Gender-based salary differences among academic surgeons from 2014 to 2024

Area of Science:

• Medical Research
• Surgical Specialties
• Academic Medicine

Background:

• Persistent gender-based salary disparities exist within surgical fields.
• This study investigates pay differences among U.S. academic surgeons over time and across different academic ranks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the extent and trends of gender-based salary differences in academic surgery.
• To compare pay ratios and salary variations between male and female surgeons across various ranks and specialties.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Faculty Salary Survey data from 2014 to 2024.
• Comparison of salaries by gender and academic rank (assistant, associate, and full professor) across 14 surgical specialties.
• Assessment of primary outcomes including salary differences and female-to-male pay ratios, alongside secondary outcomes of trends and variability.

Main Results:

• Women earned 73% (assistant), 71% (associate), and 74% (full professor) of male salaries, with substantial mean differences.
• The largest salary gaps were observed in orthopedic and neurosurgery.
• Modest improvements in pay equity were seen at assistant and associate professor levels, but not at the full professor rank.

Conclusions:

• Gender pay disparities remain pervasive in academic surgery, particularly affecting senior faculty.
• While pay equity is slowly improving at junior academic levels, significant gaps persist, especially at higher ranks.