SOC 29-1021 · May 2025
Dentist Salary
Dentists in the US earn a median of $170,950 a year ($91.99 an hour on average), according to the BLS May 2025 wage survey. Average Dentist pay climbed from $178,260 in 2019 to $191,350 in 2025, a +7.3% change in 6 years.
Median annual
$170,950
Half of all Dentists in the United States earn more than this figure, half earn less. From the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release.
Wage trend
+7.3% since 2019 · -2.4% YoY
Hourly
$91.99
Job growth 2025-35
+5.7%
US workers
124,390
BLS series
Annual median wage for Dentists, General in All Industries in the United States
Salary range
From entry to top decile
The 10th-to-90th percentile spread for Dentists is $86,250 – $319,630.
Percentile distribution
USD · annual
10th
$86,250
25th
$125,710
Median
$170,950
75th
$224,040
90th
$319,630
Percentile bands
Where your pay would sit
Percentile bands
Annual wages at each point of the BLS distribution for Dentists. Where you sit depends on experience, employer, location and credentials.
| Percentile | What it means | Annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | 10% earn less. Common for new entrants | $86,250 |
| 25th percentile | A quarter earn less | $125,710 |
| Median | Half earn more, half earn less | $170,950 |
| 75th percentile | A quarter earn more | $224,040 |
| 90th percentile | 10% earn more. Often senior or specialist staff | $319,630 |
Geography
Dentist pay by state
Dentists earn the most in Alaska ($230,990, +35% against the national median) and the least in Wyoming ($123,830). BLS publishes a May 2025 estimate for this occupation in 47 of 51 states and D.C.
National median
$170,950
Highest-paying states for dentists
| State | Annual median | vs national | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $230,990 | +35% | 310 |
| North Dakota | $220,660 | +29% | 260 |
| Minnesota | $219,200 | +28% | 2,370 |
| Tennessee | $215,290 | +26% | 2,200 |
| Oregon | $211,690 | +24% | 1,660 |
| Maine | $209,200 | +22% | 310 |
| North Carolina | $207,000 | +21% | 4,140 |
| Georgia | $206,760 | +21% | 2,620 |
| Vermont | $204,960 | +20% | 240 |
| Missouri | $204,960 | +20% | 2,440 |
All 47 states, highest to lowest
| State | Annual median | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $230,990 | 310 |
| North Dakota | $220,660 | 260 |
| Minnesota | $219,200 | 2,370 |
| Tennessee | $215,290 | 2,200 |
| Oregon | $211,690 | 1,660 |
| Maine | $209,200 | 310 |
| North Carolina | $207,000 | 4,140 |
| Georgia | $206,760 | 2,620 |
| Vermont | $204,960 | 240 |
| Missouri | $204,960 | 2,440 |
| Virginia | $197,110 | 4,140 |
| Arizona | $194,180 | 3,470 |
| Wisconsin | $193,690 | 2,560 |
| New York | $183,060 | 7,340 |
| Massachusetts | $181,600 | 2,780 |
| Iowa | $181,520 | 1,240 |
| Nebraska | $179,750 | 790 |
| Arkansas | $178,930 | 1,210 |
| New Hampshire | $177,480 | 500 |
| Florida | $174,900 | 9,320 |
| New Jersey | $171,330 | 2,980 |
| Louisiana | $170,750 | 1,500 |
| West Virginia | $170,370 | 420 |
| Michigan | $169,930 | 3,620 |
| Washington | $169,730 | 3,240 |
| Maryland | $168,500 | 2,100 |
| Hawaii | $167,820 | 830 |
| Ohio | $167,410 | 2,790 |
| Montana | $167,200 | 380 |
| Indiana | $166,650 | 2,300 |
| Colorado | $166,240 | 2,940 |
| Oklahoma | $166,170 | 980 |
| California | $165,950 | 16,770 |
| Pennsylvania | $163,390 | 4,460 |
| Texas | $162,360 | 8,920 |
| Nevada | $162,200 | 1,100 |
| Rhode Island | $161,560 | 360 |
| Connecticut | $160,440 | 1,950 |
| South Carolina | $158,640 | 2,140 |
| South Dakota | $158,140 | 390 |
| Illinois | $156,110 | 6,940 |
| New Mexico | $155,260 | 780 |
| Mississippi | $143,660 | 740 |
| Kentucky | $134,160 | 790 |
| Utah | $133,320 | 1,020 |
| Idaho | $124,190 | 650 |
| Wyoming | $123,830 | 240 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, state estimates, May 2025, all industries.
What affects this salary
Pay drivers for Dentists
Dentists, general (BLS SOC 29-1021) examine, diagnose, and treat diseases, injuries, and malformations of the teeth, gums, and supporting structures. The role requires a doctoral degree (DDS or DMD) and state licensure. Practice ownership substantially affects total earnings; OEWS figures reflect employed-dentist wages but understate the income of practice owners and partners. Specialty dentistry (orthodontics, oral surgery, endodontics) is reported under separate SOCs and pays substantially above general dentistry.
The 10th-to-90th percentile spread is $86,250 – $319,630. That gap reflects experience, certification, employer type, geographic cost of living, and shift differentials where applicable.
Geography matters. The best-paying states for this role are Alaska, North Dakota and Minnesota. Pay in Alaska runs 1.9 times the level in Wyoming, before any adjustment for cost of living.
Getting in. BLS lists the typical entry-level education as doctoral or professional degree, and projects about 4,200 openings a year over 2025-35. Employment is projected to grow 5.7% over the same period, against 3.5% for all occupations.
Frequently asked
Questions readers ask
Frequently asked
What is the average Dentist salary in the US?
How much does a Dentist make an hour?
How much do Dentists make at the low and high end?
Which state pays Dentists the most?
Is the average Dentist salary higher than the median?
Is Dentist a growing career?
Open positions
Open Dentist roles hiring now
Browse current Dentist listings on Indeed and ZipRecruiter, filtered to your role.
Source & methodology
Wage and employment figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, May 2025 release. Standard Occupational Classification: 29-1021. Figures represent the national median, mean, and percentile distribution across all employers and industries. Hourly equivalents assume a 2,080-hour work year. Job growth, annual openings and typical education are from the BLS Employment Projections program, 2025-35; see the Occupational Outlook Handbook entry. Read our methodology for details on how the data is sourced, transformed, and refreshed.