What is Dr. James Andrews’ net worth and salary?

Dr. James Andrews, a trailblazer in orthopedic surgery and sports medicine, boasts a net worth of approximately $100 million. Renowned globally as a trusted authority on sports injuries, Dr. Andrews has dedicated over 50 years to helping athletes overcome potentially career-ending injuries. His expertise in knee, shoulder, and elbow surgeries has been instrumental in reviving the careers of numerous athletes. A co-founder of notable institutions such as the Andrews Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Center in Alabama and the Andrews Institute in Florida, he has significantly contributed to the development of minimally invasive surgical methods. Reports from 2008 indicated that his medical practices were generating an impressive $60 million in annual revenue.

Early Life and Education

Born in 1942 in Homer, Louisiana, James Rheuben Andrews excelled as a student-athlete. He attended Louisiana State University on a track-and-field scholarship, specializing in pole vaulting and securing an SEC Championship. Driven by a desire to integrate his love for sports and medicine, he graduated from LSU with a bachelor’s degree in 1963 and earned his medical degree from the LSU School of Medicine in 1967. Andrews then completed an orthopedic residency at Tulane University and pursued advanced fellowships in sports medicine at the University of Virginia and the University of Lyon in France. These experiences introduced him to pioneering arthroscopic surgery, a field where he would later become a leading authority.

Medical Career and Achievements

Dr. Andrews launched his career under the guidance of Dr. Jack Hughston in Columbus, Georgia, where he was instrumental in developing arthroscopic techniques for shoulder and elbow surgeries. These minimally invasive procedures transformed sports medicine. He also trained under Dr. Frank Jobe, who invented the “Tommy John” ligament reconstruction surgery, becoming one of the first surgeons outside California to specialize in this procedure.

In 1986, Andrews moved to Birmingham, Alabama, and co-founded the Alabama Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Center, now known as the Andrews Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Center. He also established the American Sports Medicine Institute (ASMI), a nonprofit focused on injury prevention and rehabilitation. Expanding his impact, he co-founded the Andrews Institute for Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine in Gulf Breeze, Florida, in 2008. This state-of-the-art, 140,000-square-foot facility, costing $50 million, caters to both professional and amateur athletes.

Over his illustrious career, Dr. Andrews has performed tens of thousands of surgeries, peaking at 30 operations per week. His clientele includes legendary athletes such as Roger Clemens, Drew Brees, Bo Jackson, Michael Jordan, Jack Nicklaus, John Smoltz, Brett Favre, and Adrian Peterson. In 1985, a breakthrough moment in his career occurred when he conducted an innovative arthroscopic shoulder repair on a young Roger Clemens, which not only rejuvenated Clemens’ career but also established Andrews as the “surgeon who saves careers.”

Dr. Andrews’ influence extends far beyond surgery. Through ASMI, he led pivotal research that linked excessive pitching in youth baseball to increased injury rates. His advocacy resulted in national Little League pitch count regulations and heightened awareness of injury prevention. Furthermore, he has trained over 300 orthopedic surgeons through his fellowship program, perpetuating the “Andrews method” of athlete care worldwide.

In addition to his surgical work, Andrews served as a team physician or consultant for numerous professional and collegiate organizations, including the Tampa Bay Rays, Washington Commanders, and Auburn University, while also advising the University of Alabama’s athletic department. He has served as Medical Director for the LPGA and was honored with inductions into both the Alabama and Louisiana Sports Halls of Fame. The NCAA awarded him the Gerald R. Ford Award for his leadership in promoting athlete welfare and safety.

(Photo by John McDonnell/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Later Career and Legacy

After more than 50 years in practice, Dr. Andrews retired from active surgery in 2023, though he remains active as a consultant and educator. His legacy lives on through the institutions he founded and the generations of surgeons he mentored. Many experts credit Andrews with changing the trajectory of modern sports by giving athletes second chances at their careers. His impact can be felt in virtually every professional league and collegiate program in the United States.

Personal Life, Real Estate, and Wealth

Dr. Andrews has been married to his wife, Jenelle, for decades, and the couple has six children and several grandchildren. Since the 1980s, they have lived primarily in Mountain Brook, an affluent suburb of Birmingham, Alabama, and also maintain a waterfront residence near Pensacola Beach, Florida, close to his Florida institute.

Outside of medicine, Andrews has pursued entrepreneurial and recreational passions. In the late 1970s, he purchased a minor league baseball team, the Columbus Astros, for $40,000 to prevent it from relocating. He later sold the team for $1 million when he moved to Alabama. Andrews is also an avid sailor and once owned the yacht “Abracadabra III,” which competed in the 2000 America’s Cup. Known to appreciate fine cars and private aviation, he has been reported to own several luxury automobiles and a private jet used to travel between his clinics and speaking engagements.

Financially, Dr. Andrews stands among the wealthiest doctors in the United States. While the average orthopedic surgeon earns roughly $576,000 annually, Andrews’ earnings have been many multiples higher thanks to his brand recognition, speaking fees, surgical practice, and consulting roles. At its peak, his Birmingham practice was reportedly generating more than $60 million per year in revenue. In recent years, Andrews has invested in healthcare real estate and partnered with development firms to expand sports medicine facilities across the country.

Despite his financial success, colleagues often describe Dr. Andrews as humble and deeply patient-focused. He is known to treat amateur athletes and weekend warriors with the same care and respect he gives professional stars. His career represents a rare combination of surgical genius, entrepreneurial vision, and genuine compassion. In 2022, he was inducted into the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, honoring his rise from small-town Louisiana to global medical prominence.