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Cardiac surgeon salary
Average cardiac surgeon salary
$381,912
Understanding Cardiac Surgeon Salaries
Cardiac surgeons play a crucial role in treating heart disease and associated conditions. As of October 2025, the average cardiac surgeon salary stands at $381,912 annually. This figure can fluctuate based on various factors such as geographic location, years of experience, and the type of practice.
For instance, cardiac surgeons practicing in metropolitan areas often command higher salaries compared to those in rural settings. States like California and New York frequently offer some of the highest compensation packages due to the high demand for specialized healthcare services in these regions.
Additionally, experienced surgeons or those in leadership roles may see salaries significantly exceeding the average. As healthcare evolves, opportunities for cardiac surgeons continue to expand, making this a promising career choice for those interested in medicine and surgery. To further understand the salary dynamics, explore resources that provide detailed salary estimates by state and practice environment.
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Where can a Cardiac Surgeon earn more?
Cardiac surgeon salary estimates from across the web
Average cardiac surgeon salary by state
The highest-paying states for cardiac surgeons are Alaska, Minnesota, and Michigan. The lowest average cardiac surgeon salary states are California, Nevada, and Arkansas.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for cardiac surgeons
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Dakota | $222,054 | $106.76 |
| 2 | Alaska | $230,531 | $110.83 |
| 3 | Minnesota | $225,512 | $108.42 |
| 4 | Maine | $219,094 | $105.33 |
| 5 | Michigan | $224,414 | $107.89 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | $219,259 | $105.41 |
| 7 | Indiana | $217,447 | $104.54 |
| 8 | Ohio | $221,227 | $106.36 |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $215,954 | $103.82 |
| 10 | Nebraska | $214,052 | $102.91 |
| 11 | Washington | $220,777 | $106.14 |
| 12 | Iowa | $217,356 | $104.50 |
| 13 | Montana | $223,318 | $107.36 |
| 14 | Kentucky | $213,838 | $102.81 |
| 15 | Wisconsin | $209,483 | $100.71 |
| 16 | South Dakota | $207,622 | $99.82 |
| 17 | Oregon | $220,128 | $105.83 |
| 18 | Illinois | $214,962 | $103.35 |
| 19 | Idaho | $215,240 | $103.48 |
| 20 | Kansas | $206,518 | $99.29 |
| 21 | Alabama | $210,762 | $101.33 |
| 22 | Vermont | $206,940 | $99.49 |
| 23 | West Virginia | $208,139 | $100.07 |
| 24 | Mississippi | $210,249 | $101.08 |
| 25 | New Jersey | $210,399 | $101.15 |
| 26 | Delaware | $211,592 | $101.73 |
| 27 | Maryland | $213,796 | $102.79 |
| 28 | Oklahoma | $207,515 | $99.77 |
| 29 | Connecticut | $210,275 | $101.09 |
| 30 | New Mexico | $200,659 | $96.47 |
| 31 | Georgia | $205,892 | $98.99 |
| 32 | Arizona | $209,033 | $100.50 |
| 33 | Wyoming | $202,678 | $97.44 |
| 34 | Utah | $206,441 | $99.25 |
| 35 | Tennessee | $195,192 | $93.84 |
| 36 | Colorado | $210,242 | $101.08 |
| 37 | Massachusetts | $201,585 | $96.92 |
| 38 | Louisiana | $207,723 | $99.87 |
| 39 | New York | $197,390 | $94.90 |
| 40 | South Carolina | $201,568 | $96.91 |
| 41 | Missouri | $197,685 | $95.04 |
| 42 | Arkansas | $188,311 | $90.53 |
| 43 | North Carolina | $187,909 | $90.34 |
| 44 | Texas | $195,233 | $93.86 |
| 45 | Hawaii | $132,269 | $63.59 |
| 46 | Nevada | $188,622 | $90.68 |
| 47 | Rhode Island | $199,754 | $96.04 |
| 48 | Florida | $178,390 | $85.76 |
| 49 | Virginia | $197,841 | $95.12 |
| 50 | District of Columbia | $197,823 | $95.11 |
| 51 | California | $193,312 | $92.94 |
Highest paying cities for cardiac surgeons
The highest-paying cities for cardiac surgeons are Minneapolis, MN, Seattle, WA, and Cleveland, OH.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minneapolis, MN | $442,887 | $212.93 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $436,981 | $210.09 |
| 3 | Cleveland, OH | $385,720 | $185.44 |
| 4 | Carmel, IN | $360,875 | $173.50 |
| 5 | Madison, WI | $325,739 | $156.61 |
| 6 | Baltimore, MD | $316,976 | $152.39 |
| 7 | Newark, DE | $308,066 | $148.11 |
| 8 | Danbury, CT | $302,696 | $145.53 |
| 9 | Atlanta, GA | $286,011 | $137.51 |
| 10 | Columbia, MO | $278,400 | $133.85 |
| 11 | Boston, MA | $269,666 | $129.65 |
| 12 | Frisco, TX | $259,146 | $124.59 |
| 13 | Washington, DC | $258,260 | $124.16 |
| 14 | Los Angeles, CA | $242,826 | $116.74 |
| 15 | Greenville, NC | $226,429 | $108.86 |
| 16 | Largo, FL | $206,594 | $99.32 |
Cardiac surgeon salary details
A cardiac surgeon's salary ranges from $196,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $743,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a cardiac surgeon's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $743,000 | $61,917 | $357 |
| 75th Percentile | $542,000 | $45,167 | $261 |
| Average | $381,912 | $31,826 | $184 |
| 25th Percentile | $268,000 | $22,333 | $129 |
| 10th Percentile | $196,000 | $16,333 | $94 |
Highest paying cardiac surgeon jobs
The highest paying types of cardiac surgeons are foot and ankle surgeon, thoracic surgeon, and upper extremity surgeon.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neurosurgeon | $365,411 | $30,451 | $175.68 | 2,412 |
| General Surgeon | $223,321 | $18,610 | $107.37 | 45,174 |
| Dental Surgeon | $279,537 | $23,295 | $134.39 | 32,596 |
| Surgeon | $155,553 | $12,963 | $74.78 | 37,918 |
| Vascular Surgeon | $324,217 | $27,018 | $155.87 | 20,391 |
| Trauma Surgeon | $406,184 | $33,849 | $195.28 | 3,750 |
Top companies hiring cardiac surgeons now:
Which companies pay cardiac surgeons the most?
