Is Dermatology a Good Career in 2026?
Treating skin, hair, and nail conditions with both medical and procedural approaches.
Based on BLS employment data and national physician surveys
SalaryDr Career Intelligence
Based on BLS employment data and national physician surveys
* Limited data — score may shift as more physicians contribute
Score Breakdown
Demand score powered by BLS Employment Projections (2024-2034): 6.4% projected growth (faster than average)
What the scores mean
Median $450K understates the upside -- cosmetic practices regularly double that, making the effective ceiling among medicine's highest.
Consistently ranked #1 or #2 in physician satisfaction surveys, driven by lifestyle, income, and clinical variety.
BLS projects 5% growth, permanently constrained by training bottleneck -- dermatologists will never be oversupplied.
Over 90% would choose again -- the highest rate in medicine and the clearest signal that the specialty delivers on its promise.
The best in medicine: no call, no weekends, no emergencies, 40-hour weeks are genuinely normal.
Four-year residency with $450K+ median and minimal call makes dermatology the highest ROI per training year in medicine.
Dermatology residency match rate for US MD seniors is under 70% -- it is the single hardest specialty to enter, and the scarcity of trained dermatologists is precisely what sustains both compensation and lifestyle.
The cosmetic vs medical divide is a philosophical choice masquerading as a business decision: medical dermatologists earn $400K-$500K treating skin cancer, while cosmetic-heavy practices clear $600K-$1M+ injecting Botox.
Dermatology is the rare specialty where both satisfaction and compensation rank in the top tier -- the unicorn career that medical students chase for good reason.
Dermatology Compensation & Earnings
Best States for Dermatologists (After Tax)
Dermatologists in affluent suburbs out-earn those in cities by 20-40% -- cosmetic demand tracks household income, not population density.
| State | BLS Median | After-Tax Income | Demand Signal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $490,820 | $490,820 | Low(140 jobs) |
| Oregon | $484,410 | $440,813 | Low(210 jobs) |
| Louisiana | $454,770 | $435,670 | Limited |
| Maryland | $459,870 | $435,037 | Low(250 jobs) |
| Minnesota | $447,890 | $411,163 | Low(200 jobs) |
Estimate Your Take-Home
Based on median Dermatology salary of $348K/yr
Select a state to see your estimated take-home pay
Take-Home Pay by State
How much a Dermatology physician actually keeps after federal, state, and FICA taxes
Highest Take-Home States
Lowest Take-Home States
Tax impact: A Dermatology physician keeps $204,967 more per year in Washington vs. Texas — a 58.9% difference on gross income of $347,810.
Assumes single filer, standard deduction, W-2 employment. State rates from Tax Foundation 2025. Gross salaries from BLS OEWS May 2024. FICA includes Social Security (6.2% up to $168,600) and Medicare (1.45% + 0.9% above $200K). Actual take-home varies with deductions, filing status, and local taxes.
Career Lifestyle
Job Market & Future Outlook
Job Market Outlook
BLS Employment Projections (2024-2034) for Dermatology
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2024-2034. Includes wage/salary and self-employed physicians.
AI & Automation Impact
AI matches dermatologist accuracy for melanoma detection in controlled studies. But procedural dermatology, Mohs surgery, and cosmetic work remain firmly human.
How Hard Is It to Match Into Dermatology?
Dermatology is one of the most competitive specialties to match into, with only 70.5% of U.S. MD seniors successfully matching. There were 1.04 applicants per position (601 applicants for 576 spots). Matched applicants had significantly higher Step 2 CK scores (257 vs 250). Students scoring >260 matched at 88%, compared to 38% for those scoring 231-240.
Match Rate by Step 2 CK Score
What Differentiates Matched Applicants
| Metric | Matched | Unmatched |
|---|---|---|
| Step 2 CK | 257 | 250 |
| Research Experiences | 6.4 | 4.9 |
| Publications | 28 | 19 |
| AOA Members | 41% | 24% |
| Programs Ranked | 9 | 5 |
Data from Charting Outcomes in the Match, National Resident Matching Program (NRMP), 2024. U.S. MD seniors. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
Dermatology: medicine's unicorn specialty lives up to the hype -- if you can get in
The dermatology residency bottleneck is medicine's most effective economic moat. With roughly 480 positions nationally for thousands of applicants, the specialty maintains artificial scarcity that supports premium compensation and manageable patient volumes. This isn't an accident -- it's a structural feature that dermatology has preserved while other specialties expanded training positions to meet demand.
The cosmetic-medical spectrum creates a wider income range than most realize. A purely medical dermatologist in an employed practice earns $400K-$500K with insurance-based revenue. A practice blending medical and cosmetic services in an affluent suburb earns $600K-$800K. A cosmetic-focused practice in a major metro can exceed $1M. The clinical training is identical; the business model determines the financial outcome.
What doesn't get discussed enough is the lifestyle: dermatology offers 40-45 hour weeks, essentially zero overnight call, no weekend rounding, and no emergency consults that can't wait until morning. Combined with compensation that exceeds most surgical specialties, this creates a career satisfaction profile that medical students understand intuitively -- which is exactly why the match is so competitive.
Training & Getting Started
5 years of post-medical-school training, with subspecialty fellowship options
Subspecialty Fellowships
Physicians Also Consider
Explore Dermatology
Take the Next Step in Your Dermatology Career
Real compensation data from verified physicians. Know your market value before your next contract negotiation.
Powered by SalaryDr Career Intelligence
Career Score methodology: salarydr.com/methodology
According to SalaryDr Career Intelligence data (as of March 2026), the Physician Career Score for Dermatology is 81/100. Median total compensation is $347,810. The BLS reports 10,900 practicing Dermatologists nationally with 6.4% projected growth (2024-2034).