Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations·SOC 29-1249

Best programs to become a surgeon

BLS lists a doctoral or professional degree as the typical entry-level education for this job. The field of study that leads most directly to this job is Medicine (IPEDS completions).

2 college programs at 184 schools train for this job, graduating 30,267 people a year (IPEDS completions). The job pays a median of $414,010 (BLS OEWS May 2025).

Graduates / yr
30,267
from every feeder program
Median annual wage
$414,010
BLS OEWS May 2025
Projected growth
+3.9%
About as fast as average
Openings / yr
600
new plus replacement
Schools
184
with a feeder program
States with jobs
46
incl. DC, BLS wages

About surgeons, all other

All surgeons not listed separately.

Also calledNeurosurgeonBrain SurgeonCardiac SurgeonPlastic SurgeonThoracic SurgeonVascular SurgeonColorectal SurgeonSurgical OncologistNeurological SurgeonCardiovascular SurgeonReconstructive Surgeon

Best programs to study to become a surgeon

Ranked by graduates per year (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are College Scorecard figures for people who finished the program, reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. That is a different measurement from the occupation-wide wages further down this page.

Degree programs that lead to this occupation, ranked by graduates per year
#ProgramGraduates / yrShare of pipelineSchoolsGrad earnings (1 yr)Median debt
1
Medicine
CIP 51.1201
21,453
70.9%
151$33,290$23,488
2
Osteopathic Medicine/Osteopathy
CIP 51.1202
8,814
29.1%
36$33,290$23,488

Top 50 schools by graduates into this job

Counting every feeder program a school offers, not just its largest one.

Schools ranked by graduates per year into this occupation
#SchoolGraduates / yrTop feeder programGrad rateNet priceAcceptance
1Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine
Blacksburg, VA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder program
642Osteopathic Medicine/Osteopathy———
2Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
Erie, PA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder program
623Osteopathic Medicine/Osteopathy———
3Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI Public · 2 feeder programs
485Osteopathic Medicine/Osteopathy81%—85%
4Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
Philadelphia, PA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder program
452Osteopathic Medicine/Osteopathy———
5Nova Southeastern University
Fort Lauderdale, FL Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs
445Osteopathic Medicine/Osteopathy63%$31,67273%
6Kansas City University
Kansas City, MO Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder program
417Osteopathic Medicine/Osteopathy———
7New York Institute of Technology
Old Westbury, NY Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder program
404Osteopathic Medicine/Osteopathy59%$22,15881%
8Lincoln Memorial University
Harrogate, TN Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder program
368Osteopathic Medicine/Osteopathy50%$18,98163%
9Indiana University - Indianapolis
Indianapolis, IN Public · 1 feeder program
354Medicine54%—76%
10Rocky Vista University
Parker, CO Private for-profit · 1 feeder program
333Osteopathic Medicine/Osteopathy———
11Rutgers University - New Brunswick
New Brunswick, NJ Public · 1 feeder program
328Medicine84%—58%
12Western University of Health Sciences
Pomona, CA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder program
318Osteopathic Medicine/Osteopathy———
13Rowan University
Glassboro, NJ Public · 2 feeder programs
316Osteopathic Medicine/Osteopathy67%—78%
14Wayne State University
Detroit, MI Public · 1 feeder program
309Medicine58%—81%
15Drexel University
Philadelphia, PA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder program
299Medicine78%$36,00479%
16A T Still University of Health Sciences
Kirksville, MO Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder program
284Osteopathic Medicine/Osteopathy———
17University of Illinois Chicago
Chicago, IL Public · 1 feeder program
279Medicine62%—77%
18Thomas Jefferson University
Philadelphia, PA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder program
266Medicine69%$26,03481%
19Touro University
New York, NY Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder program
260Osteopathic Medicine/Osteopathy72%$27,11061%
20University of Washington - Seattle Campus
Seattle, WA Public · 1 feeder program
253Medicine85%—39%
21Medical College of Wisconsin
Milwaukee, WI Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder program
249Medicine———
22Augusta University
Augusta, GA Public · 1 feeder program
247Medicine49%—86%
23Midwestern University - Glendale
Glendale, AZ Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder program
245Osteopathic Medicine/Osteopathy———
24The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
Houston, TX Public · 1 feeder program
242Medicine———
25Ohio University - Main Campus
Athens, OH Public · 1 feeder program
237Osteopathic Medicine/Osteopathy65%—85%
26University of Arizona
Tucson, AZ Public · 1 feeder program
236Medicine68%—86%
27University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Dallas, TX Public · 1 feeder program
226Medicine———
28The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston
Galveston, TX Public · 1 feeder program
222Medicine———
29University of North Texas Health Science Center
Fort Worth, TX Public · 1 feeder program
222Osteopathic Medicine/Osteopathy———
30Creighton University
Omaha, NE Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder program
217Medicine83%$27,35380%
31University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN Public · 1 feeder program
217Medicine85%—80%
32Des Moines University - Osteopathic Medical Center
West Des Moines, IA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder program
214Osteopathic Medicine/Osteopathy———
33The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
San Antonio, TX Public · 1 feeder program
209Medicine———
34Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science
North Chicago, IL Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder program
206Medicine———
35Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland, OH Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder program
204Medicine87%$27,97637%
36Texas A&M University - College Station
College Station, TX Public · 1 feeder program
201Medicine84%—57%
37Tufts University
Medford, MA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder program
201Medicine94%$23,57011%
38Midwestern University - Downers Grove
Downers Grove, IL Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder program
200Osteopathic Medicine/Osteopathy———
39New York Medical College
Valhalla, NY Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder program
200Medicine———
40University of Kansas
Lawrence, KS Public · 1 feeder program
200Medicine69%—93%
41Temple University
Philadelphia, PA Public · 1 feeder program
199Medicine75%—80%
42University of Miami
Coral Gables, FL Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder program
199Medicine84%$26,58919%
43Ohio State University - Main Campus
Columbus, OH Public · 1 feeder program
196Medicine88%—61%
44University of South Carolina - Columbia
Columbia, SC Public · 1 feeder program
195Medicine79%—60%
45Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center - New Orleans
New Orleans, LA Public · 1 feeder program
193Medicine———
46University of Kentucky
Lexington, KY Public · 1 feeder program
192Medicine71%—93%
47Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, TX Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder program
191Medicine———
48University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC Public · 1 feeder program
188Medicine91%—15%
49University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder program
188Medicine92%$26,87310%
50Virginia Commonwealth University
Richmond, VA Public · 1 feeder program
187Medicine63%—93%

