Outlook

• Orthopedic surgeons make up 3 to 4 percent of all surgeons, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. The majority of these surgeons practice general orthopedic surgery such as joint repair, with the remainder of orthopedic surgeons specializing in a sub-specialty such as spinal surgery. The employment of total joint surgeons should grow at a better than average rate through the year 2014. This growth is primarily due to the aging population of the United States.
  
  

Experience

• The average salary for all total joint surgeons in the United States is $308,798 per year, according to HealthCare-TrainingCenter.com. The average salary for total joint surgeons with one to two years of experience is $256,000 per year and the average annual salary for total joint surgeons with three or more years of experience is $342,000. The maximum salary for a total joint surgeon in the United States is $670,000 per year.
  
  

Feet and Hands

• The average annual salary for total joint surgeons specializing in foot and ankle joints is $228,000 per year for surgeons with one to two years of experience. The average annual salary for these total joint surgeons with three or more years experience is $392,000 per year. Total joint surgeons who specialize in hand, elbow and shoulder joints earn an average of $288,000 per year if they have one to two years experience. These total joint surgeons earn an average of $459,000 per year when they have three or more years of experience.
  
  

Hips and Other Joints

• A total joint surgeon who specializes in hips or other joints earns an average of $330,000 per year when they have one to two years of experience. The average annual salary of these surgeons is $491,000 per year when they have at least three years of experience. The maximum salary for total joint surgeons specializing in hips or other joints is $715,000 per year.