Surgeons have considered extending the resection margins for better outcomes in gliomas, but have not considered molecular pathology. We investigated the impact of molecular pathology on the surgical benefit in gliomas. Herein, we collected the clinical and pathological information of 449 patients with glioma from the Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas database, and enrolled those who underwent surgical resection. We measured the impact of the extent of resection on survival time in subgroups classified by clinical characteristics. We found that gross total resection (GTR) was associated with longer survival times in the entire cohort, and each of the three molecular subtypes. Even after age stratification, there was no survival benefit from GTR in those with a Karnofsky performance score (KPS) ≤ 80. In patients aged >45 years with a KPS >80, extensive resection resulted in longer survival times in isocitrate dehydrogenase-mutated astrocytomas. Additionally, GTR was associated with longer overall survival times in patients aged ≤45 years with a KPS >80. In conclusion, extensive resection does not always prolong survival in patients with glioma. Along with clinical characteristics, molecular pathology positively impacts survival in gliomas. Neurosurgeons may consider our findings when planning surgery in the future.