Orthopedic surgeons' compensation grows for the first several years of practice, and then declines toward the end.
Here are 10 statistics on how orthopedic surgeon pay changes based on the number of years in practice for both employed and independent physicians, based on the Medscape online salary comparison tool, the physician salary explorer.
One to seven years of practice
1. Employed: $413,613
2. Self-employed: $514,124
Eight to 14 years of practice
3. Employed: $405,696
4. Self-employed: $517,983
Fifteen to 21 years of practice
5. Employed: $392,218
6. Self-employed: $541,154
Twenty-nine to 35 years of practice
7. Employed: $435,201
8. Self-employed: $530,307
Thirty-six or more years
9. Employed: $389,786
10. Self-employed: $475,273