Pediatric Surgeons: Career Overview
Diagnose and perform surgery to treat fetal abnormalities and birth defects, diseases, and injuries in fetuses, premature and newborn infants, children, and adolescents. Includes all pediatric surgical specialties and subspecialties.
Featured schools near , edit
What Tasks Do Pediatric Surgeons Perform?
Typical responsibilities of pediatric surgeons include:
- Analyze patient's medical history, medication allergies, physical condition, and examination results to verify operation's necessity and to determine best procedure.
- Conduct research to develop and test surgical techniques that can improve operating procedures and outcomes.
- Consult with patient's other medical care specialists, such as cardiologist and endocrinologist, to determine if surgery is necessary.
- Describe preoperative and postoperative treatments and procedures, such as sedatives, diets, antibiotics, or preparation and treatment of the patient's operative area, to parents or guardians of the patient.
- Direct and coordinate activities of nurses, assistants, specialists, residents, and other medical staff.
- Examine fetuses, infants, children, and adolescents, and diagnose health issues to determine need for intervention, such as surgery.
- Examine instruments, equipment, and operating room to ensure sterility.
- Examine patient to obtain information on medical condition and surgical risk.
Other Pediatric Surgeons Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Brain Surgeon
- Cardiac Surgeon
- Cardiothoracic Surgeon
- Cardiothoracic Surgery Physician
- Cardiovascular Surgeon
- Cardiovascular Surgery Physician
- Colon and Rectal Surgeon
- Colorectal Surgeon
Employment and Demand
There are about 1,188,665 pediatric surgeons working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +10.5% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Pediatric Surgeons Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $71,888 |
| Hourly median | $34.56 |
| 10th percentile | $42,806 |
| 25th percentile | $57,347 |
| 75th percentile | $86,429 |
| 90th percentile | $100,971 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Pediatric Surgeons Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Illinois | $89,450 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Pay for pediatric surgeons differ across the country. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Great Lakes | $89,450 | 15.0% | 0.77 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Pediatric Surgeons
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | IL | $89,450 | 30 |
Top Industries Employing Pediatric Surgeons
Most pediatric surgeons work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 1,040 | n/a |
Below are examples of industries where pediatric surgeons work:
Software Pediatric Surgeons Use
- Medical software: Epic Systems (hot technology)
- Medical software: MEDITECH software (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
Education and Training
This occupation sits in Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Chiropractors (Supplemental)
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (Primary-Long)
- Physician Assistants (Supplemental)
- Anesthesiologist Assistants (Supplemental)
- Anesthesiologists (Primary-Short)
- Cardiologists (Primary-Long)
- Dermatologists (Primary-Short)
- Emergency Medicine Physicians (Primary-Long)
Degree Programs
Aspiring pediatric surgeons typically earn programs in:
11 programs across 5 majors
- Orthopedic Surgery Residency/Fellowship Programs
- Otolaryngology Residency/Fellowship Programs
- Plastic Surgery Residency/Fellowship Programs
- Surgery Residency/Fellowship Programs
- Urology Residency/Fellowship Programs
Health Professions and Related Programs
2 programs across 1 majors
About the Data
This profile draws on the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 29-1243.00 (Pediatric Surgeons).