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Job outlook for neurosurgeons in the United States
Are neurosurgeon jobs in demand?
Neurosurgeon job and salary trends over time
Neurosurgeon jobs over time
Neurosurgeon job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,241 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 1,265 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 1,273 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 914 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 1,026 | 0.00% |
Average neurosurgeon salary over time
Neurosurgeon salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $365,411 | $175.68 | +2.5% |
| 2024 | $356,539 | $171.41 | +1.7% |
| 2023 | $350,523 | $168.52 | +1.3% |
| 2022 | $346,099 | $166.39 | --0.4% |
| 2021 | $347,500 | $167.07 | +2.2% |
Neurosurgeon jobs by state
Most common states for neurosurgeons
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 56 | 4% |
| 2 | Vermont | 623,657 | 18 | 3% |
| 3 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 92 | 2% |
| 4 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 64 | 2% |
| 5 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 31 | 2% |
| 6 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 18 | 2% |
| 7 | Alaska | 739,795 | 18 | 2% |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 157 | 1% |
| 9 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 97 | 1% |
| 10 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 88 | 1% |
| 11 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 79 | 1% |
| 12 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 75 | 1% |
| 13 | Michigan | 9,962,311 | 63 | 1% |
| 14 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 63 | 1% |
| 15 | Kentucky | 4,454,189 | 34 | 1% |
| 16 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 23 | 1% |
| 17 | West Virginia | 1,815,857 | 22 | 1% |
| 18 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 22 | 1% |
| 19 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 12 | 1% |
| 20 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 8 | 1% |
Most common cities for neurosurgeons
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bangor | 2 | 6% | $353,233 |
| 2 | Portland | 1 | 1% | $345,611 |
| 3 | Sterling Heights | 1 | 1% | $366,915 |
| 4 | Houston | 2 | 0% | $237,984 |
| 5 | Atlanta | 1 | 0% | $291,291 |
| 6 | Colorado Springs | 1 | 0% | $331,194 |
Neurosurgeon job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of neurosurgeon experts
Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center
University of Virginia
Morehouse School of Medicine
University of Kentucky
Roger Kelley M.D.
Professor of NeurologyLouisiana State University Health Sciences Center
Neurobiology And Neurosciences
What Neurosurgeon skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Roger Kelley M.D.: The management of stroke and neurocritical care will be highly attractive and well reimbursed. EEG might be impacted by AI as might other procedures such as EMG and sleep studies. There will be an increasing need for cognitive specialists and movement disorder specialists to meet the needs of neurodegenerative disease in older patients.
What will help Neurosurgeons increase their earning potential?
Roger Kelley M.D.: Maximizing salary potential tends to translates into either a lot of on-call activity, such as stroke and neurocritical care, and/or a lot of well reimbursed procedures.
What skills stand out on Neurosurgeon resumes?
Rajesh Balkrishnan Ph.D.: Flexibility and resilience with work
Ability to lead projects with minimal supervision
Self-starter abilities and evidence of adaptability to newer work environments
Dr. Mark Prendergast Ph.D.
University Research Professor, Director, Neuroscience B.S. Degree ProgramUniversity of Kentucky
Psychology Department
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Neurosurgeons in the next 3-5 years?
Dr. Mark Prendergast Ph.D.: Neuroimaging and direct brain stimulation are emerging as tremendously valuable tools to understand how the brain and behavior interact.