Plastic surgeons employed in the United States typically earn salaries in the range from $76,819 to $510,283 a year including bonuses and contributions from profit sharing according to the salary information provided by Payscale. The yearly bonuses amount to up to $98,542, and earnings from profit sharing are generally in the range from $1,021 to $99,683 a year.
Plastic surgeons are among the best paid professionals in the United States, with an average annual salary of $264,000, and top salaries amounting to up to $527,000 a year according to a report from CNN Money. The 10-year job growth for this occupation is estimated at 24.4%.
Average salary
The average salary for plastic surgeons employed in the United States is $340,080 a year according to Salary.com, $248,708 a year according to Payscale’s salary data, and $317,000 a year according to Medscape’s 2013 Plastic Surgeon Compensation Report.
Plastic surgeon salaries vary significantly depending on geographical location. Professionals employed in the Northwest region have the highest salaries, around $495,000 a year, followed by surgeons based in the West, who earn $408,000 a year.
Plastic surgeons working in the Southwest make $355,000 a year on average, those in the Great Lakes region are paid around $337,000 a year, and professionals in the North Central region make $325,000 a year on average according to Medscape’s salary report. Plastic surgeons based in the Mid-Atlantic region are paid $324,000 a year on average, while those working in the North East have an average annual salary of $302,000.
The lowest salaries for plastic surgeons are in the South Central region, where the median yearly pay for this occupation is $264,000, and in the Southeast, where these professionals earn $220,000 a year on average according to Medscape.
Medscape’s 2013 Plastic Surgeon Compensation Report shows that men earn $331,000 a year on average, while women are paid a median annual salary of $239,000.
Plastic surgeons’ annual pay also varies depending on work setting. Plastic surgeons working in multispecialty group practices have the best salaries, $493,000 a year on average, followed by professionals employed by healthcare organizations, who earn $355,000 a year on average. The median yearly salary for surgeons working in a solo practice is $332,000, while professionals employed in single-specialty group practices are paid $318,000 a year on average. Plastic surgeons employed at hospitals make $261,000 a year on average, while professionals working in an academic setting are paid an average yearly salary of $255,000 according to Medscape’s report.
Work situation is another significant factor that can affect a plastic surgeon’s salary. Professionals who are partners in their organization have the top salaries, $412,000 a year on average, followed by owners of solo practices, who make $324,000 a year on average. Plastic surgeons who are employees at their organization are paid an average annual income of $274,000 according to Medscape.
Starting salary
The starting salary for plastic surgeons with less than a year of experience in the field is generally in the range between $80,000 and $275,000 a year including bonuses and profit sharing according to the salary data provided by Payscale. Plastic surgeons in their first year earn $3,000 a year in bonuses.
Salary range
Plastic surgeon salaries depend on a number of factors, including years of experience. Professionals with 1 to 4 years of experience generally make between $46,602 and $375,000 a year including bonuses and profit sharing, and those with 5 to 9 years of experience are typically paid between $95,943 and $504,493 annually. Plastic surgeons with 10 to 19 years of experience under their belt report annual salaries in the range from $100,000 to $799,992 a year, and those with 20 or more years of experience have an annual pay in the range from $65,000 to $850,000 a year according to the salary figures from Payscale.
Board Certified Surgeons report an annual income in the range from $90,604 to $521,479. Men generally earn between $64,111 and $505,314 a year, while women report yearly earnings in the range between $45,958 and $782,971 according to Payscale. Graduates of the Harvard Medical Schools generally earn between $99,159 and $235,832 annually.
The yearly bonuses also depend on a variety of factors, including professional experience. Plastic surgeons with 1 to 4 years of experience get $9,787 a year on average, and those with 5 to 9 years of experience are paid around $5,034 in bonuses. Surgeons with 10 to 19 years of experience get $19,518 a year, and those with 20 or more years of experience report average bonuses in the amount of $2,000 a year according to Payscale’s salary data.
Plastic surgeons also report significant annual earnings from profit sharing. Professionals with 1 to 4 years of experience are typically paid around $8,500 a year, those with 5 to 9 years of experience get $7,250 a year on average, and plastic surgeons with 10 to 19 years of experience get $44,000 a year on average in contributions from profit sharing.
Along with the basic salary, bonuses, and profit sharing, plastic surgeons can also earn commissions. Professionals with 1 to 4 years of experience report earning $34,000 a year on average in commissions.
