Cardiothoracic surgeon vs cardiac surgeon

The differences between cardiothoracic surgeons and cardiac surgeons can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a cardiothoracic surgeon and a cardiac surgeon. Additionally, a cardiothoracic surgeon has an average salary of $409,035, which is higher than the $381,912 average annual salary of a cardiac surgeon.

The top three skills for a cardiothoracic surgeon include private practice, surgical procedures and MRI. The most important skills for a cardiac surgeon are cardiovascular surgery, heart procedures, and .

Cardiothoracic surgeon vs cardiac surgeon overview

	Cardiothoracic Surgeon	Cardiac Surgeon
Yearly salary	$409,035	$381,912
Hourly rate	$196.65	$183.61
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	3,612	5,920
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 39%	Doctoral Degree, 30%
Average age	49	49
Years of experience	6	6

Cardiothoracic surgeon vs cardiac surgeon salary

Cardiothoracic surgeons and cardiac surgeons have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Cardiothoracic Surgeon	Cardiac Surgeon
Average salary	$409,035	$381,912
Salary range	Between $205,000 And $813,000	Between $196,000 And $743,000
Highest paying City	Minneapolis, MN	Minneapolis, MN
Highest paying state	Michigan	Alaska
Best paying company	Allina Health	Allina Health
Best paying industry	Health Care	-

Differences between cardiothoracic surgeon and cardiac surgeon education

There are a few differences between a cardiothoracic surgeon and a cardiac surgeon in terms of educational background:

	Cardiothoracic Surgeon	Cardiac Surgeon
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 39%	Doctoral Degree, 30%
Most common major	Nursing	Biology
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	Duke University

Cardiothoracic surgeon vs cardiac surgeon demographics

Here are the differences between cardiothoracic surgeons' and cardiac surgeons' demographics:

	Cardiothoracic Surgeon	Cardiac Surgeon
Average age	49	49
Gender ratio	Male, 58.1% Female, 41.9%	Male, 64.7% Female, 35.3%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 1.8% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 5.0% Asian, 12.7% White, 76.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%	Black or African American, 1.8% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 5.0% Asian, 12.7% White, 76.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
LGBT Percentage	12%	12%

Differences between cardiothoracic surgeon and cardiac surgeon duties and responsibilities

Cardiothoracic surgeon example responsibilities.

Manage all incoming medical records requests (ensuring office is within HIPPA guidelines).
Coordinate with patients and medical staff at civilian and military treatment facilities to schedule medical appointments and retrieve medical documentation.
Observe fracture plating, skin grafting, wind cleaning, amputation, and other Orthopaedic surgeries.

Cardiac surgeon example responsibilities.

Coordinate with patients and medical staff at civilian and military treatment facilities to schedule medical appointments and retrieve medical documentation.
Handle confidential and sensitive information with accuracy and according to HIPAA policies.

Cardiothoracic surgeon vs cardiac surgeon skills

Common cardiothoracic surgeon skills

Private Practice, 38%
Surgical Procedures, 28%
MRI, 19%
Post-Operative Care, 7%
Chest Tubes, 7%
Direct Care, 2%

Common cardiac surgeon skills

Cardiovascular Surgery, 77%
Heart Procedures, 23%

Cardiothoracic Surgeon vs. similar jobs

Cardiothoracic Surgeon related careers

Cardiothoracic Surgeon related jobs

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Healthcare Practitioner and Technical Industry
Cardiothoracic Surgeon
Cardiothoracic Surgeon vs Cardiac Surgeon

Updated January 8, 2025

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