Best Cities for Orthopedic Surgery (2026)
Salary, satisfaction, and cost-of-living comparison from 7 verified physician submissions across 3 cities.
Highest-Paying Cities
Best Value: Cost-of-Living Adjusted
Gross salary doesn't tell the full story. These cities offer the most purchasing power for orthopedic surgery physicians after adjusting for state cost of living.
New York, NY
$1,455,000
adjusted from $2,038,000 gross
COL significantly above the national average (1.40x)
Las Vegas, NV
$940,000
adjusted from $978,000 gross
COL near the national average (1.04x)
Los Angeles, CA
$453,000
adjusted from $643,000 gross
COL significantly above the national average (1.42x)
Physician Experience by City
Satisfaction, hours, and career sentiment from verified orthopedic surgery physicians in each city.
Los Angeles, CA
Complete City Rankings
| # | City | Avg. Salary | COL-Adj. | Satisfaction | Hrs/Wk | Reports |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🥇1 | New York, NY | $2,038,000 | $1,455,000 | — | — | 2 |
| 🥈2 | Las Vegas, NV | $978,000 | $940,000 | — | — | 2 |
| 🥉3 | Los Angeles, CA | $643,000 | $453,000 | 2.7/5 | 53 | 3 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the highest-paying city for orthopedic surgery?
New York, NY offers the highest average orthopedic surgery salary at $2,038,000, based on 2 verified submissions.
Which city offers the best value after cost of living?
After adjusting for state cost of living, New York, NY offers the most purchasing power at $1,455,000 adjusted salary. The cost of living in New York is significantly above the national average (index: 1.40).
Where are orthopedic surgery physicians most satisfied?
Los Angeles, CA reports the highest satisfaction for orthopedic surgery physicians at 2.7/5.0, with an average of 53 hours per week.
How is this data collected?
All salary data comes from verified physicians who submit their compensation anonymously on SalaryDr. Each submission is verified via NPI lookup against the CMS NPPES registry. Cities require at least 2 verified reports to appear in rankings. Cost-of-living adjustments use state-level indices; actual COL may vary significantly within a state (e.g., San Francisco vs. rural California).