Not bad for starters. Depending on the subspecialty, newly minted cardiologists made between $189,000 and $360,000 in 2013.

Cardiac and thoracic surgery emerged as one of the most lucrative subspecialties for physicians launching their careers in a survey by the recruiting firm Profiles. Recently graduated cardiothoracic surgeons placed third highest in the survey, with a starting salary of $360,000.

The survey also tracked six-year national averages by specialty. Cardiologists, with median starting pay at $272,000, didn’t make the top 10 in their rookie year. But they placed eighth by their sixth year, with earnings of $406,000.  

Cardiothoracic surgeons’ pay rose to $525,000 by the sixth year.

Surgical careers of all types dominated the top tier for starting pay. Orthopedic surgeons who specialize in spinal procedures earned the most at $465,000, followed by neurosurgeons at $395,000. Those salaries bumped up to $628,000 and $593,500, respectively, by the sixth year.

The survey also included pediatric cardiology and vascular surgery. First-year salaries for pediatric cardiologists were $189,000 and increased to $233,900 by the sixth year. Vascular surgeons started at $259,400 and earned a median $408,000 their sixth year.

The survey included 40,000 newly graduated physicians and 80,000 practicing physicians. The Saint Peters, Mo.-based company conducted the survey between August and December of 2013.