Surgeon demographics and statistics in the US
Surgeon demographics research summary. Zippia estimates surgeon demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our 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 surgeons after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 32,876 surgeons currently employed in the United States.
- 48.8% of all surgeons are women, while 51.2% are men.
- The average surgeon age is 48 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of surgeons is White (76.6%), followed by Asian (12.7%), Hispanic or Latino (5.0%) and Unknown (3.8%).
- In 2022, women earned 87% of what men earned.
- 12% of all surgeons are LGBT.
- Surgeons are 71% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to education companies.
On this page
Surgeon demographics by:
Surgeon gender statistics
48.8% of surgeons are women and 51.2% of surgeons are men.
- Male, 51.2%
- Female, 48.8%
Surgeon gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 51.2% |
| Female | 48.8% |
Surgeon gender pay gap
Women earn 87¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$161,109
Female income
$140,533
Surgeon gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in surgeon positions over time. Currently, 48.8% of surgeons are female.
Surgeon gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 33.39% | 66.61% |
| 2011 | 32.04% | 67.96% |
| 2012 | 32.80% | 67.20% |
| 2013 | 31.44% | 68.56% |
| 2014 | 30.67% | 69.33% |
| 2015 | 30.87% | 69.13% |
| 2016 | 30.18% | 69.82% |
| 2017 | 28.53% | 71.47% |
| 2018 | 52.37% | 47.63% |
| 2019 | 56.51% | 43.49% |
| 2020 | 51.60% | 48.40% |
| 2021 | 51.22% | 48.78% |
Surgeon related jobs gender ratio
We compared 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% |
| Surgeon | 51% | 49% |
| Radiology Resident | 75% | 25% |
| Optometrist, Owner | 76% | 24% |
| Flight Surgeon | 82% | 18% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Surgeon demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among surgeons is White, which makes up 76.6% of all surgeons. Comparatively, 12.7% of surgeons are Asian and 5.0% of 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%
Surgeon race
| 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% |
Surgeon race and ethnicity over time
See how surgeon racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
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% |
Surgeon wage gap by race
According to our data, white surgeons have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american surgeons have the lowest average salary at $157,045.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $157,364 |
| White | $165,732 |
| Black or African American | $157,045 |
| Asian | $165,411 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $160,214 |
Average surgeon age
See how the average age of surgeons varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Surgeon age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 44 | |
| White | 49.5 | 42 |
| Asian | 44 | 42 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 48 |
Surgeon age breakdown
The average age of surgeons is 40+ years years old, representing 79% of the surgeon population.
Surgeon age breakdown
| Surgeon Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 79% |
| 30-40 years | 21% |
| 20-30 years | 0% |
Surgeon educational attainment
The most common degree for surgeons is bachelor's degree, with 40% of surgeons earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are doctoral degree degree at 20% and doctoral degree degree at 12%.
- Bachelor's, 40%
- Doctorate, 20%
- Associate, 12%
- Master's, 9%
- Other Degrees, 19%
Surgeons by degree level
| Surgeon degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 40% |
| Doctorate | 20% |
| Associate | 12% |
| Master's | 9% |
| Other Degrees | 19% |
Surgeon jobs you might like
Surgeon employment statistics
Most surgeons work for a private in the health care industry.
Company size where surgeons work
Below, you can see the size of companies where surgeons work.
Surgeon jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 6% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 13% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 20% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 8% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 38% |
| > 10,000 employees | 14% |
Surgeon jobs by company type
Employees with the surgeon job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most surgeons prefer to work at private companies over education companies.
Surgeon jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 20% |
| Public | 5% |
| Private | 71% |
| Government | 4% |
Surgeon jobs by industry
The most common industries for surgeons are health care, education and non profits.
Surgeon industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Health Care | 68% |
| Education | 14% |
| Non Profits | 4% |
| Government | 3% |
| Manufacturing | 2% |
| Professional | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Media | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Fortune 500 | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
Surgeon turnover and employment statistics
Surgeon unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for surgeons between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Surgeon unemployment rate by year
| Year | 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 surgeon tenure
The average surgeon stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 1,465 surgeons resumes in Zippia's database.
Surgeon tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 24% |
| 1-2 years | 33% |
| 3-4 years | 11% |
| 5-7 years | 13% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 14% |
Surgeon LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Prison Psychiatrist | 9.88% | 4,774 |
| Gynecological Assistant | 11.62% | 12,590 |
| Surgeon | 12.32% | - |
| Clinical Exercise Specialist | 13.00% | 56,463 |
| Anesthesiologist/Physician | 13.05% | 39,654 |
| Optometrist, Owner | 17.57% | 51,669 |
| Chief Nurse Anesthetist | 31.64% | 17,242 |
Similar surgeon jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Prison Psychiatrist | 9.88% | 4,774 |
| Gynecological Assistant | 11.62% | 12,590 |
| Clinical Exercise Specialist | 13.00% | 56,463 |
| Anesthesiologist/Physician | 13.05% | 39,654 |
| Optometrist, Owner | 17.57% | 51,669 |
| Chief Nurse Anesthetist | 31.64% | 17,242 |
Foreign languages spoken by surgeons
The most common foreign language among surgeons is Spanish at 37.0%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 13.0% and Hindi is the third-most popular at 8.7%.
- Spanish, 37.0%
- French, 13.0%
- Hindi, 8.7%
- Russian, 6.5%
- Chinese, 4.3%
- Other, 30.5%
Surgeon languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 37.0% |
| French | 13.0% |
| Hindi | 8.7% |
| Russian | 6.5% |
| Chinese | 4.3% |
| Other | 30.5% |
