Is Cardiothoracic Surgery a Good Career in 2026?

Performing surgery on the heart, lungs, esophagus, and other thoracic structures.

Based on 25 verified physician submissions

SalaryDr Career Intelligence

Based on 25 verified physician submissions

0
/ 100
Very Good

Score Breakdown

Salary
0
Satisfaction
0
Demand
0
Would Choose Again
0
Work-Life Balance
0
Training ROI
0
AI Resilience
0
$1,200,000
Median Salary
4.1/5
Satisfaction
100%
Would Choose Again

Cardiothoracic Surgery Compensation & Earnings

Cardiothoracic Surgery Compensation

$1,200,000

$1,000,000 – $1,300,000(P25–P75)

SalaryDr Median · 25 verified reports
See Full Cardiothoracic Surgery Salary Data →

Cardiothoracic Surgery Salary Progression

From medical school to senior attending — based on 25 verified submissions

Training
8 years
Med School Debt
$200,000
Attending Salary
$1,200,000
Break-Even
~1 years
1
Medical School
4 years
-$200,000
2
Residency
3-5 years
$76,000/yr

8 submissions

3
Early Career
0-5 years experience
$782,000/yr

9 submissions

4
Mid-Career
6-15 years experience
$1,175,000/yr

10 submissions

5
Senior Attending
16+ years experience
$1,225,000/yr

6 submissions

+50% salary growth from early career ($782,000) to mid-career ($1,175,000)

Estimate Your Take-Home

Based on median Cardiothoracic Surgery salary of $1200K/yr

Select a state to see your estimated take-home pay

Full Take-Home Calculator

Take-Home Pay by State

How much a Cardiothoracic Surgery physician actually keeps after federal, state, and FICA taxes

Highest Take-Home States

1
Alaska
Gross: $1,200,000 · 36.1% tax
$766,363
+$110,400/yr
2
Florida
Gross: $1,200,000 · 36.1% tax
$766,363
+$110,400/yr
3
Nevada
Gross: $1,200,000 · 36.1% tax
$766,363
+$110,400/yr
4
New Hampshire
Gross: $1,200,000 · 36.1% tax
$766,363
+$110,400/yr
5
South Dakota
Gross: $1,200,000 · 36.1% tax
$766,363
+$110,400/yr

Lowest Take-Home States

47
California
Gross: $1,200,000 · 45.3% tax
$655,963
−$110,400/yr
48
Oregon
Gross: $1,200,000 · 45.1% tax
$658,363
−$108,000/yr
49
District of Columbia
Gross: $1,200,000 · 45.0% tax
$659,563
−$106,800/yr
50
Hawaii
Gross: $1,200,000 · 44.9% tax
$660,763
−$105,600/yr
51
Minnesota
Gross: $1,200,000 · 44.3% tax
$667,963
−$98,400/yr

Tax impact: A Cardiothoracic Surgery physician keeps $110,400 more per year in Alaska vs. California — a 9.2% difference on gross income of $1,200,000.

Calculate your exact take-home pay →Need physician-specific tax planning? Talk to Doc Wealth

Assumes single filer, standard deduction, W-2 employment. State rates from Tax Foundation 2025. Gross salaries from BLS OEWS May 2024. FICA includes Social Security (6.2% up to $168,600) and Medicare (1.45% + 0.9% above $200K). Actual take-home varies with deductions, filing status, and local taxes.

Median: $1,200,000/yr
Cardiothoracic Surgery Physician Salary (2026)

How does your compensation compare?

Benchmark yourself against 25 verified cardiothoracic surgery salaries — add yours in 2 minutes and see your percentile instantly.

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Career Lifestyle

Career Reality: By the Numbers

Real data from 25 verified Cardiothoracic Surgery physicians — not job board estimates.

⏱️+41% vs avg
70hrs
Avg Hours/Week
📟+58% vs avg
95%
Take Call
🌙
~5 days
all-physician avg
Avg Call Days/Mo
🏖️+64% vs avg
46 days
Avg PTO Days/Year
🤝
100%
Partnership Track
🌛
0%
Moonlighting

What Physicians Actually Say

Thematic analysis of career insights from Cardiothoracic Surgery physicians. Based on 4 anonymized responses.

About the Lifestyle (2 responses)

Call Impact

50%

1 physician mentioned this

“It’s a bit hard I get called in even when I’m sleeping”— Independent / Contract-Based, 13 yrs
100% would choose cardiothoracic surgery again
Physician Satisfaction (2026)
Is Cardiothoracic Surgery Worth It? →
Detailed ROI analysis, satisfaction deep-dive, and physician perspectives

Job Market & Future Outlook

Training & Getting Started

4 years of post-medical-school training, with subspecialty fellowship options

Subspecialty Fellowships

Adult Cardiac SurgeryCongenital/Pediatric Cardiac SurgeryThoracic SurgeryHeart TransplantMechanical Circulatory Support

Physicians Also Consider

Vascular Surgery
Treating diseases of arteries, veins, and lymphatic system through open and endovascular techniques.
Cardiology
Diagnosing and treating heart disease — the leading cause of death worldwide.
General Surgery
Performing operative management of abdominal, trauma, and critical care conditions.
Compare all specialty career scores →

Explore Cardiothoracic Surgery

Full Salary Data
Percentiles, trends, comparisons
Is It Worth It?
ROI analysis and satisfaction deep-dive
Practice Settings
Academic vs private vs employed
Salary Trends
Historical compensation changes
Best Cities
Top cities by salary and lifestyle
Salary Explorer
Compare all specialties side by side

Take the Next Step in Your Cardiothoracic Surgery Career

Real compensation data from verified physicians. Know your market value before your next contract negotiation.

See Real Cardiothoracic Surgery SalariesCheck Your Market ValueSubmit Your Salary

Powered by SalaryDr Career Intelligence

Data sources: SalaryDr verified physician submissions • BLS Occupational Employment Statistics (May 2024) • BLS Employment Projections (2024-2034)
Career Score methodology: salarydr.com/methodology

According to SalaryDr Career Intelligence data from 25 verified Cardiothoracic Surgeons (as of August 2026), the Physician Career Score for Cardiothoracic Surgery is 76/100. Median total compensation is $1,200,000, career satisfaction is 4.1/5, and 100% would choose the specialty again.