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Healthcare practitioners

Pediatric surgeon

Diagnose and perform surgery to treat fetal abnormalities and birth defects, diseases, and injuries in fetuses, premature and newborn infants, children, and adolescents. Includes all pediatric surgical specialties and subspecialties.

Median pay

$559,030

Growth to 2035

+2%

about as fast as average

Openings a year

0

Time to qualify*

7 years

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

Pay

Pediatric surgeon

$559,03010% earn under $215,410 · middle half $336,380–$583,200 · top 10% over $726,660+
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 pediatric surgeon

What the work is like

Pediatric surgeon

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: Cardiovascular Surgeon · General Surgeon · Hand Surgeon · Physician · Plastic Surgeon · Surgeon · Thoracic Surgeon · Vascular Surgeon

Outlook and AI

Pediatric surgeons held 1,300 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 1,300 by 2035 (+2%, about as fast as average; all jobs: +3.5%).

Demand change - share decreases as the child population declines, reducing demand for pediatric surgery.

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