← 2026 Salary Report / General Surgery
Broad surgical specialty with wide compensation range depending on subspecialization and practice setting.
Training: 5 years post-medical school | 5-Year Change: +10% | Range (25th-75th): $340,000-$560,000
General surgeons start at $340,000-$400,000. Trauma and acute care surgeons earn similar ranges. Fellowship-trained surgical oncologists and bariatric surgeons earn $450,000-$600,000. Rural general surgeons with broad scope earn $400,000-$550,000 due to scarcity premiums.
Texas, the Midwest, and Southeast states offer the strongest COL-adjusted compensation. Rural communities pay 25-40% premiums for general surgeons willing to provide broad surgical coverage including emergency, trauma, and endoscopy.
Employed general surgeons earn $380,000-$480,000. Private practice surgeons who own their practice and have ASC access earn $450,000-$650,000+. The employed-vs-private gap is narrower in general surgery than ortho or GI because ASC revenue opportunities are more limited.
Three highest-leverage actions: (1) Subspecialty fellowship (surgical oncology, MIS/bariatrics, trauma) adds $50,000-$150,000 to annual income. (2) Rural practice with broad scope and call pay is the fastest path to high income. (3) Negotiate call stipends separately from base salary. Use the PhysicianWealth Salary Benchmark for a personalized comparison.
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© 2026 PhysicianWealth | Full 2026 Salary Report (10,000+ words)