Medical Esthetician Salary vs Non-Medical Salary

Medical estheticians are licensed skin care specialists that treat the skin to approve the appearance and health of the skin. This type of esthetician normally works in a medical office with patients that have facial or other types of skin injuries.

Medical esthetics school teaches students to treat skin disorders, work with cancer patients or burn patients. Students will also learn to administer medical peels, photo light facials, professional extractions and exfoliation.

Medical Esthetician Salary

According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average medical esthetician’s annual salary is $32,040. The highest paid medical esthetician makes an average annual salary of $52,340. Students may increase their salary through a variety of means.

Salaries range by the location in the nation. Students may be paid more in locations that are more densely populated and more potential clients. They may also be paid more in areas where the entertainment industry is located. These people have more plastic surgery and thus, have a larger need for medical estheticians. On average, medical estheticians in California earn upwards of $56,680. Washington State earns the second highest esthetics salary and Minnesota follows closely behind.

New York and Los Angeles are heavily populated cities. Estheticians in this area are paid higher esthetician salaries than other regions of the country. The esthetician salaries range from $29,946 to $100,000. In Los Angeles, the salary ranges from $35,493 to $78,000, according to a 2009 Payscale.com salary range.

Medical estheticians often receive a benefits package that enters into the total compensation package. They also receive paid time off and medical benefits. Self-employed estheticians and those that work in the salon industry may not receive these types of benefits.

In 2009, many estheticians also received bonuses. These bonuses vary depending on the medical facility and the size of the facility. In 2009, the average esthetician bonus will be between one and four years at $593. The average bonus for someone with five to nine years of experience was $965, according to a study conducted by Payscale.com.

Jobs for people trained to be medical estheticians are growing. These jobs are expected to grow by 34% over a time period from 2006 to 2016. More people are recognizing that beauty is essential to well being and therefore, many people are requesting these services. Medical estheticians that receive jobs with plastic surgeons often make more money. Plastic surgery has remained fairly stable throughout the recession.

Non-medical estheticians are typically paid less on average and do not have the benefits that medical estheticians typically have. Students that desire a higher salary with benefits and a potential for bonuses should consider medical esthetician as a profession over non-medical estheticians.