Is Thoracic Surgery a Good Career in 2026?

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

Based on 20 verified physician submissions

SalaryDr Career Intelligence

Based on 20 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
$810,000
Median Salary
4.1/5
Satisfaction
95%
Would Choose Again

Thoracic Surgery Compensation & Earnings

Thoracic Surgery Compensation

$810,000

$710,000 – $850,000(P25–P75)

SalaryDr Median · 20 verified reports
See Full Thoracic Surgery Salary Data →

Thoracic Surgery Salary Progression

From medical school to senior attending — based on 20 verified submissions

Training
8 years
Med School Debt
$200,000
Attending Salary
$790,000
Break-Even
~1 years
1
Medical School
4 years
-$200,000
2
Residency
3-5 years
Limited data
3
Early Career
0-5 years experience
$650,000/yr

7 submissions

4
Mid-Career
6-15 years experience
$810,000/yr

11 submissions

5
Senior Attending
16+ years experience
Limited data

2 submissions

+25% salary growth from early career ($650,000) to mid-career ($810,000)

Estimate Your Take-Home

Based on median Thoracic Surgery salary of $810K/yr

Select a state to see your estimated take-home pay

Full Take-Home Calculator

Take-Home Pay by State

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

Highest Take-Home States

1
Alaska
Gross: $810,000 · 34.6% tax
$529,828
+$74,520/yr
2
Florida
Gross: $810,000 · 34.6% tax
$529,828
+$74,520/yr
3
Nevada
Gross: $810,000 · 34.6% tax
$529,828
+$74,520/yr
4
New Hampshire
Gross: $810,000 · 34.6% tax
$529,828
+$74,520/yr
5
South Dakota
Gross: $810,000 · 34.6% tax
$529,828
+$74,520/yr

Lowest Take-Home States

47
California
Gross: $810,000 · 43.8% tax
$455,308
−$74,520/yr
48
Oregon
Gross: $810,000 · 43.6% tax
$456,928
−$72,900/yr
49
District of Columbia
Gross: $810,000 · 43.5% tax
$457,738
−$72,090/yr
50
Hawaii
Gross: $810,000 · 43.4% tax
$458,548
−$71,280/yr
51
Minnesota
Gross: $810,000 · 42.8% tax
$463,408
−$66,420/yr

Tax impact: A Thoracic Surgery physician keeps $74,520 more per year in Alaska vs. California — a 9.2% difference on gross income of $810,000.

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: $810,000/yr
Thoracic Surgery Physician Salary (2026)

How does your compensation compare?

Benchmark yourself against 20 verified thoracic 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 20 verified Thoracic Surgery physicians — not job board estimates.

⏱️+24% vs avg
62hrs
Avg Hours/Week
📟+37% vs avg
82%
Take Call
🌙
~5 days
all-physician avg
Avg Call Days/Mo
🏖️
~28 days
all-physician avg
Avg PTO Days/Year
🤝
Varies
Partnership Track
🌛
0%
Moonlighting
95% would choose thoracic surgery again
Physician Satisfaction (2026)
Is Thoracic 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

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Compare all specialty career scores →

Explore Thoracic 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 Thoracic Surgery Career

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

See Real Thoracic 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 20 verified Thoracic Surgery Physicians (as of August 2026), the Physician Career Score for Thoracic Surgery is 77/100. Median total compensation is $810,000, career satisfaction is 4.1/5, and 95% would choose the specialty again.