How Much Does It Cost to Become a Surgeon? Education, Exams, and More

Surgeons are some of the most highly paid medical professionals. The exact salary you receive will depend on your specialty, with orthopedics and plastic surgery earning the highest average salaries. However, the road to becoming a surgeon is long and expensive. It takes more than a decade of education before you're licensed to practice medicine and begin to see the financial benefits.

If you're thinking about a career in surgery, it's important to understand the full cost of becoming a doctor up front. This guide breaks down how much it costs to become a surgeon, including education requirements and strategies to pay for school.

Current private student loan rates

How much education is required to become a surgeon?

In the United States, it takes between 13 and 15 years to become a licensed, practicing surgeon. Here's an overview of the timeline, according to the American Board of Surgery:

• College: The first step is to complete a 4-year undergraduate degree. Many surgeons major in biology, biochemistry, or pre-med.
• Medical school: Once you've completed your undergrad, you must attend 4 years of medical school at an accredited college in the U.S. or Canada, or get certified by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates.
• Residency: After medical school, surgeons must attend a 5-year residency program, which involves hands-on surgery training in a hospital setting. Though residents are considered doctors, they aren't yet earning the income of a full-time surgeon — the average resident earns $67,400 per year, according to Medscape's Resident Salary & Debt Report 2023.
• Fellowship: Some surgeons choose to pursue an additional 1- to 2-year fellowship training. This allows them to get specialized training in a specific field of surgery.

Average cost of becoming a surgeon

Here's a breakdown of what you can expect to pay during each step of your education:

• College: The average cost of attending a 4-year public in-state college in 2024-25 is $29,910 per year, or $119,640 over 4 years, according to the College Board. That includes the cost of tuition, fees, room and board, books and supplies, and other necessary expenses. However, attending a private university costs substantially more — $62,990 per year, or $251,960 over 4 years.
• Medical school: The average cost of attending a public, in-state medical school in 2024-25 is $41,869 per year, or $167,476 over 4 years, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). Attending a private medical school costs an average of $68,767 per year, or $275,068 over 4 years.
• Application fees: When you apply to medical school, you'll have to pay a $175 application fee for the first school and a $47 fee for any additional schools. Most pre-med students apply for 15 different programs, which can add up to $833.
• MCAT fees: You must pass the ​​Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) before getting accepted into medical school. The initial registration fee is $345, which includes the cost of taking the exam and distributing your score. Getting a high score on the MCAT is crucial to getting accepted into a good medical school, so most students pay for MCAT prep materials. The MCAT self-paced course costs between $1,599 and $1,999.
• Interview expenses: You'll also need to consider traveling costs for residency interviews. According to the AAMC, these costs can range from $800 to $14,000.

How to pay for surgical education

The path to becoming a surgeon isn't cheap, but there are several ways to manage the high cost of a medical education. Understanding how to pay for medical school can help you reduce your debt burden after graduation.

Scholarships and grants

The first step is to explore any available scholarships and grants, since this is free money that doesn't need to be repaid. The more scholarships and grants you can take advantage of, the lower your total student debt will be.

Scholarships and grants are available based on merit or financial need. You can find opportunities through the Association of American Medical Colleges or by searching online scholarship databases like Fastweb or Scholarships360.

“Students can also utilize their military service to pay for medical school,” adds Jack Wang, a college financial aid adviser at Innovative Advisory Group.

Attend medical school for free

Though not common, it's possible to attend medical school for free. For example, Johns Hopkins University now offers free tuition to families earning less than $300,000 per year. Families earning less than $175,000 per year can have their living expenses covered. These opportunities are extremely competitive, but they are available.

Student loans

Once you've maxed out your scholarships and grant opportunities, you can use medical school loans to pay for training. Federal loans come with low interest rates and robust borrower protections, so you should maximize these loans first. However, if you can't cover the full cost of your education with federal loans, you can take out private student loans to cover any funding gaps.

“What I have discovered working with surgeons is that many of them either get grad PLUS loans or federal unsubsidized loans to help pay for medical school,” explains Kevin Thompson, a certified financial planner (CFP) and CEO of 9i Capital Group, LLC.

“Many of these loans can be deferred until six months after graduation and also be offset by their residency salary via an income-driven repayment plan.”

Surgeon salaries vs. debt

A general surgeon earns an average annual income of $423,000 according to Medscape's Physician Compensation Report 2024. However, certain specialties earn substantially more. For example, orthopedic surgeons earn an average annual salary of $558,000, while plastic surgeons earn an average of $536,000 per year.

However, it will take between 13 and 15 years, along with hundreds of thousands in medical student debt, to start earning a surgeon's income. Your salary will also vary depending on your location and specialty.

“The first thing to evaluate isn't just the salary, it's the lifestyle and structure you want. Are you aiming for the relative stability of a hospital job, or the longer-term earning potential — and pressure — of private practice?” says Thompson.

He also cautions clients to avoid falling for the lifestyle trap. “The six-figure car, the big house, the image — all of that can wait. Your best move is to create a strategy that balances debt repayment with liquidity and freedom.”

Managing medical school debt

Once you've finished residency, there are several options available to help you manage your medical school debt. The first is to take advantage of income-driven repayment (IDR) plans if you have federal loans. IDR plans base your monthly payments on your income and family size.

“If borrowing is needed, there are many programs that will help with loan repayment or forgiveness,” Wang adds. “Many of these programs require service in a rural or low-income area, but if the student is willing, it's a great way to get loans repaid or forgiven.”

If you're struggling with private student loans, refinancing could be worth exploring. Student loan refinancing may help you lower your monthly payments or get a lower interest rate. Just be cautious about refinancing federal loans, as you'll lose access to benefits like IDR plans, forgiveness programs, and temporary payment relief.

See Also: The Complete List of Student Loan Forgiveness Programs