A dermatologist is a medical doctor who has completed about 12 years of schooling and training.
An esthetician is a licensed professional who is not a doctor.
The median annual pay for a dermatologist is $471,555, which is more than fifteen times the salary of the average esthetician.
A dermatologist is qualified to diagnose and treat major diseases of the skin such as cancer, whereas an esthetician would simply refer patients to a dermatologist in the case of issues that appear to be concerning.