Nerves that govern a greater part of the human body functions are found in the spinal column. As a result, spine surgery is a hard speciality and the most difficult type of orthopaedic surgery medically.
The stakes are quite high: any failure could actually end up in the patient’s permanent impairment. Before starting their own practice, aspiring spinal surgeons spend five years in residency and then another whole year in a surgical fellowship.
The amount of time put into practice explains why a spine surgeon’s salary is always high. Starting in the first year, spine surgeon salaries are among the highest in the medical field.
Spine Surgeon Salary at the Beginning of Practice
Even in their early years of practice, spinal surgeons have fulfilled practitioners thanks to their extensive surgical residency and fellowship training.
This can be seen in the spinal surgeons’ salary for upcoming professionals, which can still be considered quite a high salary in the medical field.
As a spine surgeon gains more expertise in the field, his average spine surgeon salary begins to increase.
According to Medscape’s compensation survey, orthopaedic surgeons with eight to 14 years of experience earned an annual average income of around $417,000 in February 2020.
Louisville, Kentucky, offered the highest annual average salary to mid-career orthopaedic physicians, more than $464,000.
Spine Surgeon Salary: Comparisons
Orthopaedic doctors (which includes spinal surgeons) have the highest average yearly salaries of all specialist physicians, earning close to $482,000 per year, based on the Profiles Physician Database.
Plastic surgeons were placed second, with an average annual pay of $471,000, while cardiologists came in place with an average yearly salary of $430,000 in the year 2019.
Spine Surgeon Salary versus Neurosurgeon Salary
While both occupations involve rigorous training, orthopaedic spine surgeons and neurosurgeons have distinct characteristics.
According to Bizfluent, spine surgery involves both expert surgeons, yet, no medical governing authority certifies spine surgeons.
Orthopaedic spine surgeons and neurosurgeons have different payments due to variances in training and education. Here’s all the necessary information about the spine surgeon’s and neurosurgeon’s salaries.
1. According to Salary.com, the median salary for neurosurgeons in 2011 was $470,600, while that for orthopaedic spine surgeons was $409,500.
2. The Physician Compensation Survey of the American Medical Group Association separates the salaries of spine surgeons and orthopaedic surgeons. Spine surgeons earn an average of $688,500 per year, according to their research.
3. While the AMGA does not distinguish between spine surgery and neurosurgery, it recognises it as a subspecialty of neurosurgeons.
4. The median income for a neurosurgeon in Los Angeles is roughly $524,000, while the median compensation in New York City is $556,000. According to Salary.com, orthopaedic spine surgeons in Los Angeles earn $456,000 annually, while those in New York City earn $484,000.
5. According to Allied Physicians, orthopaedic spine surgeons earn $400,000 in their first two years of employment. By their third year, the same physicians make roughly $670,000. According to Allied Physicians, the highest orthopaedic spine surgeon income was $1,352,000.
6. Neurosurgeons typically earn around $354,000 in their first year of employment but $541,000 in their second and third years. According to Allied Physicians, neurosurgeons can earn up to $936,000 annually.
What is the Highest salary for a Spine Surgeon in the United States?
The highest Spine Surgeon salary in the United States is $880,008 annually.
What Is a Spine Surgeon’s Salary Per Hour?
According to Salary.com, there are four important details for you to know about a spine surgeon’s salary in an hour:
1. In November 2016, the median hourly salary for orthopaedic surgeons was $216. The tenth percentile of surgeons earns $128 per hour. The 90th percentile of surgeons earns $337 per hour.
2. The amount of the signing bonus deviates slightly from the average. The median hourly compensation for orthopaedic surgeons with a bonus included is $233. The tenth percentile of surgeons earns $138 per hour. The 90th percentile earns $371 per hour.
3. Surgeons earn a national base salary of $448,408 per year, plus $36,846 in bonuses.
4. On average, orthopaedic surgeons pay $14,383 in social security, $4,367 in disability, $6,592 in healthcare costs, and $16,695 in pension payments each year.
Conclusion
As highlighted in the article above, a spine surgeon’s salary is often high and deservedly so, as the years of practice required to be licensed and the expertise required to practice as one is top-notch.
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