Dermatologist Salary Guide & Career Outlook – How Much Do Dermatologists Make per Hour?


The dermatologist salary varies by country. A dermatologist career revolves around skin care. In the United States and Canada, the median salary is quite high at $207,050 and C$240,000 ($179,997). The salary is very similar in Australia and New Zealand at AU$102,063 ($78,263) and NZ$105,000 ($73,867). Whereas, the salary in South Africa is R456,003 ($34,956).

This dermatologist salary guide covers the salary ranges in 7 countries and how this depends on experience and industry. So how much do dermatologists make? The work schedule, benefits, and career outlook summarize the remainder of the article. After reading this, you should know how this salary looks in different countries and the expectations for a dermatologist.

How Much Does a Dermatologist Make per Year by Country?

Dermatologist Salary US Canada UK Australia New Zealand India South Africa
Hourly Pay $35.00 C$115.38* ($86.51) E36.17* ($38.95) AU$49.06* ($37.62) NZ$50.48 ($35.18) Rs 481.25* ($7.43) R356.08 ($27.29)
Annual Pay $207,050 C$240,000 ($179,997) E75,249 ($81,024) AU$102,063 ($78,263) NZ$105,000 ($73,867) Rs 1,001,009 ($15,451) R456,003 ($34,956)

*These figures are estimated based on the other pay information given. This assumes a 40 hour work week.

Dermatologist Salary Influencing Factors

Dermatologists are medical doctors. Their salary is high in comparison to most other jobs. This is a specialized profession, and in South Africa and New Zealand, there was not enough information to report a salary range. The information from these countries came from data on a general practitioner. All of the salary data comes from Payscale.

1. Location

How Much Does a Dermatologist Make in the US? Dermatologist Salary per Hour

Dermatologist Salary US Per Year Per Hour
Minimum  $80,000  $9.70
Maximum  $330,644  $154.56 hourly
Bonus  No additional pay   $102.13 – $72,719
Overtime  No additional pay  $51.20
Total Pay  $70,792 – $336,373

How Much Does a Dermatologist Make in Canada? Dermatologist Income in Canada

Dermatologist Salary Canada Per Year Per Hour
Minimum  C$120,000  $57.69
Maximum  C$300,000  $C$144.23
Bonus  No additional pay  No additional pay
Overtime  No additional pay  No additional pay
Total Pay  C$120,000 – C$300,000

How Much Does a Dermatologist Make in the UK?

Dermatologist Salary UK Per Year Per Hour
Minimum  E35,000  E16.82
Maximum  E180,000  E86.53
Bonus  No additional pay  No additional pay
Overtime  No additional pay  No additional pay
Total Pay  E35,000 – E180,000

How Much Does a Dermatologist Make in Australia?

Dermatologist Salary Australia Per Year Per Hour
Minimum  AU$90,000  AU$43.26
Maximum  AU$320,000  AU$153.84
Bonus  No additional pay  No additional pay
Overtime  No additional pay  No additional pay
Total Pay  AU$53,133 – AU$493,163

How Much Does a Dermatologist Make in New Zealand?

Dermatologist Salary New Zealand Per Year Per Hour
Minimum  NZ$20,273  Unavailable
Maximum  NZ$493,163  Unavailable
Bonus   No additional pay  No additional pay
Overtime   No additional pay  No additional pay
Total Pay  NZ$50,000 – NZ$360,000

How Much Does a Dermatologist Make in India?

Dermatologist Salary India Per Year Per Hour
Minimum  Rs 465,398  Rs 223.74
Maximum  Rs 2,479,457  Rs 1,192
Bonus  Rs 5,000  No additional pay
Overtime  No additional pay  No additional pay
Total Pay  Rs 469,783 – Rs 2,608,388

How Much Does a Dermatologist Make in South Africa?

Dermatologist Salary South Africa Per Year Per Hour
Minimum  R237,224  R111.50
Maximum  R833,798  R1,9730
Bonus R100.67 – R74,497  No additional pay
Overtime  No additional pay  No additional pay
Total Pay  R237,963 – R908,622

2. Experience

There is not a significant variation in pay based on experience in Australia. In India, entry-level dermatologists get paid 18 percent below the median, and experienced dermatologists earn 59 percent above it. Pay in the United States is relatively flat for the first 10 years of their career and then increases significantly to approximately $260,000. However, in South Africa, the pay increases sharply for all physicians over the course of their career.

The most frequent experience level in Australia, South Africa, and the United Kingdom is those with 5 to 9 years of experience. In Canada, this level is 10 to 19 years of experience. The highest level of experience in India and the United States is 1 to 4 years.

3. Industry

All dermatologists work in the medical field. They have to complete an undergraduate course of study and then earn their medical degree with additional specialization. Therefore dermatologists will work in all health care environments. They could work in private practice, as part of a general office clinic, or within a hospital.

They will see patients who have skin concerns. These issues can range from troublesome acne to skin cancer. Therefore, the severity of their cases can vary greatly. In the United States, a visit to a dermatologist requires a referral from a primary care physician. This starts the insurance approval process for those that possess it.

In South Africa, there is the Dermatology Society of South Africa. They maintain a website and an option to become a member of the society. In addition, they provide bylaws and regulations for the field of dermatology. Even more, they include publications and departments specialized in the field.

Schedule & Working Hours

All physicians will work long hours. The ‘when’ of the matter depends partially on where they work. For the most part, dermatologists see patients for nonemergency concerns. This means that they are more likely to hold regular office hours as opposed to a general surgeon or pediatrician, who deal with emergent issues.

Dermatologists will spend the first and last parts of the day getting caught up on patient notes. Therefore, they will see patients from approximately 9 AM to 5 PM.

Bonuses & Benefits

Being a doctor has a lot of benefits. They see a high level of pay and have tremendous job satisfaction for helping people improve their health. Most full-time doctors will have full benefits if they work in a hospital or doctor’s office. Those who own their own practice will purchase healthcare on their own or provide it for their employees.

In addition, dermatologists get to work as part of a team. They provide expertise and collaborate to ensure a holistic healthcare experience for their patients.

The table below shows healthcare benefits by country. If a (–) is present, that means that this data was unavailable.

Country United States Canada United Kingdom Australia New Zealand India South Africa
Medical 75 100 50 67 40 55 52
Dental 39 100 50 33 25 2
Vision 38 100 50 33 20 5
None 23 0 50 33 60 40 46

Career Outlook

In general, physicians, in general, should expect a growth rate of hiring of 14 percent through the year 2024 in the United States. This will vary depending on the field. Their employment rate could suffer due to technological developments and changes in healthcare coverage. Dermatology is an expensive service because of the wide number of biopsies required and the range of problems they treat. If people lose coverage, seeing a dermatologist may not be possible. However, an aging population will have increased risks of skin cancer and other disorders that a dermatologist can treat.

While there are a greater number of males than females in this field, it is fairly even. In India, 63 percent of the profession is male and in the United States that number is 53 percent. So, the male/female ratio is relatively close.

Dermatologist Income Conclusion

Dermatologists are an essential part of our overall health. A dermatologist career is critically important with our increased risk of skin cancer due to sun exposure. The dermatologist salary is high, but there is a large educational and financial investment prior to earning money in the field.

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