Surgeon Demographics and Statistics In The US

Research Summary. Using a database of 30 million profiles, Zippia estimates demographics and statistics for surgeons in the United States. Our estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:

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 age of an employed surgeon 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 2021, 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.

Surgeon Statistics By Gender

48.8% of surgeons are women and 51.2% of surgeons are men.

Male, 51.2%

Female, 48.8%

Surgeons By Gender

Gender	Percentages
Male	51.2%
Female	48.8%

Gender Pay Gap For Surgeon

Women Earn 87¢ For Every $1 Earned By Men

Male Income

$161,109

Female Income

$140,533

Surgeon Gender Over Time

This data shows how men and women predominate in the surgeon position over time.

Male

Female

100%

80%

60%

40%

20%

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

Surgeon Gender 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 Male to Female Ratio

We compared this job title with other job titles to see how gender percentages varied. As you can see, flight surgeon and optometrist, owner have the biggest difference in gender.

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%

Therapeutic Dietitian

Perinatal Nurse

Staff Nurse Midwife

25%

50%

75%

100%

Surgeon Statistics By Race

The most common ethnicity among surgeons is White, which makes up 76.6% of all surgeons. Comparatively, there are 12.7% of the Asian ethnicity and 5.0% of the Hispanic or Latino ethnicity.

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

Using the Census Bureau data, we found out how the percentage of each ethnic category trended between 2010-2019 among surgeons.

White
Asian
Hispanic or Latino
Black or African American

Surgeon Race 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

White surgeons have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american surgeons have the lowest average salary at $157,045.

$168,000

$166,000

$164,000

$162,000

$160,000

$158,000

$156,000

Unknown

White

Black or African American

Asian

Hispanic or Latino

Ethnicity	Salary
Unknown	$157,364
White	$165,732
Black or African American	$157,045
Asian	$165,411
Hispanic or Latino	$160,214

Surgeon JOBS

Average Age of a Surgeon

We determined the average age of surgeons based on ethnicity and gender.

Male

Female

Unknown

White

Asian

Hispanic or Latino

Surgeon Age By Race

Race	Male Age	Female Age
Unknown	44
White	49.5	42
Asian	44	42
Hispanic or Latino	48

Surgeon Age Breakdown

This chart breaks down the ages of surgeon employees. Interestingly enough, the average age of surgeons is 40+ years old, which represents 79% of the population.

40+ years

30-40 years

20-30 years

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Surgeon Age

Surgeon Years	Percentages
40+ years	79%
30-40 years	21%
20-30 years	0%

Types of Surgeon Degree Levels

The most common degree for surgeons is bachelor's degree 40% of surgeons earn that degree. A close second is doctoral degree with 20% and rounding it off is associate degree with 12%.

Bachelors, 40%

Doctorate, 20%

Associate, 12%

Masters, 9%

Other Degrees, 19%

Surgeons By Education

Surgeon Degree	Percentages
Bachelors	40%
Doctorate	20%
Associate	12%
Masters	9%
Other Degrees	19%

Surgeon Jobs You Might Like

Surgeon Employment Statistics

This section highlights information about where surgeons work. We found most surgeons work for a private company. In addition, the industry that employs the most surgeons is the health care industry.

Company Size

We created this chart to show you the average size of companies that typically hire surgeons.

< 50 employees

50 - 100 employees

100 - 500 employees

500 - 1,000 employees

1,000 - 10,000 employees

> 10,000

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

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%

The Types Of Companies Surgeon Work In

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.

Education

Public

Private

Government

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Surgeon Jobs By Sector

Company Type	Percentages
Education	20%
Public	5%
Private	71%
Government	4%

Top Industries Hiring Surgeons

Just based on the number of employees within each industry, we were able to determine the most common industries that employ surgeons. Those industries include health care, education and non profits.

Health Care

Education

Non Profits

Government

Manufacturing

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

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 Bureau of Labor Statistics came in clutch when it came down to figuring out how the unemployment rate has changed over time. Between 2008 and 2018, this is how the number of surgeons changed.

Unemployment rate

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%

The Average Number of Years That Surgeon Stay in a Job

By looking over 1,465 surgeons resumes, we figured out that the average surgeon enjoys staying at their job for 1-2 years for a percentage of 33%.

Less than one year

1-2 years

3-4 years

5-7 years

8-10 years

11+ years

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Surgeon Tenure

Number or 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%

Comparing The LGBT Ratio of Surgeons with Other Job Titles

After finding the gender ratio, we wondered if the percentages of LGBT persons were different as well. Using the data below, you can see how other job titles compare to surgeons.

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

Chief Nurse Anesthetist

Optometrist, Owner

Anesthesiologist/Physician

Clinical Exercise Specialist

Surgeon

Gynecological Assistant

Prison Psychiatrist

16%

24%

32%

40%

Surgeon 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%

Surgeon Jobs

Recently Added Surgeon Jobs

Surgeon Heatmaps

Where Do Surgeons Earn The Most?

