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Reconstructive surgeon education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a reconstructive surgeon. Reconstructive surgeons usually study nursing, business, or medicine. 31% of reconstructive surgeons hold a bachelor's degree, and 14% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 70 real reconstructive surgeon resumes to see exactly what reconstructive surgeon education sections show.

The most common colleges for reconstructive surgeons are the Weber State University and the Weber State University.

There are also many online reconstructive surgeon courses to help get the education required to be a reconstructive surgeon.

There are certain reconstructive surgeon certifications that you should consider. These reconstructive surgeon certifications include Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery and Certification in Plastic Surgery.

What education do you need to become a reconstructive surgeon?

What degree do you need to be a reconstructive surgeon?

The most common degree for reconstructive surgeons is bachelor's degree, with 31% of reconstructive surgeons earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 14% and master's degree degree at 14%.
  • Bachelor's, 31%
  • Master's, 14%
  • Associate, 14%
  • Doctorate, 14%
  • Other Degrees, 27%

What should I major in to become a reconstructive surgeon?

You should major in nursing to become a reconstructive surgeon. 13% of reconstructive surgeons major in nursing. Other common majors for a reconstructive surgeon include business and medicine.

Most common colleges for reconstructive surgeons

Reconstructive surgeons often get their degrees at Weber State University, Northeast Ohio Medical University, and Florida International University. Here are the most common colleges for reconstructive surgeons in the US based on their resumes.
Reconstructive surgeon common collegePercentages
Weber State University5.00%
Northeast Ohio Medical University5.00%
Florida International University5.00%
University of California, Santa Barbara5.00%
George Washington University, The5.00%

Best majors for reconstructive surgeons

RankMajorPercentages
1Nursing13.2%
2Business10.5%
3Medicine10.5%
4Biology7.9%
5Medical Technician7.9%

Best colleges for reconstructive surgeons

The best colleges for reconstructive surgeons are Duke University, University of Pennsylvania, and Johns Hopkins University.

A reconstructive 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 reconstructive 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 reconstructive surgeons.

1. Case Western Reserve University

Cleveland, OH • Private

In-state tuition

$49,042

Enrollment

5,131

2. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

3. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$18,454

Enrollment

40,108

4. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

5. Yale University

New Haven, CT • Private

In-state tuition

$53,430

Enrollment

5,963

6. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$15,262

Enrollment

30,079

7. Georgetown University

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$54,104

Enrollment

7,089

8. University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$13,226

Enrollment

31,568

9. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$8,987

Enrollment

18,946

10. University of Virginia

Charlottesville, VA • Private

In-state tuition

$17,653

Enrollment

16,405

20 best online courses for reconstructive surgeons

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Top 10 most affordable universities for reconstructive surgeons

The most affordable schools for reconstructive surgeons are University of Florida, florida international university, and suny farmingdale.

If the best universities for reconstructive 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 reconstructive surgeons.

1. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

2. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

3. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

4. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

5. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

6. Florida Atlantic University

Boca Raton, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$4,831

Cost of attendance

19,559

7. University of Central Florida

Orlando, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,368

Cost of attendance

21,034

8. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

9. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$8,987

Cost of attendance

25,527

10. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Cost of attendance

13,998

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for reconstructive surgeons

The hardest universities for reconstructive surgeons to get into are Duke University, University of Pennsylvania, and Johns Hopkins University.

Some great schools for reconstructive 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 reconstructive 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. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

3. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

4. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

5. Yale University

New Haven, CT • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,517

6. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,512

7. Case Western Reserve University

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,443

8. Georgetown University

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,456

9. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

10. Emory University

Atlanta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,449

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for reconstructive surgeons

The easiest schools for reconstructive surgeons to get into are AdventHealth University, nyack college, and d'youville college.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a reconstructive 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 reconstructive surgeons.

1. AdventHealth University

Orlando, FL • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,016

2. Nyack College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

999

3. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

4. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

5. La Roche College

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

99%

SAT average

1,008

6. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

7. Saint Joseph's College of Maine

Standish, ME • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,069

8. Aultman College of Nursing and Health Sciences

Canton, OH • Private

Admissions rate

75%

SAT average

1,085

9. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

10. Saint Martin's University

Lacey, WA • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,111

Average reconstructive surgeon salary by education level

Reconstructive surgeon education levelReconstructive surgeon salary
Doctorate Degree$333,788

Reconstructive surgeon education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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