Pay over time › Surgery (general and other)
Surgery (general and other) pay since 2011
In 2025 dollars, the national median rose 21% between 2011 and 2025 — from $342,000 to $414,000. Some years are capped by the BLS ceiling, so the true rise is larger.
Median, adjusted to 2025 dollars
National, all settings. Capped years shown at the cap.
| Year | Nominal | In 2025 dollars | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | $239,000 | $342,000 | capped |
| 2017 | $239,000 | $314,000 | capped |
| 2018 | $239,000 | $306,000 | capped |
| 2021 | $239,000 | $284,000 | capped |
| 2022 | $239,000 | $263,000 | capped |
| 2023 | $239,000 | $252,000 | capped |
| 2024 | $239,000 | $245,000 | capped |
| 2025 | $414,000 | $414,000 |
Reading this series
Adjusted with the CPI-U annual average to 2025 dollars. The BLS changed its occupation codes in 2018; both codings are mapped to the same specialty so the series does not break there.
A year marked "capped" is one where the BLS published only that pay exceeded $239,200 (the ceiling was lower in earlier years). Those points understate the real figure, and a series that flattens at the cap is telling you about the survey, not the profession.