AMGA 2026 Medical Group Orthopedic Surgeon Compensation

How much are orthopedic surgeons earning in 2026?

Orthopedic surgeons remain among the highest-compensated physician specialties in the US, with the latest AMGA 2026 Medical Group Compensation and Productivity Survey showing that orthopedic surgery compensation has remained stable despite continued growth in clinical productivity.

For orthopedic surgeons reviewing employment contracts, negotiating compensation packages or benchmarking career progression, understanding how salary compares with workload expectations is essential.

The latest AMGA data shows that median compensation for orthopedic surgeons reached $751,350 in 2026, making orthopedics one of the highest-paid surgical specialties tracked in the survey.

However, compensation growth was modest compared with other physician specialties, increasing by just 0.3% year-over-year, while productivity increased slightly through growth in median work relative value units (wRVUs).

How Much Do Orthopedic Surgeons Earn in 2026?

According to the AMGA 2026 Medical Group Compensation and Productivity Survey, median compensation for orthopedic surgeons increased from:

Year	Median Compensation
2025	$748,799
2026	$751,350

This represents:

• +$2,551 increase year-over-year

• 0.3% compensation growth
  

While compensation growth was relatively flat, orthopedic surgery remains one of the most financially rewarding physician specialties in the US healthcare market.

For orthopedic surgeons evaluating current contracts, this benchmark provides insight into whether their compensation remains competitive relative to national employment trends.

Orthopedic Surgeon Productivity Trends: Are wRVUs Increasing?

Compensation alone does not show the full picture.

Many orthopedic surgeon contracts are closely linked to productivity measures, particularly work relative value units (wRVUs), which are commonly used to measure clinical output.

The AMGA survey shows:

Metric	2025	2026	Change
Median wRVUs	9,915	10,007	+0.9%

The increase suggests orthopedic surgeons continued to generate slightly higher levels of clinical productivity year-over-year.

However, productivity growth outpaced compensation growth, indicating that increased clinical output was not matched by a similar increase in overall compensation.

For physicians working under productivity-based contracts, this distinction is particularly important when assessing whether additional workload is translating into increased earnings.

What Does Compensation Per wRVU Mean for Orthopedic Surgeons?

The compensation-to-wRVU ratio helps show how much physicians are being paid for each unit of productivity generated.

For orthopedic surgery:

Year	Compensation per wRVU
2025	$78.00
2026	$78.94

This represents:

• 1.2% increase year-over-year
  

A rising compensation-to-wRVU ratio can indicate changes in market demand, adjustments in physician employment models or increased competition for specialist talent.

For orthopedic surgeons negotiating contracts, this metric can provide additional context beyond headline salary figures.

Why Orthopedic Surgeons Should Pay Attention to Compensation Trends

Compensation benchmarks can support several important career decisions.

Contract negotiations

National benchmarks provide orthopedic surgeons with data when reviewing:

• Base salary offers

• Productivity incentives

• wRVU thresholds

• Bonus structures

• Contract renewals
  

Understanding where compensation sits relative to national averages can help physicians assess whether their current agreement reflects market conditions.

Career planning

Orthopedic surgeons considering different employment models can use compensation data to understand earning potential across:

• Hospital employment

• Health system roles

• Private practice opportunities

• New physician recruitment offers
  

Productivity expectations

Changes in wRVUs highlight whether compensation increases are being driven by:

• Increased clinical volume

• Greater procedural activity

• Market adjustments

• Changes in reimbursement structures
  

For orthopedic surgeons, productivity remains a major component of financial performance.

The Bigger Picture for Orthopedic Surgery

Orthopedic care continues to experience strong demand driven by an ageing population, rising rates of musculoskeletal conditions and increasing demand for joint replacement procedures.

At the same time, healthcare organisations are balancing specialist recruitment needs with broader financial pressures, reimbursement changes and changing physician employment models.

The latest AMGA data suggests that orthopedic surgery remains one of the most highly valued medical specialties, although compensation growth has slowed compared with previous years.

For orthopedic surgeons, understanding salary benchmarks, productivity expectations and compensation-per-wRVU trends provides important insight when evaluating career opportunities and negotiating future agreements.

Summary

The AMGA 2026 Medical Group Compensation and Productivity Survey shows that orthopedic surgeons remain among the highest-compensated physician groups in the US.

Key findings include:

• Median orthopedic surgeon compensation: $751,350

• Year-over-year compensation growth: 0.3%

• Median wRVUs: 10,007

• wRVU growth: 0.9%

• Compensation per wRVU: $78.94
  

For orthopedic surgeons assessing contracts, employment opportunities or long-term career positioning, these benchmarks provide valuable insight into the current physician compensation landscape.

Source

AMGA 2026 Medical Group Compensation and Productivity Survey. Data reflects 2025 compensation reported by participating medical groups and health systems.

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