Ear, Nose and Throat Surgeon
Ear, nose and throat surgeons diagnose and operate on conditions of the ear, nose, throat, head and neck, restoring hearing, breathing, speech and swallowing.
- Median salary*
- $234,000
4.0%vs last year, before tax
- People employed
- 380
5.0%vs last year
- Projected growth*
- +10%
to 2035
- AI exposure*
- Low
- automation risk
- Average hours*
- 48/wk
+8h vs all jobs
- Shortage status*
- In shortage (regional)
national
Ear, nose and throat surgeons are specialist surgeons who work across public and private hospitals and consulting rooms. The specialty spans more than most people expect: the same week can include grommets for a child, endoscopic sinus surgery and an emergency call for an obstructed airway. It sits apart from general surgery because the anatomy is small, crowded and often buried behind bone, with much of the work done through an endoscope or an operating microscope.
How much do ear, nose and throat surgeons earn?
The median full-time salary for an ear, nose and throat surgeon is $234,000 per annum, before tax, up $48,800 since 2018.
Specialists in public hospitals are paid under state enterprise agreements, so your classification, years of service and how much on-call and recall work you take on set the figure. Private practice changes the mix, because you earn from the consultations and procedures you perform, which is often where the ceiling is higher and the income less predictable. Subspecialty and location also shape referrals, with paediatric, head and neck oncology and skull base work among the areas that draw patients.
What does an ear, nose and throat surgeon do day to day?
The list below is what fills most weeks; the exact mix shifts with seniority and whatever stage the current work is at.
- Assessing patients in clinic with nasal endoscopy, otoscopy and a history that often stretches back years
- Operating through the ear canal, nose or mouth, using endoscopes and an operating microscope to work in confined spaces
- Taking emergency calls for airway obstruction, severe nosebleeds, inhaled foreign bodies and infected neck swellings
- Reviewing audiograms, CT and MRI scans and vestibular test results to plan surgery or decide against it
- Running post-operative clinics and handing complex cases to oncology, speech pathology or audiology colleagues
What skills do ear, nose and throat surgeons need?
Employers look for patient care and support, clinical assessment and treatment, infection control and hygiene, backed by Endoscopes fluency and strong written communication.
Specialist skills
- Patient care and support
- Clinical assessment and treatment
- Infection control and hygiene
Software and tools
- Endoscopes
- Operating microscopes
- Surgical navigation systems
- Electronic medical records (Epic, Cerner)
- PACS imaging software
General skills
- Written communication
- Problem solving
- Attention to detail
- Time and deadline management
- People leadership
Is the job growing?
About 380 people work as ear, nose and throat surgeons in Australia, and employment is projected to grow 10% over the decade to 2035. That's healthy, above-average growth, and the role should stay in solid demand.
How do you become an ear, nose and throat surgeon?
Here's the path most ear, nose and throat surgeons take, step by step.
- 1Complete a medical degree
A six-year Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery or a four-year graduate Doctor of Medicine, followed by a hospital internship to gain general registration with AHPRA.
- 2Work as a resident medical officer
Two or more prevocational years in hospital posts, including surgical and emergency terms, build the experience and references that selection panels look for.
- 3Apply for the RACS training program
Selection into Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery training through the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons is competitive, and successful applicants usually have surgical terms, research or audit work behind them.
- 4Finish specialty training and fellowship
Training runs for around five years across accredited hospital posts with exams along the way, ending in Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (FRACS).
- 5Subspecialise if you want to
Extra fellowship years in paediatric ENT, otology, head and neck oncology or skull base surgery are common, and they shape the referrals you attract later.
Ready to apply as an ear, nose and throat surgeon?
Whether you're working toward becoming an ear, nose and throat surgeon or already are one and want a hand with the next step (sharpening your resume for ATS screening, tightening your cover letter, or knowing what you'll actually be asked at interview), here are examples grounded in this specific role, not generic templates.
What jobs can an ear, nose and throat surgeon move to?
We don't list lateral moves for ear, nose and throat surgeons: leaving means a full new qualification rather than a career move, and the realistic routes in are covered under how to become one.
Who works as an ear, nose and throat surgeon?
The typical ear, nose and throat surgeon is 48 years old; 85% are men, 93% work full-time, and full-timers average 48 hours a week.
- 48
- Median age
- 15%
- Female share
- 93%
- Full-time
- +8h
- vs all-jobs avg
What's it like being an ear, nose and throat surgeon?
The week splits between clinic and theatre, with a standing on-call commitment for airways and bleeding that cannot wait. Cases often run for months, whether that is a child's grommets, a singer's vocal cord lesion or a head and neck cancer treated with surgery, radiotherapy and follow-up. Surgeons who stay in the specialty tend to enjoy the precision of operating in small, crowded anatomy and the visible difference that restoring hearing or breathing makes to someone's daily life.
What people like
- Operating where function is at stake. Opening an airway or improving hearing changes what a patient can do that week, and the result is usually clear quickly.
