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Salary comparison

Dermatologists vs. Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses: Who Earns More?

Dermatologistss out-earn Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess by $264K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Dermatologistss land at $328,730 and Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess at $64,400. The education gap is real: dermatologist programs typically require doctoral or professional degree, while licensed practical and licensed vocational nurse programs require postsecondary nondegree award. Top-paying state for Dermatologistss is Minnesota ($625,790); for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess it's Washington ($83,150).

Dermatologists
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
Median salary
$328,730
$64,400
Hourly rate
$158.04/hr
$30.96/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$102,810
$49,740
Senior level (90th %)
$578,560
$83,440
Education required
Doctoral or professional degree
Postsecondary nondegree award
U.S. employment
11,370
648,410
Job growth (10-year)
N/A
N/A
Category
Healthcare
Healthcare
Top-paying state
Minnesota
Washington

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Dermatologists median pay.

State
Dermatologists
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
Washington
$526,170
$83,150
New Hampshire
$516,230
$77,110
Maryland
$442,210
$74,660
Delaware
$442,120
$68,710
Wisconsin
$440,710
$63,760
Illinois
$435,750
$75,000
Nevada
$419,410
$76,160
Michigan
$414,910
$65,460
Colorado
$398,810
$73,880
New York
$374,010
$67,180
Idaho
$281,920
$63,800
Virginia
$280,060
$64,920
Arizona
$233,270
$77,070
Indiana
$225,200
$65,720
Connecticut
$165,040
$73,690

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Dermatologistss or Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess?

Dermatologistss earn more nationally. The median is $328,730 for Dermatologistss versus $64,400 for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess, a difference of $264K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Dermatologists or Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses?

BLS Employment Projections data is not available for one or both occupations. Check the individual career pages for current outlook figures.

Which requires more education, Dermatologists or Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses?

Dermatologists typically requires doctoral or professional degree. Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses requires postsecondary nondegree award. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Dermatologistss get paid the most?

Minnesota is the top-paying state for Dermatologistss at $625,790/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Dermatologists vs. Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In Washington, Dermatologistss earn $526,170 vs. $83,150 for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Dermatologists salary breakdownView →Full Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses salary breakdownView →Best cities for Dermatologistss by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess by take-home payExplore →How to become a dermatologistsGuide →How to become a licensed practical and licensed vocational nursesGuide →