Salary Guides/Cardiovascular Surgeon

Cardiovascular Surgeon Salary Guide

Real salary ranges for Cardiovascular Surgeons in the US market — what you should expect, and what you can negotiate.

Salary Ranges

25TH PERCENTILE

$425,000

Entry-level or lower cost-of-living markets

50TH PERCENTILE

$550,000

Median — most roles fall here

75TH PERCENTILE

$725,000

Experienced, larger market or company

90TH PERCENTILE

$950,000

Top earners, premium markets

Cardiovascular surgeons in private practice typically earn 30-50% more than academic counterparts, with RVU-based compensation models rewarding high-volume open heart procedures at $3,500-$5,500 per case. Call burden and on-call premiums can add $100,000-$250,000 annually, while endovascular subspecialists command similar base salaries but with lower procedural volume variability compared to traditional open heart surgeons.

Top-Paying Cities

New York, NY$875,000

Los Angeles, CA$825,000

Boston, MA$800,000

Chicago, IL$775,000

Houston, TX$750,000

Top-Paying Industries

Private Practice (Multi-Specialty Group)$875,000

Private Practice (Cardiothoracic Focused)$850,000

Private Hospital Systems$700,000

Academic Medical Centers$525,000

Government/VA Healthcare$475,000

Negotiation Tip for Cardiovascular Surgeons

Negotiate explicit RVU conversion rates (typically $40-$65 per RVU) and separate call stipends rather than bundled compensation; open heart procedures generate 70-90 RVUs, providing significant leverage for base guarantee increases in high-volume programs.

Practice your negotiation

Know your worth. Negotiate with confidence.

Get your personalized salary analysis and negotiation coaching — free to start.

Get Started Free