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According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, there are over 13,000 practicing dermatologists in the United States.
Whether considering dermatology during medical school/training or already practicing as a dermatologist, having an expectation of your income can help guide salary negotiations and create a long-term financial plan.
What is the average dermatologist salary?
According to 2024 data from Medical Group Management Association, the median total compensation for dermatologists is $530,700.
Dermatologist salary by state: What do dermatologists make in each state?
Salaries for dermatologists can vary significantly by location. MGMA provides a breakdown of how total compensation differs across four geographic sections:
- Eastern: $451,510
- Midwest: $540,137
- Southern: $483,168
- Western: $579,025
According to MGMA, these are the median salaries for dermatologists by state (data for all states isn’t available):
- California – $577,044
- Colorado – $478,825
- Florida – $527,138
- Illinois – $511,825
- Indiana – $411,703
- Kentucky – $400,348
- Louisiana – $452,084
- Massachusetts – $395,165
- Minnesota – $546,811
- New York – $454,950
- Ohio – $491,962
- Pennsylvania – $520,860
- South Dakota – $709,496
- Texas – $531,020
- Utah – $732,517
- Washington – $672,607
- Wisconsin – $540,274
Missing data from MGMA: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wyoming
Highest paying states for dermatologists
According to the MGMA, these are the top five highest paying states for dermatologists:
- Utah – $732,517
- South Dakota – $709,496
- Washington – $672,607
- California – $577,044
- Minnesota – $546,811
Physician salary by specialty: How do dermatologists’ salaries compare?
Dermatology is one of the higher paying medical specialties. Here’s how their total compensation of $530,700 compares to other specialties, as reported by MGMA:
- Neurosurgery – $974,099
- Orthopedic surgery – $717,073
- Plastic surgery – $650,000
- Cardiology – $628,393
- Gastroenterology – $606,930
- Radiology – $603,897
- Urology – $573,137
- Anesthesiology – $563,750
- Dermatology – $530,700
- General surgery – $502,947
- Critical care – $489,811
- Ophthalmology – $447,662
- Pulmonary medicine – $441,000
- Pathology – $430,391
- Nephrology – $404,607
- OB-GYN – $399,519
- Emergency medicine – $397,648
- Allergy & immunology – $379,823
- Neurology – $369,011
- Psychiatry – $327,430
- Infectious disease – $325,957
- Internal medicine – $314,450
- Family medicine – $311,557
- Endocrinology – $303,223
- Rheumatology – $296,975
- Pediatrics – $264,322
Be Sure You Are Fairly Compensated
These salary figures provide a helpful benchmark, but ensuring you’re compensated fairly requires more than just knowing the average or median. Whether you’re starting a new job or renegotiating your contract, a thorough contract review can give you the confidence that you’re receiving fair compensation.
The attorneys at Panacea Legal can help you navigate your contract and ensure you are getting what you deserve. Learn more about how experienced contract attorneys can help you secure your financial future today.
Not ready to commit? Schedule a 15-minute consultation with the Panacea Legal team to see how contract review could help you »
Source: 2025 MGMA DataDive Provider Compensation. Used with permission from MGMA. © 2025.
www.mgma.com/data
The information shared on this website does not constitute legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship.