- Wide age range and case mix. You might see a toddler in the morning and an adult with a head and neck cancer in the afternoon, which keeps the clinical work varied.
- Small specialty, strong referral relationships. ENT is a tight field, and GPs, paediatricians and oncologists get to know who to send particular problems to.
- Technical, hands-on work. The instruments and the anatomy demand precision, and much of the satisfaction comes from doing a delicate procedure well.
What people find hard
- A long and competitive training path. A medical degree, internship, prevocational hospital years and five years of surgical training sit between school and a fellowship, and selection into the training program is selective.
- Frequent on-call. Airway emergencies, bleeding after tonsillectomy and inhaled objects do not keep office hours, so nights and weekends are part of the job.
- Clinic lists and waiting times. Public outpatient demand builds up, and much of a clinic day goes to reviewing and prioritising patients rather than operating.
- Emotionally heavy cases. Head and neck cancers and children with complex airway problems can be difficult to carry, particularly when treatment options are limited.
Based on our synthesis of professional-body surveys and public accounts of the role, not first-person verified reviews.
Which industries employ ear, nose and throat surgeons?
Hospitals (public and private) employs the largest share of ear, nose and throat surgeons, followed by Specialist medical services.
Top employing industries
- 1Hospitals (public and private)
- 2Specialist medical services
- 3Private specialist practice
- 4Medical education and research
Ranked by employment share; the source doesn't publish an exact percentage per industry.
| Bachelor degree | 52% | |
|---|---|---|
| Postgraduate | 26% | |
| Diploma / Advanced Diploma | 13% | |
| Other | 9% |
Will AI replace ear, nose and throat surgeons?
AI exposure in this job is low, because the core of it is operating with your hands on anatomy you can only partly see, and that work does not automate. Imaging triage, surgical navigation and endoscopic equipment change what a surgeon can view and how safely they can operate, but they assist rather than substitute. The administrative load around clinics, letters and audit is the part most exposed to automation, and it is a small share of the week.
Share of typical working time by exposure level
- Operating on ears, noses, throats and necksImage guidance and endoscopes help you see the field, but the dissection is done by hand in anatomy that differs from one patient to the next.45%low
- Clinic assessment and endoscopyTaking a history, examining ears and passing a scope to inspect the airway depend on direct physical examination and a conversation with the patient.30%low
- Reading scans and audiology resultsRadiology triage tools already flag likely abnormalities on CT and MRI, but deciding whether a finding explains the symptoms, and whether to operate, stays with the surgeon.15%moderate
- Clinic letters, operative notes and auditDraft correspondence, operation records and audit data can be generated from notes automatically, which saves administrative time rather than clinical time.10%moderate
Common questions about becoming an ear, nose and throat surgeon
Straight answers to the questions people ask most.
How much does an ear, nose and throat surgeon earn?
The median is $234,000 per year before tax, taken across full-time surgeons. Public hospital pay is set by state enterprise agreements and rises with seniority and on-call duties, while private practice income depends on how much consulting and operating you do, so the range either side of the median is wide. The figure reflects experienced specialists rather than a trainee or a newly qualified fellow.
How do you become an ear, nose and throat surgeon?
Start with a medical degree and an internship, then work several years in hospital posts before applying for the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons training program in otolaryngology head and neck surgery. Training takes about five years and finishes with a fellowship. Selection is competitive, so surgical terms, research and referee support in your prevocational years matter.
Are ear, nose and throat surgeons in demand?
Ear, nose and throat surgeons are currently in shortage in regional areas, and employment is projected to grow 10% over the decade to 2035 over the decade to 2035. About 380 surgeons work in Australia, which makes the specialty small enough that opportunities turn on where you are willing to work. If you are looking for a post, it is worth checking the public hospital and outreach services outside the major cities.
How is AI affecting ear, nose and throat surgery?
The operating itself stays largely out of reach for AI, because it is hands-on work in small, crowded anatomy guided by touch and judgement in real time. Where the technology does reach in is image reading, where radiology triage tools flag likely abnormalities on CT and MRI, along with documentation, surgical audit and theatre list management. Navigation and endoscopic systems will keep improving what a surgeon can see, but someone still has to decide what to operate on and when.
What roles lead into ear, nose and throat surgery, and where does it lead?
The main route in is from a resident medical officer role: hospital medical training overlaps with this specialty by about 50%, and a qualified surgeon earns $130,000 more than a resident medical officer. From there, many surgeons move into private practice, often keeping public hospital sessions, and that is usually where earnings grow. Others stay in the hospital system and take on department leadership or a subspecialty fellowship.
What are the hours like?
Full-time ear, nose and throat surgeons work an average of 48 hours a week, and 93% work full time. Theatre lists, clinics and on-call duties run alongside each other, and an emergency airway can be called at any hour. Private practice gives you more control over the diary, though it usually comes with a busier elective list.
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