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Cosmetic surgeon education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a cosmetic surgeon. Cosmetic surgeons usually study medicine, medical assisting services, or health care administration. 29% of cosmetic surgeons hold a doctoral degree, and 23% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 57 real cosmetic surgeon resumes to see exactly what cosmetic surgeon education sections show.
The most common colleges for cosmetic surgeons are the Baker College and the Baker College.
There are also many online cosmetic surgeon courses to help get the education required to be a cosmetic surgeon.
What education do you need to become a cosmetic surgeon?
What degree do you need to be a cosmetic surgeon?
- Doctorate, 29%
- Associate, 23%
- Diploma, 13%
- High School Diploma, 10%
- Other Degrees, 25%
What should I major in to become a cosmetic surgeon?
- Medicine, 19%
- Other Majors, 41%
Most common colleges for cosmetic surgeons
| Cosmetic surgeon common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Baker College | 9.09% |
| New York Institute of Technology | 9.09% |
| Tulane University | 9.09% |
| Hunter College of the City University of New York | 9.09% |
| Case Western Reserve University | 9.09% |
Best majors for cosmetic surgeons
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Medicine | 19.4% |
| 2 | Medical Assisting Services | 16.7% |
| 3 | Health Care Administration | 16.7% |
| 4 | General Education, Specific Areas | 5.6% |
| 5 | Marketing | 5.6% |
Best colleges for cosmetic surgeons
The best colleges for cosmetic surgeons are Duke University, Northwestern University, and Columbia University in the City of New York.
A cosmetic surgeon with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for cosmetic surgeons. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become cosmetic surgeons.
1. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
2. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
3. University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA • Private
In-state tuition
$17,653
Enrollment
16,405
4. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
5. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
6. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
7. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
8. Howard University
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$26,756
Enrollment
6,166
9. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
10. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
In-state tuition
$53,430
Enrollment
5,963
20 best online courses for cosmetic surgeons
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Top 10 most affordable universities for cosmetic surgeons
The most affordable schools for cosmetic surgeons are Hunter College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and california state university - long beach.
If the best universities for cosmetic surgeons are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for cosmetic surgeons.
1. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
2. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
3. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
4. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
5. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
6. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
7. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
8. Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$4,831
Cost of attendance
19,559
9. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
10. University of Central Florida
Orlando, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,368
Cost of attendance
21,034
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for cosmetic surgeons
The hardest universities for cosmetic surgeons to get into are Duke University, Northwestern University, and Columbia University in the City of New York.
Some great schools for cosmetic surgeons are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for cosmetic surgeons based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
3. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
4. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
5. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
6. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,517
7. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
8. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
9. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
10. University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA • Private
Admissions rate
26%
SAT average
1,427
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for cosmetic surgeons
The easiest schools for cosmetic surgeons to get into are AdventHealth University, d'youville college, and university of the incarnate word.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a cosmetic surgeon without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for cosmetic surgeons.
1. AdventHealth University
Orlando, FL • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,016
2. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
3. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
4. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
5. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
6. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
7. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
8. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
9. Life University
Marietta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
94%
SAT average
979
10. Presentation College
Aberdeen, SD • Private
Admissions rate
97%
SAT average
1,050
Average cosmetic surgeon salary by education level
| Cosmetic surgeon education level | Cosmetic surgeon salary |
|---|---|
| Doctorate Degree | $448,204 |
Cosmetic surgeon education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common healthcare practitioner and technical questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025