Surgeons earn the most in Maine, where the average surgeon salary is $158,298. The map here shows where surgeons earn the highest salaries in the U.S. The darker areas across the 50 states highlight the highest salaries.

Average Salary

Which State Has The Most Surgeons?

By looking through more than 1,465 resumes, we found that the most popular places for surgeons are New York, NY and Miami, FL.

Number of Surgeons

Number Of Surgeon Jobs By State

Rank	State	Number of Jobs	Average Salary
1	California	547	$112,758
2	Texas	494	$101,158
3	New York	448	$141,044
4	Pennsylvania	447	$137,283
5	Florida	442	$82,859
6	Wisconsin	418	$130,439
7	Illinois	400	$114,394
8	Georgia	323	$100,849
9	North Carolina	298	$109,789
10	Arizona	297	$107,618
11	Virginia	267	$126,679
12	Indiana	241	$113,883
13	Washington	238	$119,443
14	Ohio	226	$123,838
15	Michigan	208	$116,994
16	Minnesota	207	$121,870
17	Massachusetts	203	$139,148
18	Tennessee	196	$87,981
19	South Carolina	194	$102,437
20	Maryland	175	$116,007
21	Missouri	161	$111,858
22	Kentucky	148	$114,795
23	New Mexico	147	$92,108
24	Oregon	140	$120,905
25	New Jersey	135	$132,992
26	Oklahoma	122	$97,719
27	Iowa	114	$100,080
28	Alabama	113	$95,278
29	Louisiana	107	$116,825
30	Maine	103	$158,298
31	Colorado	103	$85,617
32	Kansas	94	$98,168
33	Nevada	90	$128,907
34	South Dakota	83	$106,153
35	Connecticut	80	$129,099
36	West Virginia	76	$119,946
37	New Hampshire	72	$145,184
38	Montana	68	$108,919
39	Mississippi	64	$114,778
40	North Dakota	63	$124,358
41	Arkansas	61	$104,389
42	Alaska	57	$126,742
43	Nebraska	54	$108,773
44	Idaho	45	$110,440
45	Utah	42	$94,314
46	Vermont	39	$128,572
47	Hawaii	31	$112,572
48	Delaware	23	$115,301
49	Rhode Island	20	$139,566
50	Wyoming	15	$90,847
51	District of Columbia	5	$111,322

Surgeon Demographics FAQs

How Many Surgeon Are There In The Us?

There are over 32,876 Surgeons in the United States.

What Percentage Of Surgeons Are Black?

1.8% of Surgeons are Black or African American

What Race Are Most Surgeons?

Most a are White, with 76.6% of Surgeons belonging to this ethnicity. 12.7% of Surgeons are Asian, 5.0% of Surgeons are Hispanic or Latino, 3.8% of Surgeons are Unknown, 1.8% of Surgeons are Black or African American, and 0.1% of Surgeons are American Indian and Alaska Native

Are Surgeon Jobs Male - Dominated?

Yes, Surgeon jobs are male - dominated. 51% of Surgeons are male, and 48% are female, so there are more male Surgeons than female Surgeons in the United States.

How Old Is The Average Surgeon?

The average Surgeon is 49 years old. 79% of Surgeons are 40+ years old or older, 21% are between the ages of 30-40 years, and 0% are between 20-30 years old

Have more questions? See all answers to common healthcare practitioner and technical questions.

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Updated September 9, 2022

Surgeon Demographics and Statistics In The US

Surgeon Statistics By Gender

Surgeons By Gender

Gender Pay Gap For Surgeon

Surgeon Gender Over Time

Surgeon Gender By Year

Surgeon Male to Female Ratio

Surgeon Statistics By Race

Surgeon Race

Surgeon Race And Ethnicity Over Time

Surgeon Race By Year

Surgeon Wage Gap By Race

Browse Most In Demand Jobs

Surgeon JOBS

Average Age of a Surgeon

Surgeon Age By Race

Surgeon Age Breakdown

Surgeon Age

Types of Surgeon Degree Levels

Surgeons By Education

Surgeon Jobs You Might Like

Surgeon Employment Statistics

Company Size

Surgeon Jobs By Employer Size

The Types Of Companies Surgeon Work In

Surgeon Jobs By Sector

Top Industries Hiring Surgeons

Surgeon Industry Statistics

Surgeon Turnover And Employment Statistics

Surgeon Unemployment Rate Over Time

Surgeon Unemployment Rate By Year

The Average Number of Years That Surgeon Stay in a Job

Surgeon Tenure

Comparing The LGBT Ratio of Surgeons with Other Job Titles

Surgeon LGBT Demographics

Foreign Languages Spoken By Surgeons

Surgeon Languages Spoken

Surgeon Jobs

Recently Added Surgeon Jobs

Surgeon Heatmaps

Number Of Surgeon Jobs By State

Surgeon Demographics FAQs

How Many Surgeon Are There In The Us?

What Percentage Of Surgeons Are Black?

What Race Are Most Surgeons?

Are Surgeon Jobs Male - Dominated?

How Old Is The Average Surgeon?

Search For Surgeon Jobs

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