Side-by-side distribution
Counsel
$214,750
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 51.5%
- Live roles
- 1,290
Surgeon
$324,171
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 20.2%
- Live roles
- 124
Highest-paying jobs
Associate Counsel, Corporate
Legal Counsel (corporate / commercial, 3-5 PQE), hybrid/remote
Director, Corporate Counsel
Legal Counsel
General Counsel
Real Estate Senior Associate / Special Counsel ("Dirt" Focus)
REIT Special Counsel / Senior Associate
Real Estate Associate / Special Counsel (Lender-Side Focus)
Antitrust and Competition Associate / Special Counsel
Estate & Tax Planning Legal Counsel
Highest-paying jobs
Oral Surgeon
Orthopaedic Surgeon | Staff Specialist | 0.5 FTE
Orthopedic Spine Surgeon - Mesa, AZ
Oral Surgeon Opportunity - Central New York
Orthopaedic Surgeon | Regional WA
Mohs Surgeon with Partnership-Shareholder Track
Part-time Mohs Surgeon / Dermatologist
Mohs Surgeon - Dermatologist
Mohs Surgeon with Shareholder Track
Breast Surgeon
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| TM Tyson & Mendes LLP | $175,000 | 39 |
Fivetran
|
$214,096 | 25 |
Axiom Talent Platform
|
$214,750 | 22 |
Alliance Defending Freedom
|
$159,583 | 12 |
Barnes & Thornburg LLP
|
$275,000 | 10 |
Crusoe
|
$235,000 | 9 |
Clearway Energy
|
$215,000 | 9 |
OpenAI
|
$313,500 | 8 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
Greenlife Healthcare Staffing
|
$350,000 | 4 |
|
Oral Surgery Partners
|
$225,000 | 4 |
|
Platinum Dermatology Partners - Physicians
|
$450,000 | 3 |
|
HealthOp Solutions
|
$300,000 | 3 |
|
Mediix
|
$569,244 | 2 |
|
Leading Edge Specialized Dentistry
|
$475,000 | 2 |
| PH Pulse Healthcare | $256,818 | 2 |
Bond Vet
|
$247,500 | 2 |
Counsel salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $226,125 | 120 |
| New York | $220,000 | 159 |
| Seattle | $220,000 | 24 |
| Boston | $219,875 | 12 |
| Los Angeles | $214,750 | 29 |
| Atlanta | $214,750 | 11 |
| Denver | $214,096 | 49 |
| Chicago | $214,045 | 18 |
| Dublin | $204,500 | 3 |
| Austin | $193,870 | 14 |
Surgeon salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| New York | $350,000 | 6 |
Counsel vs Surgeon: which pays more?
The median for Counsel is $214,750 per year (typically $180,000–$250,000), versus $324,171 for Surgeon ($247,500–$450,000). That puts Surgeon about 51% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Counsel and Surgeon are compared on equal terms regardless of the currency each role was originally posted in. Only roles that publish a salary range feed the medians; numbers refresh every few hours as new roles post and older ones close, so this comparison reflects the market right now rather than a fixed survey. Use it as a directional benchmark when weighing one path against the other.