Diagnose and repair injuries and conditions of bones, joints, and muscles, often through surgery and reconstruction.
Hospitals and surgical centers
Long hours, frequent on-call
May 2024–25 BLS wage data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.
Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.
“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.
Doctoral / professional degree
Training path: Medical degree plus paid residency.
Requires a medical degree, a surgical residency, and a state medical license to practice.
A physician who operates on bones, joints, and muscles, and one of the very highest-paid jobs tracked, above $239,000.
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Standard Occupational Classification 29-1242. Pay, employment, and outlook from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wage survey and 2024–34 employment projections). See something off? Tell us.