U.S. Orthopedic Surgeon Salary 2026: $770K Median
The median orthopedic surgeon salary in the United States is $770,000 per year, based on 122 approved salary reports on SalaryDr through . The middle 50% of reports fall between $653,750 and $850,000; the 10th to 90th percentile range is $547,000 to $1,000,000.
- Median
- $770,000
- Middle 50% (25th–75th)
- $654K–$850K
- Approved reports
- 122
- 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
Orthopedic Surgery Bonus & Incentive Pay (2026)
Based on 122 approved salary reports. 80% of them include bonus or incentive compensation.
Bonus Compensation Overview
- Average Bonus
- $231,221
- Median Bonus
- $130,000
- Bonus Range (IQR)
- $75,000 - $180,000
- Bonus as % of Total Comp
- 27%
- Physicians with Bonus
- 97 of 122 (80%)
New Graduate Offer Package
- Early Career Physicians
- N=19
- % Receiving Bonus
- 53%
- Median Bonus (0-3 yrs)
- $50,000
Orthopedic Surgery Salaries by State
Browse All Specialties →Explore orthopedic surgery salary data across different states. Click on any state to view detailed compensation information for that location.
View all Orthopedic Surgery salary reports by location →
Orthopedic Surgeon Salary FAQ
Answers are computed from the 122 approved salary reports on this page.
How much does an orthopedic surgeon make in 2026?
The median orthopedic surgeon salary in the United States is $770,000 per year, based on 122 approved salary reports on SalaryDr through September 24, 2026. The average is $768,041. At the average reported workweek of 53 hours, the median works out to about $279 per hour.
What is the salary range for an orthopedic surgeon?
The middle 50% of reported orthopedic surgeon salaries fall between $653,750 (25th percentile) and $850,000 (75th percentile). The 10th to 90th percentile range is $547,000 to $1,000,000. Based on 122 reports.
Which states pay orthopedic surgeons the most?
Among states with at least 3 approved reports, the highest median orthopedic surgeon pay on SalaryDr is in New York ($980,000 median, 7 reports), Iowa ($860,000 median, 3 reports), and Washington ($850,000 median, 3 reports). State medians built from a handful of reports can move as new reports arrive.
Do private practice orthopedic surgeons earn more than hospital-employed orthopedic surgeons?
In SalaryDr's reports, yes: private practice orthopedic surgeons ($995,038 across 65 reports) report a higher average total compensation than hospital-employed orthopedic surgeons ($772,919 across 31 reports).
How many hours does an orthopedic surgeon work per week?
Orthopedic surgeons who reported their schedule average 53 hours per week (122 reports).
How does experience affect orthopedic surgeon pay?
Average total compensation by years of experience in SalaryDr's orthopedic surgeon reports: 0–2 years, $720,000 (19 reports); 3–5 years, $920,000 (24 reports); 6–10 years, $927,889 (27 reports); 11–15 years, $900,186 (35 reports); 16+ years, $785,000 (17 reports).
How much bonus pay do orthopedic surgeons receive?
80% of approved orthopedic surgeon reports include bonus or incentive pay. Among those 97 reports, the median bonus is $130,000 and the average is $231,221.
How satisfied are orthopedic surgeons with their jobs?
Orthopedic surgeons who rated their job gave it an average of 4.1 out of 5 (119 reports). 89% of the 117 reports that answered say they would choose the specialty again.
Where does this orthopedic surgeon salary data come from?
These figures come from 122 reports that orthopedic surgeons submitted anonymously to SalaryDr and that were approved before publication; the most recent is from September 24, 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.