Neurosurgeon Salaries: Johns Hopkins vs. Massachusetts General Hospital

Academic neurosurgeon compensation at top institutions reflects RVU productivity, grant funding, administrative roles, and institutional pay structures. Figures are estimates from public reports (Medscape, Doximity, institutional disclosures, H1B data).

Johns Hopkins (Baltimore, MD)

• Average Base + Incentive: $488,000
• Range: $394,000 – $594,000
• Notes: High clinical volume, quaternary referrals, strong NIH funding, endowed chairs. Academic RVU targets ~6,000–8,000/yr.

Massachusetts General Hospital (Boston, MA)

• Average Base + Incentive: $472,000
• Range: $380,000 – $579,000
• Notes: Partners HealthCare (Mass General Brigham) system. High cost of living. Robust research infrastructure.

Contextual Factors

Factor	Impact on Compensation
Academic Rank	Asst Prof < Assoc Prof < Full Prof (endowed chairs +$50–150k)
Clinical FTE	1.0 clinical > 0.5 clinical + 0.5 research
Subspecialty	Cerebrovascular, skull base, complex spine > general
Grants	NIH R01 + indirects → salary support + academic capital
Leadership	Division chief, program director, dept chair (+$100–300k)
Call Burden	High-acuity trauma/cerebrovascular call = premium

Comparison to National Data

• Medscape 2023 Neurosurgery mean: $788k (includes private practice, which skews high)
• Academic median: ~$550k–$650k (AAMC Faculty Salary Survey)
• MGH/JHU are elite academic — compensation competitive but often < top private groups

Beyond Salary

• Research resources, trainee quality, collaboration networks, prestige
• Academic freedom, teaching, innovation pipeline
• Loan forgiveness (PSLF) for non-profit academic

Individual offers vary. Negotiate with data: AAMC, MGMA, AMGA, peer mentors. Total package = clinical RVU rate + research support + admin time + benefits + culture.