Surgical oncologist vs plastic surgeon

The differences between surgical oncologists and plastic surgeons can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a surgical oncologist and a plastic surgeon. Additionally, a surgical oncologist has an average salary of $284,293, which is higher than the $172,467 average annual salary of a plastic surgeon.

The top three skills for a surgical oncologist include GI, general surgeons and chemotherapy. The most important skills for a plastic surgeon are patients, patient care, and hand surgery.

Surgical oncologist vs plastic surgeon overview

	Surgical Oncologist	Plastic Surgeon
Yearly salary	$284,293	$172,467
Hourly rate	$136.68	$82.92
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	24,568	3,906
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 50%	Bachelor's Degree, 34%
Average age	49	49
Years of experience	6	6

Surgical oncologist vs plastic surgeon salary

Surgical oncologists and plastic surgeons have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Surgical Oncologist	Plastic Surgeon
Average salary	$284,293	$172,467
Salary range	Between $146,000 And $552,000	Between $87,000 And $339,000
Highest paying City	Coon Rapids, MN	Rockville Centre, NY
Highest paying state	Alaska	Maine
Best paying company	Allina Health	MaineGeneral Health
Best paying industry	-	Professional

Differences between surgical oncologist and plastic surgeon education

There are a few differences between a surgical oncologist and a plastic surgeon in terms of educational background:

	Surgical Oncologist	Plastic Surgeon
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 50%	Bachelor's Degree, 34%
Most common major	Medical Technician	Nursing
Most common college	Duke University	Case Western Reserve University

Surgical oncologist vs plastic surgeon demographics

Here are the differences between surgical oncologists' and plastic surgeons' demographics:

	Surgical Oncologist	Plastic Surgeon
Average age	49	49
Gender ratio	Male, 52.9% Female, 47.1%	Male, 23.6% Female, 76.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 1.8% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 5.0% Asian, 12.7% White, 76.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%	Black or African American, 1.8% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 5.0% Asian, 12.7% White, 76.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
LGBT Percentage	12%	12%

Differences between surgical oncologist and plastic surgeon duties and responsibilities

Surgical oncologist example responsibilities.

Initiate preventative measures, recognize emergent problems and care for patients requiring long term pain management.
Research and update billing policies as changes are make by CMS.

Plastic surgeon example responsibilities.

Manage insurance authorization and hospital bookings for surgery.
Develop x-rays, foot and ankle therapies, including hydrotherapy, ultrasound and hot wax.
Assist with surgery scheduling, casting/removing, & casting for orthotics.
Check patient in/out, collect co-payments/deductibles that apply for orthotics, enter charges/post payments.
Perform administrative tasks regarding origination paperwork for patients, preoperative paperwork, medical clearance, financing and payment.
Complete knowledge of military and DOD protocols pertaining to network and computer systems.

Surgical oncologist vs plastic surgeon skills

Common surgical oncologist skills

GI, 77%
General Surgeons, 16%
Chemotherapy, 7%

Common plastic surgeon skills

Patients, 55%
Patient Care, 9%
Hand Surgery, 6%
Private Practice, 6%
Medical Procedures, 5%
Surgical Procedures, 4%

Surgical Oncologist vs. similar jobs

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Surgical Oncologist
Surgical Oncologist vs Plastic Surgeon

Updated January 8, 2025

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