $432,290 | $230.15 |
| Georgia | 490 | $474,820 | $503,390 | $228.28 |
| Florida | 580 | $473,750 | $462,360 | $227.76 |
| Illinois | 170 | $426,580 | $409,500 | $205.09 |
| New York | 1,450 | $414,290 | $364,520 | $199.18 |
| Michigan | 200 | $413,450 | $420,390 | $198.77 |
| Massachusetts | not published | $392,300 | $368,800 | $188.60 |
| Colorado | 410 | $385,410 | $374,610 | $185.30 |
| Pennsylvania | 240 | $354,020 | $363,580 | $170.20 |
| New Jersey | 420 | $341,430 | $347,890 | $164.15 |
| Tennessee | 180 | $325,520 | $341,820 | $156.50 |
| Alabama | 380 | $324,570 | $287,150 | $156.04 |
| North Carolina | 560 | $323,630 | $372,620 | $155.59 |
| Ohio | 500 | $323,480 | $299,520 | $155.52 |
| Kansas | not published | $311,630 | $307,370 | $149.82 |
| Arkansas | 350 | $262,470 | $332,090 | $126.19 |
| California | not published | $253,430 | $258,550 | $121.84 |
| Alaska | 30 | $239,200 or more | $239,200 or more | $115.00 or more |
| North Dakota | 40 | $239,200 or more | $239,200 or more | $115.00 or more |
| Oregon | 140 | $239,200 or more | $239,200 or more | $115.00 or more |
| South Carolina | 100 | $239,200 or more | $239,200 or more | $115.00 or more |
| South Dakota | not published | $239,200 or more | $239,200 or more | $115.00 or more |
| Utah | 80 | $239,200 or more | $239,200 or more | $115.00 or more |
| Vermont | 50 | $239,200 or more | $239,200 or more | $115.00 or more |
| Texas | 490 | $200,780 | $363,410 | $96.53 |
| Iowa | 260 | $189,410 | $294,930 | $91.06 |
| Indiana | 500 | $177,710 | $264,890 | $85.44 |
| Hawaii | 50 | not published | not published | not published |
| Maine | 150 | not published | not published | not published |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Radiologists$420,860 a year
- Surgeons, All Other$414,010 a year
- Anesthesiologists$391,490 a year
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons$352,220 a year
- Emergency Medicine Physicians$335,550 a year
- Dermatologists$328,730 a year
Common questions
How much do Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric earn in the United States?
The median pay was $358,550 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $84,170 and the highest-paid 10% more than $659,290.
How many people work as Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric?
About 14,100 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.
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