How to become a Pediatric Surgeon

Official title: Pediatric Surgeons

Also called: Cardiovascular Surgeon, General Surgeon, Hand Surgeon, Physician, Plastic Surgeon, Surgeon, Thoracic Surgeon, Vascular Surgeon

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.

How to become one

Physicians and surgeons typically need a bachelor's degree as well as a medical degree, which takes an additional 4 years to complete. Depending on their specialty, they also need 3 to 9 years in internship and residency programs. Subspecialization includes additional training in a fellowship of 1 to 3 years.

Typical education to start: Doctoral or professional degree

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Ways in

• College: Medicine & Dentistry degrees, Offered by 23 universities in the US
• Licence: A licence is required in 49 states.

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• Median pay: $559,030 a year The middle half earn $336,380 to $583,200.
• About 1,300 people work in this job now, and about 1,300 are projected by 2035. (+2%)
• People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Related jobs

• Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric
• Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric
• Chiropractors
• Dentists, General
• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
• Orthodontists

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Pediatric Surgeon?

Physicians and surgeons typically need a bachelor's degree as well as a medical degree, which takes an additional 4 years to complete. Depending on their specialty, they also need 3 to 9 years in internship and residency programs. Subspecialization includes additional training in a fellowship of 1 to 3 years.

How much does a Pediatric Surgeon earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $559,030 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $336,380 to $583,200.

Is a Pediatric Surgeon a growing career in the US?

Employment is projected to stay about the same by 2035: about 1,300 people now and 1,300 later (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Pediatric Surgeon?

Usually. 100% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of a Pediatric Surgeon?

People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Sources

• Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.