Cardiothoracic Surgery Salary Data
Median Salary
$1,200,000
Average Salary
$1,776,100
Salary Range
Percentiles
Breakdown
How much does a Cardiothoracic Surgeon make?
As of June 15, 2025, a Cardiothoracic Surgeon in the United States earns an average of $1,200,000 per year ($100,000 monthly). Based on an average 78-hour work week, this translates to approximately $439 per hour.
Salary Range and Distribution
Based on 15 verified physician salary submissions, SalaryDr is seeing total compensation ranging from $1,100,000 to $1,300,000, with top performers (90th percentile) earning up to $5,170,000 annually. The majority of Cardiothoracic Surgery salaries fall between $1,100,000 (25th percentile) and $1,300,000 (75th percentile).
Career Growth and Advancement
The salary difference between early-career and experienced Cardiothoracic Surgery physicians is significant. Entry-level positions start at $1,945,571, while those with 14+ years of experience earn an average of $1,627,813 - a -16% increase. This substantial growth reflects the value of experience and skill development in the field.
Practice Settings and Compensation Structure
Base salary makes up 87% of total compensation ($1,544,933), with the remainder coming from bonuses, profit sharing, and other incentives.
Job Satisfaction and Work-Life Balance
Cardiothoracic Surgery physicians report high career satisfaction, rating their specialty 4.1 out of 5, with 100% saying they would choose this specialty again.
Salary Distribution
Distribution based on 15 verified physician salary submissions.
Median Salary: $1,200,000
Physician Satisfaction
Would Choose Again
Percentage of Cardiothoracic Surgery physicians who would choose this specialty again if starting their career over.
Satisfaction Rating
Average satisfaction rating reported by Cardiothoracic Surgery physicians (1-5 scale).
Career Satisfaction
Physicians cite the variety of cases and patient relationships as most rewarding aspects of this specialty.
Primary Challenges
On-call demands, administrative burden, and work-life balance are cited as the top challenges.
Salary Comparison
Location Statistics
Average Salary
$1,776,100
Median Salary
$1,200,000
Salary Range
$1,100,000 - $1,300,000
National Comparison
National Average
$1,776,100
Difference
+0% vs National Average
Sample Size
15 local / 15 national reports
Salary by Practice Type
| Practice Type | Average Salary | Sample Size |
|---|---|---|
| Hospital-employed | $1,974,500 | 7 submissions |
| Private Practice | $1,200,000 | 3 submissions |
| Academic | $1,012,500 | 4 submissions |
* Practice types with fewer than 3 submissions may be omitted for privacy.
Salary by Experience Level
| Years of Experience | Average Salary | Sample Size |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | $1,824,500 | 2 submissions |
| 6-10 years | $1,166,667 | 3 submissions |
| 11-15 years | $1,944,000 | 5 submissions |
| 16+ years | $1,954,500 | 5 submissions |
* Experience levels with fewer than 3 submissions may be omitted for privacy.
Take-Home Pay Calculator
Subspecialty Comparison
Adult Cardiac
| Subspecialty | Average Salary | Sample Size | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult Cardiac | $1,033,333 | 3 submissions | Focuses on specialized adult cardiac procedures and treatments within cardiothoracic surgery, providing expert care in this specific area. |
* Subspecialties with fewer than 3 submissions may be omitted for privacy.
* Data is aggregated from verified physician submissions.
Related Specialties
Bariatric Surgery
Average Salary: $750,000
Based on 2 submissions
Head and Neck Surgery
Average Salary: $700,000
Based on 2 submissions
Cardiology
Average Salary: $651,325
Based on 106 submissions
* Salary data is updated monthly based on verified physician submissions.
Cardiothoracic Surgery Salary by State
Arizona
$1,000,000/year
1 reports
Connecticut
$1,200,000/year
1 reports
Florida
$1,100,000/year
1 reports
Illinois
$2,949,000/year
1 reports
Iowa
$1,200,000/year
1 reports
Massachusetts
$1,150,000/year
4 reports
New Jersey
$5,170,000/year
1 reports
New York
$1,300,000/year
2 reports
Ohio
$1,200,000/year
1 reports
Pennsylvania
$700,000/year
1 reports
Texas
$1,300,000/year
1 reports
See How Residency Salaries Compare
Planning your career path? Check out our comprehensive residency salary benchmarks to see how PGY compensation compares across different specialties and regions.
View Residency Benchmarks