Fields of study that lead to this job

Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level, the tier our program pages are built on. Numbers are graduates per year.

Health Professions And Related Programs
CIP 51.12
Medicine
30,267graduates / yr
151 schools · 2 specializations · 100.0% of pipeline
Grad earnings $33,290

What surgeons, all other earn

What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.

Median annual wage
$414,010
Mean annual
$373,930
Median hourly
$199.04/hr
People employed
25,140
What the range looks like
10th pct$80,320Median$414,01090th pct$655,320

Top-paying metro areas

Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI
$762,360median
140 jobs
Columbus, OH
$609,450median
180 jobs
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI
$568,150median
330 jobs
Fargo, ND-MN
$604,890median
80 jobs
Charleston, WV
$619,320median
60 jobs
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
$561,070median
160 jobs
Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC
$630,540median
70 jobs
Toledo, OH
$618,680median
50 jobs

Job outlook

Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.

Projected growth 2024–34
+3.9%
About as fast as average
Openings per year
600
new jobs plus replacements
Employment change
1,000
25,100 → 26,000
Typical entry education
Doctoral or professional degree
Plus internship/residency

Where the jobs are, state by state

Pick a state for in-state pay, the schools there, and the programs they run.

This occupation state by state: pay, jobs, and schools
StateMedian payJobsConcentrationSchoolsGraduates / yr
New York$410,4104,5402.90×162,555
Pennsylvania———92,385
Texas$222,8201,7100.75×152,204
California$131,990——142,029
Florida$429,9902,2601.41×81,429
Illinois$438,0106200.63×101,380
Virginia$360,5102600.40×61,321
Michigan$412,4604400.62×61,252
Ohio$554,2209801.10×71,247
Missouri—1600.33×61,230
Tennessee$373,5104900.92×5782
New Jerseymoderate$437,8906800.98×3780
Massachusettsmoderate$387,1507701.31×4678
North Carolina$398,4104800.60×5677
Georgiamoderate$502,0703000.38×4618
Coloradolimited—4701.00×2512
Louisianamoderate$304,8301400.45×3512
Indianalimited$459,3004200.82×2497
Arizonalimited$415,980——2481
Kentuckymoderate$162,1604401.37×3474
Washingtonmoderate$479,4603700.65×3462
District of Columbiamoderate—1401.21×3459
Alabamamoderate—3400.99×3417
Wisconsinlimited$416,0005501.16×2416
South Carolinalimited———2378
Iowalimited$370,3901100.43×2376
West Virginiamoderate$468,2102402.11×3357
Nebraskalimited$341,4101801.09×2345
Arkansaslimited$254,9402801.32×2327
Oklahomalimited$553,790800.30×2322
Mississippilimited$180,4201200.61×2312
Minnesotalimited$568,1509101.90×2310
Connecticutmoderate$161,6804401.60×4291
Nevadamoderate$326,520——3290
Marylandlimited$328,7005201.16×2251
New Mexicolimited$363,9401501.06×2244
Kansaslimited—300.15×1200
Mainelimited—1401.36×1170
Idaholimited$211,490600.45×1149
Rhode Islandlimited$199,990——1147
Oregonlimited—5001.58×1125
Vermontlimited$438,5301603.31×1112
New Hampshirelimited$534,8702201.98×183
Hawaiilimited—4504.44×174
North Dakotalimited$604,8901502.19×164
South Dakotalimited—1201.68×160

Skills and knowledge

From O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupational database. Importance is a 1 to 5 scale.

