Source: SalaryDr General Surgery Residency Salary Data (2026). Median: $70,000/year. Sample: 22 verified submissions. URL: https://www.salarydr.com/residency-salary/general-surgery
General Surgery Residency Salary (2026)
The median general surgery resident salary is $70,000 per year, based on 22 verified submissions on SalaryDr. After training, general surgery attendings earn a median of $400,000 — a 5.7x increase.
Source: SalaryDr verified data • Updated May 2026
General Surgery Resident Salary by PGY Year
How general surgery resident compensation changes by postgraduate year level.
| PGY Level | Median Salary | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| PGY-1 | $70,000 | 11 |
| PGY-2 | $69,000 | 5 |
| PGY-3 | $62,215 | 1 |
| PGY-4 | $70,000 | 1 |
| PGY-5 | $75,941 | 3 |
| PGY-7 | $75,000 | 1 |
General Surgery Residency Stipends & Benefits
Median annual stipends reported by general surgery residents, in addition to base salary.
What General Surgery Residents Say
Real insights from verified general surgery residents about their training experience.
“12 days on 2 days off”
“2-3 weekend calls/month 3 weeks PTO”
“Surgery is a job where you will always be on the hook for complications for your patients no matter if you are “off” or on vacation. If you don’t want to answer the phone you have to pay someone else to take the calls for you or have nice partners.”
General Surgery: Resident vs. Attending Salary
The salary jump from residency to attending is the largest increase in a physician’s career.
General Surgery Resident Salary by State
Top-paying states for general surgery residents based on verified submissions.
| State | Median Salary | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| Ohio | $70,000 | 3 |
| Texas | $70,000 | 7 |
| Michigan | $67,000 | 2 |
General Surgery Residency Training
Training Length
5 years
Salary Progression
Resident salary increases ~$2,000–$3,000 per PGY year. After completing training, attending general surgery physicians earn a median of $400,000.
Frequently Asked Questions: General Surgery Residency Salary
How much do general surgery residents make in 2026?
General Surgery residents earn a median salary of $70,000 per year based on 22 verified submissions on SalaryDr. Salaries range from $50,000 to $80,000 depending on PGY level and location.
How long is general surgery residency?
General Surgery residency training is 5 years. Salary increases with each year of training, typically by $2,000–$3,000 per PGY level.
How much more do general surgery attendings make compared to residents?
General Surgery attending physicians earn a median of $400,000, which is 5.7x more than the median resident salary of $70,000. This gap represents the largest salary jump in a physician's career.
Are general surgery residents satisfied with their specialty choice?
General Surgery residents rate their career satisfaction at 3.8/5.0 on average. 94% say they would choose general surgery again if given the choice. They work an average of 75 hours per week.
Explore More General Surgery Data
Browse Residency Salaries by Specialty
Are you a general surgery resident?
Share your salary anonymously and help future residents make informed decisions about general surgery training programs. It takes less than 2 minutes.