Medscape’s 2013 Plastic Surgeon Compensation Report reveals that the highest percentage of plastic surgeons (19%) earn annual salaries in the range from $200,000 to $250,000. 11% of the professionals included in the survey earn $100,000 a year or less, while 3% report making $700,000 annually or more. On the lower end of the scale, 2% of plastic surgeons earn between $100,000 and $150,000 a year, and a further 2% report yearly earnings in the range from $150,000 and $200,000.
On the higher end of the scale, 5% of the plastic surgeons surveyed report earning between $650,000 and $700,000 a year, and 1% of them report their annual salaries to be in the range from $600,000 to $650,000. 5% of the surgeons earn between $500,000 and $600,000 a year, and 3% have salaries in the range from $450,000 to $500,000 a year. 12% of plastic surgeons make between $400,000 and $450,000 a year, and 8% make between $350,000 and $400,000 annually. 17% of plastic surgeons are paid between $300,000 and $400,000 annually, and 12% of these professionals report a yearly pay in the range between $250,000 and $300,000 according to Medscape’s salary report.
Benefits
Along with the annual salary, plastic surgeons usually get a variety of benefits, and their benefits packages can reflect their yearly income.
Plastic surgeons who get 401(k) plans typically make between $63,616 and $721,294 a year, those who get malpractice and liability insurance generally earn between $30,913 and $514,449 annually, and professionals who get life and disability insurance report a yearly pay in the range from $96,958 to $810,931 according to Payscale’s salary figures.
Plastic surgeons who get paid holidays and vacations generally earn between $98,633 and $506,837 a year, and those who get paid sick leave as part of their benefits package report yearly earnings in the range from $117,446 to $714,900. Professionals who have a company pension plan typically make between $65,436 and $411,223 annually, and those who get reimbursement for training, tuition, certification, or education are generally paid between $30,201 and $794,627 annually according to Payscale.
The most popular benefits among plastic surgeons are 401(k) plans, malpractice and liability insurance, paid vacations and holidays, life and disability insurance, and paid sick leave.
Salary by state
Plastic surgeons’ salaries can vary significantly from state to state. For example, professionals employed in California typically have salaries in the range from $97,353 to $473,436 a year, those working in New York generally make between $36,492 and $789,053, and surgeons based in Florida report annual salaries in the range from $25,342 to $887,693. Plastic surgeons based in Texas generally earn between $90,604 and $521,479 a year, and those working in Pennsylvania are typically paid between $165,932 and $356,078 a year according to Payscale’s salary information.
Salary by city
The average salary range for plastic surgeons can also varies from city to city. For instance, surgeons based in Beverly Hills typically make between $80,000 and $358,000 a year, and those working in the Los Angeles area report yearly income in the range from $118,359 to $709,572. Plastic surgeons based in San Francisco typically earn between $42,500 and $350,000 annually, while professionals working in New York generally make between $35,234 and $817,021 a year according to Payscale.
Hourly wage
Plastic surgeons who are employed at hospitals typically earn between $33 and $60 per hour according to the salary information provided by Payscale.
Other income factors
The number of professionals employed by the plastic surgeon’s organization is another factor that can affect this professional’s salary. For example, plastic surgeons who work for organizations that employ 1 to 9 professionals typically earn between $97,871 and $721,294 a year, while those working for organizations that employ 10 to 49 professionals report an annual pay in the range from $294,791 to $813,892 according to Payscale’s salary statistics.
A plastic surgeon’s salary can also depend on hospital setting. Professionals employed at general hospitals typically earn from $93,653 to $410,224 annually, while those working at physicians’ offices and private practices make between $43,359 and $721,294 annually. Plastic surgeons who work in ambulatory care or surgery centers report annual earnings in the range from $180,000 to $368,110 according to Payscale’s salary data.
In terms of industry, plastic surgeons working in the health care sector report salaries in the range from $90,000 to $700,000 a year, and those working at medical offices typically make between $94,333 and $384,564 annually. Professionals working at hospitals earn between $126,045 and $515,210 a year, and those working in the plastic surgery industry are generally paid between $42,500 and $492,605 a year according to Payscale.
Plastic surgeons’ salaries can also vary depending on employer type. Plastic surgeons working at hospitals make between $62,400 and $400,000 a year, and those employed by private practices and firms report earnings in the range from $95,943 to $797,325 a year. Professionals employed by companies are generally paid between $24,468 and $582,133 a year, while surgeons who are self-employed typically earn between $97,290 and $416,777 a year according to salary information from Payscale.