Cardiac surgeon salaries at Allina Health and University of Maryland, Baltimore are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average cardiac surgeon salary at companies like Dignity Health and Danbury Hospital are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Allina Health | $511,666 | $245.99 |
| 2 | University of Maryland, Baltimore | $470,811 | $226.35 |
| 3 | Dignity Health | $449,804 | $216.25 |
| 4 | Danbury Hospital | $436,889 | $210.04 |
| 5 | Houston Methodist | $433,714 | $208.52 |
| 6 | Christiana Care Health Services, Inc. | $409,222 | $196.74 |
| 7 | Ascension Michigan | $392,677 | $188.79 |
| 8 | Swedish Hospital | $389,319 | $187.17 |
| 9 | Catholic Health Initiatives - Colorado | $377,658 | $181.57 |
| 10 | Integrity Locums | $373,755 | $179.69 |
| 11 | Piedmont Healthcare | $370,686 | $178.21 |
| 12 | The Medicus Firm | $368,807 | $177.31 |
| 13 | Merritt Hawkins | $351,204 | $168.85 |
| 14 | Medstar Health | $340,463 | $163.68 |
| 15 | University Hospitals | $339,535 | $163.24 |
| 16 | Cleveland Clinic | $338,922 | $162.94 |
| 17 | Baylor Scott & White Health | $335,826 | $161.45 |
| 18 | University of Maryland Faculty Physicians Incorporated | $333,662 | $160.41 |
| 19 | Valley Health System | $331,269 | $159.26 |
| 20 | Children's National Medical Center | $302,227 | $145.30 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Cardiac surgeon salary trends
The average cardiac surgeon salary has risen by $49,394 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average cardiac surgeon earned $332,518 annually, but today, they earn $381,912 a year. That works out to a 5% change in pay for cardiac surgeons over the last decade.
Compare cardiac surgeon salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average cardiac surgeon salary over time
Compare cardiac surgeon salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Cardiac surgeon salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $382,000 | $183.61 | +2.4% |
| 2024 | $373,000 | $179.15 | +1.7% |
| 2023 | $366,000 | $176.13 | +1.3% |
| 2022 | $362,000 | $173.91 | -0.4% |
| 2021 | $363,000 | $174.61 | +2.1% |
Recently added cardiac surgeon salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medstar Research Institute | Surgical Cardiac Intensivist at Medstar Union Hospital | Baltimore, MD | 06/25/2025 | $350,000 |
| Kaiser Permanente-Southern California Permanente Medical Group | Cardiac Surgeon | Los Angeles, CA | 06/17/2025 | $184,860 |
| HH Medstar Health Inc. | Surgical Cardiac Intensivist | Baltimore, MD | 05/31/2025 | $350,000 |
| Adventist Health System | Cardiac Surgery PA-Ahmg Cardiac Surgery at Littleton | Littleton, CO | 05/26/2025 | $158,304 |
| Scpmg | Surgeon Cardiac | Los Angeles, CA | 04/30/2025 | $184,860 |
| Adventist Health System | Cardiac Surgery PA-Ahmg Cardiac Surgery at Littleton | Littleton, CO | 04/28/2025 | $158,304 |
| Adventist | Cardiac Surgery PA-Ahmg Cardiac Surgery at Littleton | Littleton, CO | 04/28/2025 | $158,304 |
| Dignity Health | Cardiac Critical Care Intensivist | Sacramento, CA | 04/17/2025 | $498,021 |
| HH Medstar Health Inc. | Surgical Cardiac Intensivist at Medstar Union Hospital | Baltimore, MD | 03/20/2025 | $350,000 |
| Dignity Health | Cardiac Surgery APP | Phoenix, AZ | 03/14/2025 | $76,196 |
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