Best cities for a general surgeon
The best cities for general surgeons are Fort Wayne, IN, Toledo, OH, and Buffalo, NY, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for general surgeons vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for general surgeons in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a general surgeon or considering a move, this list of the best cities for general surgeons to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for general surgeons. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a general surgeon. While the absolute best city for general surgeons is Fort Wayne, IN, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for general surgeons in 2024.
If you're looking for a general surgeon job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for general surgeons in 2025
1. Fort Wayne, IN
Total general surgeon jobs: 3 Average annual salary: $178,332 Lowest 10 percent warn: $93,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $340,000 Location quotient: 3.42 2. Toledo, OH
Total general surgeon jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $174,991 Lowest 10 percent warn: $92,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $332,000 Location quotient: 2.98 3. Buffalo, NY
Total general surgeon jobs: 5 Average annual salary: $215,716 Lowest 10 percent warn: $116,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $398,000 Location quotient: 3.24 4. Cleveland, OH
Total general surgeon jobs: 5 Average annual salary: $175,968 Lowest 10 percent warn: $93,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $331,000 Location quotient: 2.09 5. Pittsburgh, PA
Total general surgeon jobs: 7 Average annual salary: $188,742 Lowest 10 percent warn: $100,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $354,000 Location quotient: 1.54 6. Milwaukee, WI
Total general surgeon jobs: 3 Average annual salary: $190,363 Lowest 10 percent warn: $100,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $361,000 Location quotient: 1.01 7. Philadelphia, PA
Total general surgeon jobs: 6 Average annual salary: $190,623 Lowest 10 percent warn: $103,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $349,000 Location quotient: 0.82 8. Cincinnati, OH
Total general surgeon jobs: 4 Average annual salary: $163,699 Lowest 10 percent warn: $85,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $314,000 Location quotient: 1.23 9. Saint Paul, MN
Total general surgeon jobs: 5 Average annual salary: $177,172 Lowest 10 percent warn: $94,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $332,000 Location quotient: 1.73 10. Greensboro, NC
Total general surgeon jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $164,718 Lowest 10 percent warn: $88,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $308,000 Location quotient: 1.74
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Best cities for general surgeons
- Fort Wayne, IN
- Toledo, OH
- Buffalo, NY
- Cleveland, OH
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Milwaukee, WI
- Philadelphia, PA
- Cincinnati, OH
- Saint Paul, MN
- Greensboro, NC
- (3 general surgeon jobs)
- (2 general surgeon jobs)
- (5 general surgeon jobs)
- (5 general surgeon jobs)
- (7 general surgeon jobs)
- (3 general surgeon jobs)
- (6 general surgeon jobs)
- (4 general surgeon jobs)
- (5 general surgeon jobs)
- (2 general surgeon jobs)
Detailed list of the best cities for a general surgeon
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fort Wayne, IN | $178,332 | $93,000 | 264,488 | 3 |
| 2 | Toledo, OH | $174,991 | $92,000 | 278,508 | 2 |
| 3 | Buffalo, NY | $215,716 | $116,000 | 256,902 | 5 |
