Should I Choose Orthopedic Surgery? Real Physician Decision Guide (2026) | SalaryDr
SalaryDr
Salary Explorer
CareersBlogSalaryDenNegotiations
My Account
Submit Your Salary
SalaryDr
Salary ExplorerCareersBlogSalaryDenNegotiations
Sign In
Submit Your Salary
  1. Home
  2. Lifestyle Insights
  3. Orthopedic Surgery
  4. Should I Choose?

Should I Choose Orthopedic Surgery?

Real decision-making data from 19 verified Orthopedic Surgery physicians. Here is what they actually think.

3.9/5
Avg Satisfaction
100%
Would Choose Again
54
Avg Hours/Week
$808K
Avg Compensation

The Verdict

100%
of Orthopedic Surgery physicians would choose the specialty again

An overwhelming 100% of Orthopedic Surgery physicians say they would choose the specialty again -- a strong endorsement.

What Physicians Love About Orthopedic Surgery

“I took this job for personal reasons. Very low paying but gives me immense flexibility and great benefits which is what I need at the moment.”
— Orthopedic Surgery Physician
“Nothing really, I love it. ”
— Orthopedic Surgery Physician
“There is a heavy administrative burden of owning the practice, but I enjoy the challenges of business ownership. I choose to be more hands on in business decisions. ”
— Orthopedic Surgery Physician
“Love every detail about my occupation nothing to change”
— Orthopedic Surgery Physician

Work-Life Balance Reality in Orthopedic Surgery

54
average hours per week reported by Orthopedic Surgery physicians
“Extremely light. 4 days a week. I work with residents and have a PA (getting a second) to help. No pressure to produce. I’m a generalist so I just do simple orthopaedic cases that are overflow from the specialists.”
— Orthopedic Surgery Physician
“I work 6 days a week. 5 days surgeries, and 1 day (typically Saturday) administrative work. Great balance between work and life considering I am a woman with kids.”
— Orthopedic Surgery Physician
“Mediocre work life balance”
— Orthopedic Surgery Physician

How Orthopedic Surgery Compares

See how Orthopedic Surgery stacks up against other popular specialties.

Orthopedic SurgeryCurrent
Satisfaction:3.9/5
Choose Again:100%
Hours:54
Comp:$808K
Pediatrics
Satisfaction:4/5
Choose Again:86%
Internal Medicine
Satisfaction:3.7/5
Choose Again:76%
General Dentist
Satisfaction:3.5/5
Choose Again:84%
SpecialtySatisfactionWould Choose Again

Negotiation Tips From Orthopedic Surgery Physicians

“Network early. You never know where the opportunity may come from. And if you find yourself in a position of need, it becomes less about hardline negotiations and more about who in your network is willing to help you during hard times.”
— Orthopedic Surgery Physician

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Orthopedic Surgery worth it?

Based on 19 verified physician responses, Orthopedic Surgery physicians report 3.9/5 average satisfaction and 100% say they would choose the specialty again. Average total compensation is $808K. Whether it is worth it depends on your priorities, but the data suggests most physicians are satisfied with their choice.

What's the work-life balance like in Orthopedic Surgery?

Orthopedic Surgery physicians work an average of 54 hours per week. One physician shared: "Extremely light. 4 days a week. I work with residents and have a PA (getting a second) to help. No pressure to produce. I’m a generalist so I just do ..."

How much do Orthopedic Surgery physicians make?

Based on SalaryDr data, Orthopedic Surgery physicians earn an average total compensation of $808K. With an average of 54 hours per week, that translates to roughly $288/hour.

Still deciding? Hear from more Orthopedic Surgery physicians

Explore detailed lifestyle insights or contribute your own experience to help others make their decision.

View Full Orthopedic Surgery InsightsShare Your Experience

Specialties

  • All Physician Salaries
  • Salaries by City
  • General Surgery
  • Orthopedic Surgery
  • Cardiology
  • Salaries by State
  • Residency Salaries

For Dentists

  • All Dentist Salaries
  • Dental Salary Database
  • Dentist Salary by State
  • Submit Dental Salary
  • Dental Calculator

Tools

  • Salary Comparison
  • Financial Calculators
  • Take Home Calculator
  • Offer Analyzer
  • Compare Specialties
  • Salary Negotiation

Salary Data

  • Physician Careers
  • Salary Benchmarks
  • Salary Trends
  • Compensation Analysis
  • Lifestyle Insights
  • Compensation Components
  • Annual Report
  • Benchmark Reports

Community

  • SalaryDen
  • Latest Discussions
  • Submit Your Salary
  • Share Feedback
  • Salary FAQ
  • Physician Resources

Company

  • About
  • Methodology
  • Contact
  • Partner with Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Community Guidelines
  • DMCA Policy
  • Data Retention
  • Cookie Policy
  • Safe Harbor
  • Data Requests

Follow Us

  • TikTok (@salarydr)
  • Instagram (@salarydr_)
  • X (Twitter) (@salarydr)
Specialties
  • All Physician Salaries
  • Salaries by City
  • General Surgery
  • Orthopedic Surgery
  • Cardiology
  • Salaries by State
  • Residency Salaries
For Dentists
  • All Dentist Salaries
  • Dental Salary Database
  • Dentist Salary by State
  • Submit Dental Salary
  • Dental Calculator
Tools
  • Salary Comparison
  • Financial Calculators
  • Take Home Calculator
  • Offer Analyzer
  • Compare Specialties
  • Salary Negotiation
Salary Data
  • Physician Careers
  • Salary Benchmarks
  • Salary Trends
  • Compensation Analysis
  • Lifestyle Insights
  • Compensation Components
  • Annual Report
  • Benchmark Reports
Community
  • SalaryDen
  • Latest Discussions
  • Submit Your Salary
  • Share Feedback
  • Salary FAQ
  • Physician Resources
Company
  • About
  • Methodology
  • Contact
  • Partner with Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Community Guidelines
  • DMCA Policy
  • Data Retention
  • Cookie Policy
  • Safe Harbor
  • Data Requests

Follow Us

  • TikTok (@salarydr)
  • Instagram (@salarydr_)
  • X (Twitter) (@salarydr)

© 2026 SalaryDr. All rights reserved.

Avg Hours
Avg Comp
Orthopedic SurgeryCurrent3.9/5100%54$808K
Pediatrics4/586%47$343K
Internal Medicine3.7/576%54$281K
General Dentist3.5/584%37$359K