Dermatologists specialize in the care of the skin. Their work is typically non-surgical, although some dermatologists do perform a specialized kind of skin cancer treatment called Mohs surgery. Dermatology training includes college, medical school and residency, and may include an extended period of training called a specialty fellowship. Salaries vary according to geographic location, gender and place of employment. (ref 1, ref 4)

All About the Money

The median salary of dermatologists in 2013 was $411,499, according to “Becker’s Hospital Review.” (ref 2) Profiles Database, an employer-physician matching service, reports a starting salary of $234,000 in 2013-2014, although dermatologists with six years’ experience earned $367,000. (ref 3)Dermatologists who performed Mohs surgery, however, earned $586,083 in 2010, according to “Becker’s Hospital Review.” (ref 4)Base salary offers ranged from $235,000 to $425,000, according to “Becker’s Hospital Review.” Dermatologists in the northeast earned the least, with an average annual salary of $274,000, while those in the Great Lakes region were the top earners at $425,000. Women earned less than men, at $248,000 to $321,000 respectively. (ref 2)

2016 Salary Information for Physicians and Surgeons

Physicians and surgeons earned a median annual salary of $204,950 in 2016, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. On the low end, physicians and surgeons earned a 25th percentile salary of $131,980, meaning 75 percent earned more than this amount. The 75th percentile salary is $261,170, meaning 25 percent earn more. In 2016, 713,800 people were employed in the U.S. as physicians and surgeons.