How Much Do Dermatologists Make in 2026? (Salary by State & Subspecialty)

Updated

Dermatologists in the US earn an average of $350,000-$400,000 per year, making it one of the highest-paid and most competitive medical specialties.

Quick Answer: Dermatologist Salary

Metric Amount
Average salary $350,000-$400,000
Entry-level salary $280,000
Experienced salary $450,000+
Mohs surgeon $500,000-$700,000
Private practice owner $500,000-$1,000,000+

Dermatologist Salary by Subspecialty

Subspecialty Average Salary
Mohs surgery $550,000-$700,000
Cosmetic dermatology $400,000-$600,000
Dermatopathology $400,000-$500,000
Pediatric dermatology $325,000-$375,000
Medical dermatology $300,000-$400,000
Academic dermatology $250,000-$350,000

Dermatologist Salary by State

State Average Salary
Florida $450,000
Texas $420,000
California $400,000
Arizona $400,000
Georgia $395,000
North Carolina $385,000
New York $380,000
Colorado $375,000
Illinois $370,000
Ohio $365,000
Pennsylvania $360,000
Massachusetts $350,000
Michigan $360,000
Washington $355,000

Note: Higher cost-of-living states often have lower relative pay due to more competition.

Dermatologist Salary by Work Setting

Setting Average Salary
Private practice (owner) $500,000-$1,000,000+
Private practice (employed) $350,000-$450,000
Hospital employed $300,000-$400,000
Academic medical center $250,000-$350,000
Telehealth dermatology $300,000-$400,000
Locum tenens $400,000-$500,000

Dermatologist Salary by Experience

Experience Level Average Salary
New attending (1-2 years) $280,000-$320,000
Early career (3-5 years) $350,000-$400,000
Mid-career (6-10 years) $400,000-$500,000
Established (11-20 years) $450,000-$600,000
Senior (20+ years) $500,000-$750,000

Path to Becoming a Dermatologist

Stage Duration Typical Earnings
College (pre-med) 4 years -$100,000 (debt)
Medical school 4 years -$200,000 (debt)
Internal medicine/transitional year 1 year $60,000
Dermatology residency 3 years $70,000-$85,000
Fellowship (optional) 1-2 years $80,000-$90,000
Total training 12-14 years

How Competitive Is Dermatology Residency?

Metric Data
Residency positions per year ~450
Applicants per position 5-7
Match rate 70-80%
Average Step 1 score (historical) 245+
Research requirements High (5+ publications avg)

Cosmetic vs Medical Dermatology

Factor Medical Dermatology Cosmetic Dermatology
Base salary $300,000-$400,000 $400,000-$600,000
Insurance involvement High Low/none
Patient demand Consistent Market-dependent
Lifestyle Regular hours Flexible
Cash pay Low High

Dermatologist After-Tax Income

Gross Salary Federal Tax FICA State Tax (avg) Take-Home
$300,000 $65,000 $21,400 $18,000 $195,600
$400,000 $98,000 $22,600 $24,000 $255,400
$500,000 $133,000 $23,800 $30,000 $313,200
$700,000 $203,000 $24,600 $42,000 $430,400

Mohs Surgeon Salary Deep Dive

Mohs micrographic surgery is the highest-paid dermatology subspecialty:

Setting Mohs Surgeon Salary
Private practice (owner) $700,000-$1,000,000+
Employed practice $500,000-$650,000
Academic $350,000-$450,000
High-volume practice $800,000-$1,200,000

Additional training: 1-2 year fellowship after dermatology residency

Dermatology Job Outlook

  • Job growth: 3% (2022-2032)
  • Competition: Very high for residency
  • Demand: High (1.5-6 month wait times typical)
  • Lifestyle: Among best in medicine
Factor Rating
Salary/income ★★★★★
Work-life balance ★★★★★
Hours (no call usually) ★★★★★
Procedure variety ★★★★☆
Patient outcomes ★★★★★
Residency competitiveness ★★★★★
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