How to get in

How to become a surgeon

Typical entry education
Doctoral or professional degree
On-the-job training
Internship/residency

Every major mapped to this job

The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.

All 25 majors mapped to Surgeons, All Other2 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
  • 51.1201Medicine
  • 51.1202Osteopathic Medicine/Osteopathy
  • 61.0101Combined Medical Residency/Fellowship Program, General(no graduates reported)
  • 61.0199Combined Medical Residency/Fellowship Programs, Other(no graduates reported)
  • 61.0299Multiple-Pathway Medical Fellowship Programs, Other(no graduates reported)
  • 61.1001Neurological Surgery Residency Program(no graduates reported)
  • 61.1099Neurological Surgery Residency/Fellowship Programs, Other(no graduates reported)
  • 61.1701Otolaryngology Residency Program(no graduates reported)
  • 61.1702Neurotology Fellowship Program(no graduates reported)
  • 61.1799Otolaryngology Residency/Fellowship Programs, Other(no graduates reported)
  • 61.2101Plastic Surgery Residency Program(no graduates reported)
  • 61.2102Integrated Plastic Surgery Residency Program(no graduates reported)
  • 61.2103Plastic Surgery Within the Head and Neck Fellowship Program(no graduates reported)
  • 61.2199Plastic Surgery Residency/Fellowship Programs, Other(no graduates reported)
  • 61.2701General Surgery Residency Program(no graduates reported)
  • 61.2702Colon and Rectal Surgery Residency Program(no graduates reported)
  • 61.2703Complex General Surgical Oncology Fellowship Program(no graduates reported)
  • 61.2704Congenital Cardiac Surgery Fellowship Program(no graduates reported)
  • 61.2706Surgical Critical Care Fellowship Program(no graduates reported)
  • 61.2707Thoracic Surgery Fellowship Program(no graduates reported)
  • 61.2708Vascular Surgery Fellowship Program(no graduates reported)
  • 61.2799Surgery Residency/Fellowship Programs, Other(no graduates reported)
  • 61.2801Urology Residency Program(no graduates reported)
  • 61.2899Urology Residency/Fellowship Programs, Other(no graduates reported)
  • 61.9999Medical Residency/Fellowship Programs, Other(no graduates reported)

Related careers

Jobs O*NET identifies as close to this one, with their own pay and outlook.

29-1241
Ophthalmologists
$300,0808,950 jobs+4.3%
29-1242
Orthopedic Surgeons
$358,55014,100 jobs+4.1%
29-1243
Pediatric Surgeons
$559,0301,190 jobs+1.5%

Common questions

What degree do you need to become a surgeon?+

BLS lists a doctoral or professional degree as the typical entry-level education for this job. The field of study that leads most directly to this job is Medicine (IPEDS completions).

Which college majors lead to becoming a surgeon?+

The field of study that leads most directly to this job is Medicine (IPEDS completions). In all, the NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 2 programs to this job, which together graduate about 30,267 people a year.

How much do surgeons, all other earn?+

The median is $414,010 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). The middle range runs from $80,320 at the 10th percentile to $655,320 at the 90th. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.

Is demand for surgeons, all other growing?+

BLS projects a +3.9% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, about as fast as average, with roughly 600 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.

How many schools offer programs for this career?+

184 institutions reported graduates from at least one of the 2 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.

Do you need training or experience beyond a degree?+

BLS lists 'None' for related work experience and 'Internship/residency' for on-the-job training typically needed to reach competency.

↑ Zoom outAll occupationsHealthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations
Surgeons, All Other by stateNew YorkPennsylvaniaTexasCaliforniaFloridaIllinoisVirginiaMichiganOhioMissouriTennesseeNew Jersey
Related careersOphthalmologistsOrthopedic SurgeonsPediatric Surgeons
Programs that lead hereMedicine

About the data on this page

Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024-25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).

  • BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics

    May 2025

    Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.

    Official source →

  • BLS Employment Projections

    2024–34

    Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.

    Official source →

  • IPEDS Completions

    2024-25 (provisional)

    Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.

    Official source →

  • College Scorecard, Field of Study

    2020-21 cohorts

    Median graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.

    Official source →

  • Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes

    latest available

    Graduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.

    Official source →

  • NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk

    CIP 2020 / SOC 2018

    Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.

    Official source →

  • O*NET Database 30.3

    30.3

    Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.

    Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA

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