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About 0.6% of all active physicians in the U.S. are neurosurgeons, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges.
Whether considering the specialty during medical school/training or practicing as a neurosurgeon, having an expectation of your income can help guide salary negotiations and create a long-term financial plan.
What is the average neurosurgeon salary?
According to the Medical Group Management Association, the median total compensation for neurosurgeons is $962,912.
Neurosurgeon salary by state: What do neurosurgeons make in each state?
Salaries for neurosurgeons can vary significantly by location. MGMA provides a breakdown of how total compensation differs across four geographic sections:
- Eastern: $911,250
- Midwest: $1,017,089
- Southern: $950,551
- Western: $979,223
According to MGMA, these are the median salaries for neurosurgeons by state (data for all states isn’t available):
- Arizona – $975,981
- California – $1,117,888
- Colorado – $854,604
- Florida – $1,127,357
- Georgia – $946,302
- Illinois – $843,590
- Indiana – $1,069,757
- Kansas – $781,654
- Kentucky – $617,365
- Louisiana – $725,733
- Maine – $748,010
- Maryland – $833,148
- Michigan – $1,064,485
- Minnesota – $1,144,000
- Ohio – $954,936
- Pennsylvania – $966,875
- South Carolina – $1,439,660
- Tennessee – $873,694
- Texas – $869,626
- Virginia – $1,178,753
- Washington – $1,025,884
- Wisconsin – $847,173
Missing data from MGMA: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, Wyoming
Highest paying states for neurosurgeons
According to the MGMA, these are the top five highest paying states for neurosurgeons:
- South Carolina – $1,439,660
- Virginia – $1,178,753
- Minnesota – $1,144,000
- Florida – $1,127,357
- California – $1,117,888
Physician salary by specialty: How do neurosurgeons’ salaries compare?
Neurosurgeons rank among the top-earning specialties in medicine. Here’s how their total compensation of $962,912 compares to other specialties, as reported by MGMA:
- Neurosurgery – $962,912
- Orthopedic surgery – $695,840
- Cardiology – $653,744
- Plastic surgery – $602,750
- Gastroenterology – $601,523
- Radiology – $580,412
- Urology – $560,698
- Dermatology – $541,085
- Anesthesiology – $515,767
- General surgery – $500,820
- Critical care – $478,076
- Pulmonary medicine – $430,997
- Ophthalmology – $425,085
- Pathology – $408,984
- Nephrology – $404,344
- OB-GYN – $386,691
- Emergency medicine – $372,353
- Neurology – $364,998
- Allergy & immunology – $355,448
- Infectious disease – $329,147
- Psychiatry – $322,875
- Internal medicine – $305,886
- Family medicine – $297,746
- Endocrinology – $289,358
- Rheumatology – $286,834
- Pediatrics – $258,071
Physician-owned vs. hospital-owned practice compensation
How do neurosurgeon salaries differ between physician-owned or hospital/IDS-owned practices? According to MGMA, neurosurgeons who work at physician-owned practices earn more than those who work at hospital or IDS-owned practices.
- Physician-owned – $1,092,667
- Hospital/IDS-owned – $962,492
Be Sure You Are Fairly Compensated
These salary figures provide a helpful benchmark, but ensuring you’re compensated fairly requires more than just knowing the average or median. Whether you’re starting a new job or renegotiating your contract, a thorough contract review can give you the confidence that you’re receiving fair compensation.
The attorneys at Panacea Legal can help you navigate your contract and ensure you are getting what you deserve. Learn more about how experienced contract attorneys can help you secure your financial future today.
Not ready to commit? Schedule a 15-minute consultation with the Panacea Legal team to see how contract review could help you »
The information shared on this website does not constitute legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship.
