Physical Therapist vs Surgeon Salary
Surgeons earn approximately 191.7% more than Physical Therapists nationally — $280,000 vs $96,000.
Physical Therapist vs Surgeon: salary breakdown
On a national-median basis, Surgeons out-earn Physical Therapists by $184,000 per year — a 191.7% gap. That works out to roughly $15,333/month or $88/hour of difference.
Important context: these are MEDIANS — the middle salary in the country. Real-world variation is wide: entry-level roles in either career may pay 25-35% below median, while senior roles or specialized niches can pay 50-100%+ above. Your specific numbers depend on experience, location, employer, and credentials.
When does the salary gap matter most?
For someone choosing between these careers, the $184,000 annual difference compounds:
- Over 10 years: ~$1,840,000 in raw salary difference
- Over 40 years: ~$7,360,000 (without raises or compounding)
- With 3% annual raises: the gap typically grows because the higher-paid role's raises are also larger in dollar terms
- With investment compounding: the $184,000/year extra invested at 7% over 40 years grows to roughly $36,616,000 — significantly more than the raw difference
But salary isn't everything. Job satisfaction, work-life balance, growth potential, and career switching costs all matter. A career you can sustain for decades beats a higher-paying one you'll burn out on.
By state and city — significant variation
National medians are starting points. Real salaries vary 30%+ by location:
- Physical Therapist in California ≈ $113,280 (1.18× national)
- Physical Therapist in Mississippi ≈ $80,640 (0.84× national)
- Surgeon in California ≈ $330,400
- Surgeon in Mississippi ≈ $235,200
Use our Physical Therapist salary by state pages to drill into specific locations.
Other comparisons in Healthcare
Related tools
Physical Therapist salary by state — Surgeon salary by state — Best cities for Physical Therapist — Best cities for Surgeon — Paycheck Calculator — Investment Calculator.