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Orthopaedic Surgeon salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for an orthopaedic surgeon is $208,000 per annum, before tax, up $44,000 since 2018.
Pay depends most on how the work is structured. A salaried public hospital appointment follows a state enterprise agreement, with loadings for on-call, recall and after-hours operating, while private practice bills per procedure through Medicare and the private insurers, so earnings track your operating volume. Subspecialty matters too, since joint replacement, spine and trauma work sit at different fee levels, and rural or regional appointments can attract additional allowances that vary by state.
How to negotiate a higher orthopaedic surgeon salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time orthopaedic surgeon salary is $208,000; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Use demand as leverage. Orthopaedic Surgeons are on the national skills shortage list, so employers are more likely to move on price to keep or attract someone in a role they're struggling to fill.
- Lead with what's scarce, not just tenure. Skills like Patient care and support and Clinical assessment and treatment tend to command a premium over general orthopaedic surgeon experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Time it deliberately. Reviews, the end of a project you delivered, or taking on responsibility beyond your job description are stronger moments to ask than an arbitrary date on the calendar.
- Ask for a number, not a raise. "Based on the market rate and [specific contribution], I'd like to move to X" gets a clearer answer than "I think I deserve more."
Orthopaedic Surgeon salary questions
How much do orthopaedic surgeons earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for an orthopaedic surgeon is $208,000 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is orthopaedic surgeon pay rising or falling?
The median orthopaedic surgeon salary is up $44,000 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.