U.S. Cardiothoracic Surgeon Salary 2026: $1.1M Median
The median cardiothoracic surgeon salary in the United States is $1,150,000 per year, based on 26 approved salary reports on SalaryDr through . The middle 50% of reports fall between $809,000 and $1,250,000; the 10th to 90th percentile range is $520,000 to $1,580,000.
- Median
- $1,150,000
- Middle 50% (25th–75th)
- $809K–$1.3M
- Approved reports
- 26
- As of
Source: SalaryDr salary reports — anonymous, self-reported and approved before publication. Total compensation includes base salary, bonuses and incentives. Outlier reports beyond 1.5×IQR are excluded from the median, average and percentiles. Figures from 24 or fewer reports are rounded to protect privacy. Methodology
Cardiothoracic Surgery Bonus & Incentive Pay (2026)
Based on 26 approved salary reports. 69% of them include bonus or incentive compensation.
Bonus Compensation Overview
- Average Bonus
- $260,000
- Median Bonus
- $225,000
- Bonus Range (IQR)
- $100,000 - $350,000
- Bonus as % of Total Comp
- 15%
- Physicians with Bonus
- 18 of 26 (69%)
New Graduate Offer Package
Not enough early-career reports (0–3 years of experience) yet to show a separate figure.
Cardiothoracic Surgery Salaries by State
Browse All Specialties →Explore cardiothoracic surgery salary data across different states. Click on any state to view detailed compensation information for that location.
View all Cardiothoracic Surgery salary reports by location →
Cardiothoracic Surgeon Salary FAQ
Answers are computed from the 26 approved salary reports on this page.
How much does a cardiothoracic surgeon make in 2026?
The median cardiothoracic surgeon salary in the United States is $1,150,000 per year, based on 26 approved salary reports on SalaryDr through August 26, 2026. The average is $1,069,478. At the average reported workweek of 72 hours, the median works out to about $307 per hour.
What is the salary range for a cardiothoracic surgeon?
The middle 50% of reported cardiothoracic surgeon salaries fall between $809,000 (25th percentile) and $1,250,000 (75th percentile). The 10th to 90th percentile range is $520,000 to $1,580,000. Based on 26 reports.
How many hours does a cardiothoracic surgeon work per week?
Cardiothoracic surgeons who reported their schedule average 72 hours per week (26 reports).
How does experience affect cardiothoracic surgeon pay?
Average total compensation by years of experience in SalaryDr's cardiothoracic surgeon reports: 3–5 years, $1,300,000 (6 reports); 11–15 years, $1,685,000 (6 reports); 16+ years, $1,905,000 (6 reports).
How much bonus pay do cardiothoracic surgeons receive?
69% of approved cardiothoracic surgeon reports include bonus or incentive pay. Among those 18 reports, the median bonus is $225,000 and the average is $260,000.
How satisfied are cardiothoracic surgeons with their jobs?
Cardiothoracic surgeons who rated their job gave it an average of 4.1 out of 5 (24 reports). 96% of the 24 reports that answered say they would choose the specialty again.
Where does this cardiothoracic surgeon salary data come from?
These figures come from 26 reports that cardiothoracic surgeons submitted anonymously to SalaryDr and that were approved before publication; the most recent is from August 26, 2026. Reports are self-reported: approval means a report passed SalaryDr's review checks, not that the submitter's pay was independently verified. Outlier reports beyond 1.5×IQR are excluded from the median, average and percentiles.
Reports are anonymous and self-reported. How SalaryDr calculates these figures.