Plastic surgeons are among the highest paid doctors that practice medicine; however, the path to becoming a plastic surgeon is long and demanding. Potential plastic surgeons must complete many levels of training, including a Bachelor's Degree, medical school, a residency and a fellowship to specialize in a specific area. It takes approximately 12 to 13 years of school and training before earning the title of a plastic surgeon.

Average Salaries

According to MD Salaries, the national average for an established plastic surgeon is $300,000 dollars a year. However, plastic surgeons in California have an average of $4,000,000, due to the high population of actors, musicians and artists. For a new plastic surgeon, the expected yearly salary is typically $40,000 less than for an established plastic surgeon.

Counselor

If you are considering a career in plastic surgery and want to inquire about potential salary, you can speak with an Advisory Counselor at your college to get an estimated range of what plastic surgeons earn in your geographic area.

Expert Insight

Contact a plastic surgeon in your area to set up a phone or face to face interview with a member of their administrative staff. You can ask questions relating to the field of plastic surgery along with questions about how much plastic surgeons in the area usually earn. In rare cases, you might actually be able to interview with the doctor himself.

Types

There are many different sub specialties within the medical specialty field of plastic surgery. According to a website titled Plastic Surgery, some areas of concentration are hand surgery, craniofacial surgery, cutaneous malignancy surgery, aesthetic surgery and breast reconstruction. Each specialist might earn a different salary per year, so it is important to specify which specialty you are inquiring about when performing your research.

Misconceptions

According to Dr. Stuart Linder and Dr. Robert Kotler, two renowned Beverly Hills plastic surgeons, a common misconception is that only a plastic surgeon can legally perform plastic surgery. Actually, any doctor with a valid M.D. degree can practice in any field of medicine. Many doctors will claim that they can perform plastic surgery, but are not licensed plastic surgeons; therefore, to determine the actual salary of a plastic surgeon, you must research their training and certification.