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Healthcare practitioners

Orthopedic surgeons, except pediatric

Diagnose and perform surgery to treat and prevent rheumatic and other diseases in the musculoskeletal system.

Median pay

$358,550

Growth to 2035

+4%

about as fast as average

Openings a year

400

Time to qualify*

7 years

* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.

Pay

Orthopedic surgeons, except pediatric

$358,55010% earn under $84,170 · middle half $180,610–$530,700 · top 10% over $659,290+
Bar: middle 50% of workers. Line: 10th to 90th percentile. Dot: median. BLS OEWS, May 2025, national.

Getting in

Typical entry education
Doctoral or professional degree
On-the-job training
Internship/residency
Prior experience
None

Calculate your switch to orthopedic surgeons, except pediatric

What the work is like

Orthopedic surgeons, except pediatric

Dealing with the public

Rarely
Constantly

Time pressure

Rarely
Constantly

Freedom to make decisions

Little
A lot
Average worker ratings, 1 to 5. O*NET 31.0 work context survey.

Core tasks

Also called: General Surgeon · Hand Surgeon · Orthopaedic Surgeon · Orthopedic Surgeon · Physician · Surgeon

Outlook and AI

Orthopedic surgeons, except pediatric held 15,500 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 16,100 by 2035 (+4%, about as fast as average; all jobs: +3.5%).

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