General surgeon demographics and statistics in the US
General surgeon demographics research summary. Zippia estimates general surgeon demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our general surgeon estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about general surgeons after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 17,324 general surgeons currently employed in the United States.
- 46.1% of all general surgeons are women, while 53.9% are men.
- The average general surgeon age is 48 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of general surgeons is White (76.6%), followed by Asian (12.7%), Hispanic or Latino (5.0%) and Unknown (3.8%).
- General surgeons are most in-demand in Louisville, KY.
- The health care industry is the highest-paying for general surgeons.
- 12% of all general surgeons are LGBT.
On this page
General surgeon demographics by:
General surgeon gender statistics
46.1% of general surgeons are women and 53.9% of general surgeons are men.
- Male, 53.9%
- Female, 46.1%
General surgeon gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 53.9% |
| Female | 46.1% |
General surgeon gender pay gap
Women earn 87¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$231,408
Female income
$201,479
General surgeon gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in general surgeon positions over time. Currently, 46.1% of general surgeons are female.
General surgeon gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 35.79% | 64.21% |
| 2011 | 34.40% | 65.60% |
| 2012 | 35.19% | 64.81% |
| 2013 | 33.78% | 66.22% |
| 2014 | 32.97% | 67.03% |
| 2015 | 33.18% | 66.82% |
| 2016 | 32.47% | 67.53% |
| 2017 | 30.74% | 69.26% |
| 2018 | 55.01% | 44.99% |
| 2019 | 59.10% | 40.90% |
| 2020 | 54.24% | 45.76% |
| 2021 | 53.87% | 46.13% |
General surgeon related jobs gender ratio
We compared general surgeons with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, flight surgeon and optometrist, owner have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Staff Nurse Midwife | 2% | 98% |
| Perinatal Nurse | 3% | 97% |
| Therapeutic Dietitian | 3% | 97% |
| General Surgeon | 54% | 46% |
| Radiology Resident | 75% | 25% |
| Optometrist, Owner | 76% | 24% |
| Flight Surgeon | 82% | 18% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
General surgeon demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among general surgeons is White, which makes up 76.6% of all general surgeons. Comparatively, 12.7% of general surgeons are Asian and 5.0% of general surgeons are Hispanic or Latino.
- White, 76.6%
- Asian, 12.7%
- Hispanic or Latino, 5.0%
- Unknown, 3.8%
- Black or African American, 1.8%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
General surgeon race
| General surgeon race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 76.6% |
| Asian | 12.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 5.0% |
| Unknown | 3.8% |
| Black or African American | 1.8% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.1% |
General surgeon race and ethnicity over time
See how general surgeon racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
General surgeon race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 70.58% | 3.90% | 18.00% | 5.55% |
| 2011 | 70.62% | 3.97% | 17.92% | 5.40% |
| 2012 | 70.69% | 3.73% | 17.57% | 5.93% |
| 2013 | 68.74% | 4.15% | 18.77% | 6.15% |
| 2014 | 69.87% | 3.78% | 18.35% | 5.89% |
| 2015 | 69.99% | 3.63% | 18.58% | 5.96% |
| 2016 | 67.95% | 4.01% | 19.99% | 5.63% |
| 2017 | 68.57% | 3.87% | 19.15% | 6.06% |
| 2018 | 80.41% | 2.37% | 9.64% | 5.53% |
| 2019 | 81.74% | 2.00% | 9.42% | 4.28% |
| 2020 | 79.90% | 0.87% | 9.44% | 5.07% |
| 2021 | 76.60% | 1.81% | 12.67% | 5.01% |
General surgeon wage gap by race
According to our data, white general surgeons have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american general surgeons have the lowest average salary at $225,493.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $225,957 |
| White | $238,139 |
| Black or African American | $225,493 |
| Asian | $237,673 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $230,104 |
Average general surgeon age
See how the average age of general surgeons varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
General surgeon age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 44 | |
| White | 49.5 | 42 |
| Asian | 44 | 42 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 48 |
General surgeon age breakdown
The average age of general surgeons is 40+ years years old, representing 79% of the general surgeon population.
General surgeon age breakdown
| General Surgeon Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 79% |
| 30-40 years | 21% |
| 20-30 years | 0% |
General surgeon educational attainment
The most common degree for general surgeons is bachelor's degree, with 30% of general surgeons earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are doctoral degree degree at 25% and doctoral degree degree at 10%.
- Bachelor's, 30%
- Doctorate, 25%
- Master's, 10%
- Associate, 9%
- Other Degrees, 26%
General surgeons by degree level
| General surgeon degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 30% |
| Doctorate | 25% |
| Master's | 10% |
| Associate | 9% |
| Other Degrees | 26% |
General surgeon jobs you might like
General surgeon employment statistics
Most general surgeons work for a private in the health care industry.
Company size where general surgeons work
Below, you can see the size of companies where general surgeons work.
General surgeon jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 6% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 17% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 18% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 15% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 31% |
| > 10,000 employees | 14% |
General surgeon jobs by company type
Employees with the general surgeon job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most general surgeons prefer to work at private companies over education companies.
General surgeon jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 8% |
| Public | 2% |
| Private | 83% |
| Government | 7% |
General surgeon jobs by industry
The most common industries for general surgeons are health care, education and government.
General surgeon industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Health Care | 74% |
| Education | 5% |
| Government | 4% |
| Professional | 4% |
| Manufacturing | 2% |
| Fortune 500 | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Technology | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Retail | 1% |
| Agriculture | 1% |
General surgeon turnover and employment statistics
General surgeon unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for general surgeons between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
General surgeon unemployment rate by year
| Year | General surgeon unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 0.73% |
| 2011 | 0.72% |
| 2012 | 0.53% |
| 2013 | 0.68% |
| 2014 | 0.67% |
| 2015 | 0.66% |
| 2016 | 0.38% |
| 2017 | 0.38% |
| 2018 | 0.70% |
| 2019 | 0.16% |
| 2020 | 0.58% |
| 2021 | 1.87% |
Average general surgeon tenure
The average general surgeon stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 950 general surgeons resumes in Zippia's database.
General surgeon tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 15% |
| 1-2 years | 31% |
| 3-4 years | 15% |
| 5-7 years | 15% |
| 8-10 years | 7% |
| 11+ years | 16% |
General surgeon LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of general surgeons that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Forensic Psychiatrist | 9.88% | 12,127 |
| Pain Management Physician | 11.62% | 109,196 |
| General Surgeon | 12.32% | - |
| Cardiac Rehabilitation Program Director | 13.00% | 66,457 |
| Medical Staff Physician | 13.05% | 150,445 |
| Optometrist | 17.57% | 20,993 |
| Nurse Anesthetist | 31.64% | 62,419 |
Similar general surgeon jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Forensic Psychiatrist | 9.88% | 12,127 |
| Pain Management Physician | 11.62% | 109,196 |
| Cardiac Rehabilitation Program Director | 13.00% | 66,457 |
| Medical Staff Physician | 13.05% | 150,445 |
| Optometrist | 17.57% | 20,993 |
| Nurse Anesthetist | 31.64% | 62,419 |
Foreign languages spoken by general surgeons
The most common foreign language among general surgeons is Spanish at 33.3%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 11.1% and German is the third-most popular at 6.7%.
- Spanish, 33.3%
- French, 11.1%
- German, 6.7%
- Russian, 6.7%
- Turkish, 4.4%
- Other, 37.8%
General surgeon languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 33.3% |
| French | 11.1% |
| German | 6.7% |
| Russian | 6.7% |
| Turkish | 4.4% |
| Other | 37.8% |