| 4 | Cleveland, OH | $175,968 | $93,000 | 385,809 | 5 |
| 5 | Pittsburgh, PA | $188,742 | $100,000 | 303,625 | 7 |
| 6 | Milwaukee, WI | $190,363 | $100,000 | 595,047 | 3 |
| 7 | Philadelphia, PA | $190,623 | $103,000 | 1,567,872 | 6 |
| 8 | Cincinnati, OH | $163,699 | $85,000 | 298,800 | 4 |
| 9 | Saint Paul, MN | $177,172 | $94,000 | 302,398 | 5 |
| 10 | Greensboro, NC | $164,718 | $88,000 | 287,027 | 2 |
| 11 | Albuquerque, NM | $156,421 | $85,000 | 559,277 | 6 |
| 12 | Saint Louis, MO | $161,204 | $84,000 | 311,404 | 12 |
| 13 | Oklahoma City, OK | $152,163 | $81,000 | 638,367 | 11 |
| 14 | Louisville, KY | $166,878 | $86,000 | 597,337 | 3 |
| 15 | Minneapolis, MN | $176,769 | $94,000 | 413,651 | 6 |
| 16 | Memphis, TN | $157,645 | $83,000 | 652,717 | 3 |
| 17 | Detroit, MI | $187,484 | $99,000 | 672,795 | - |
| 18 | Columbus, OH | $168,588 | $88,000 | 860,090 | - |
| 19 | Raleigh, NC | $165,384 | $89,000 | 458,880 | 6 |
| 20 | Madison, WI | $187,345 | $98,000 | 252,551 | - |
| 21 | Indianapolis, IN | $170,788 | $88,000 | 855,164 | - |
| 22 | Chicago, IL | $193,530 | $101,000 | 2,704,958 | 3 |
| 23 | New Orleans, LA | $184,207 | $99,000 | 391,495 | - |
| 24 | Lexington, KY | $168,665 | $88,000 | 318,449 | - |
| 25 | Omaha, NE | $166,358 | $87,000 | 446,970 | 1 |
| 26 | Brookhaven, NY | $209,352 | $115,000 | 486,040 | - |
| 27 | Nashville, TN | $164,262 | $86,000 | 660,388 | 1 |
| 28 | Oyster Bay, NY | $209,050 | $115,000 | 293,214 | - |
| 29 | Islip, NY | $208,750 | $115,000 | 335,543 | - |
| 30 | New York, NY | $208,512 | $114,000 | 8,537,673 | 3 |
| 31 | Hempstead, NY | $208,397 | $114,000 | 759,757 | - |
| 32 | Durham, NC | $165,385 | $88,000 | 263,016 | - |
| 33 | Lincoln, NE | $163,591 | $85,000 | 280,364 | - |
| 34 | Saint Petersburg, FL | $145,647 | $78,000 | 260,999 | 4 |
| 35 | San Antonio, TX | $146,156 | $79,000 | 1,492,510 | 7 |
| 36 | Charlotte, NC | $162,809 | $87,000 | 842,051 | 1 |
| 37 | Portland, OR | $157,101 | $83,000 | 639,863 | 10 |
| 38 | Dallas, TX | $155,473 | $84,000 | 1,317,929 | 5 |
| 39 | El Paso, TX | $143,734 | $78,000 | 683,080 | 2 |
| 40 | Newark, NJ | $192,658 | $105,000 | 281,764 | - |
| 41 | Winston-Salem, NC | $164,329 | $87,000 | 242,203 | - |
| 42 | Wichita, KS | $159,336 | $84,000 | 389,902 | - |
| 43 | Henderson, NV | $135,475 | $74,000 | 292,969 | 2 |
| 44 | Jersey City, NJ | $192,573 | $105,000 | 264,152 | - |
| 45 | Boston, MA | $176,704 | $98,000 | 673,184 | 3 |
| 46 | Atlanta, GA | $163,715 | $87,000 | 472,522 | - |
| 47 | Stockton, CA | $160,961 | $87,000 | 307,072 | 5 |
| 48 | Jacksonville, FL | $162,443 | $88,000 | 880,619 | 1 |
| 49 | Plano, TX | $155,751 | $84,000 | 286,057 | - |
| 50 | Kansas City, MO | $152,589 | $80,000 | 481,420 | 2 |
Highest paying cities for general surgeons
| Rank | City | Avg. general surgeon salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Watertown, NY | $220,638 |
| 2 | Bristol, CT | $214,330 |
| 3 | Dover, DE | $193,969 |
| 4 | Philadelphia, PA | $190,623 |
| 5 | Port Huron, MI | $190,283 |
| 6 | Dover, NH | $189,594 |
| 7 | Eau Claire, WI | $189,287 |
| 8 | Dothan, AL | $181,218 |
| 9 | Florence, SC | $180,260 |
| 10 | Decatur, IL | $179,964 |
| 11 | Saint Paul, MN | $177,172 |
| 12 | Springfield, MA | $177,109 |
| 13 | Cleveland, OH | $175,968 |
| 14 | Clinton, IA | $175,181 |
| 15 | Bristol, TN | $171,319 |
| 16 | Clinton, MS | $169,132 |
| 17 | Baltimore, MD | $165,721 |
| 18 | Topeka, KS | $163,656 |
| 19 | Springfield, OR | $155,358 |
| 20 | Los Angeles, CA | $155,042 |
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Updated January 8, 2025