Cardiothoracic surgeons are rewarded with hefty pay checks than professionals in other specialties. In the AMGA’s report, only orthopedic surgeons and neurosurgeons out-earned cardiologists. The annual salary for neurosurgeons was $592,811 per year, while orthopedic surgeons earned $688,503 per year. Cardiac surgeons see an increased salary after reaching 10 or 20 years on the job.