Dermatologists vs Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons: $329K vs $352K Median Pay

Dermatologists vs Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons: what changes?

Consider Dermatologists if you want to diagnose and treat diseases relating to the skin, hair, and nails. Consider Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons if you would rather perform surgery and related procedures on the hard and soft tissues of the oral and maxillofacial regions to treat diseases, injuries, or defects. Both list doctoral or professional degree; compare training and prior experience separately.

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Dermatologists and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. List the duties, credentials, prior experience, and paid training each employer actually asks for. Try a supervised class or sample project from each field before choosing a program.

BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. National medians are not starting offers. Occupation size is not a count of vacancies. View the BLS data.

Compare the practical differences

Dermatologists

National median pay (2025): $328,730
Route into the job: Doctoral or professional degree; Internship or residency follows qualifying education. Check its duration, pay, and licensing requirements
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: Internship or residency follows qualifying education. Check its duration, pay, and licensing requirements.
Work to investigate: Conduct complete skin examinations.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 400

Know before you choose

Training continues through internship/residency after the degree path.

See the full Dermatologists brief

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons

National median pay (2025): $352,220
Route into the job: Doctoral or professional degree; Internship or residency follows qualifying education. Check its duration, pay, and licensing requirements
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: Internship or residency follows qualifying education. Check its duration, pay, and licensing requirements.
Work to investigate: Administer general and local anesthetics.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 200

Know before you choose

Training continues through internship/residency after the degree path.

See the full Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons brief

How the national numbers differ

Dermatologists has the edge on projected growth

Dermatologists is at 6.8% projected growth, compared with 5.6% projected growth for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.

Dermatologists has the edge on annual openings

Dermatologists is at 400 annual openings, compared with 200 annual openings for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons has the edge on median pay

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons is at $352,220, compared with $328,730 for Dermatologists.

54/ 100

Dermatologists

50.8/ 100

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons

Each available metric is ranked from 0 to 100 against the careers on ChooseField. The weighted average uses this profile: pay 30%, growth 25%, openings 30%, preparation level 15%. Missing values are not scored as zero; their weights are redistributed across available metrics. Occupation size has zero weight: employment is not accessible vacancies. Preparation categories do not measure admission difficulty or years without earnings. The score summarizes national measures; local opportunities and personal fit still need separate consideration.

Detailed evidence