Salary
Average Salary: $393,000
Expected Lifetime Earnings: $16,406,964
Brain surgeons, whether they have their own practice or work in hospitals, get paid by insurance companies, which are the bane of the existence of most medical physicians. In fact, many surgeons complain that insurance companies delay or even deny payment for legitimate claims.
Also, they pay different amounts depending on the area. An insurance company in Nowheresville, Pennsylvania, may pay less for the same procedure as another would in a different city or state.
The amount brain surgeons get paid depends on the insurance company. For instance, medical assistance pays the least. Medicare pays more. Insurance companies like Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, and Health America pay a little more than Medicare for surgeries. The benefit of working in a hospital is you don't have to negotiate with an insurance carrier. The downside is that you may only make the average $393,000 a year (source).
Sure, it sounds nice, but in the world of brain surgeons, $393,000 is a pittance. Salaries for experienced neurosurgeons can climb as high as $750,000 per year (source). If that isn't helicopter money, all we can say is that helicopters have gotten too expensive.
Yep, these guys make the big bucks. Some can make up to a million dollars a year depending on how many surgeries and the types of surgeries they perform. But before you pick out your dream house and matching sports car, keep in mind that it takes around eighteen years before you can even begin pulling in the dough. Think of how old you'll be in eighteen years. Totally ancient.