Dentist Salary: How Much Do Dentists Make?
Median pay, percentiles and employment for dentists, general — nationally, in all 50 states, and by metro.
Short answer: the median dentist salary in the United States is $170,950 a year ($82.19 an hour). The middle of the market runs $125,710 to $224,040, and the 10th to 90th percentile spans $86,250 to $319,630. Location matters more than most people expect: the median is $230,990 in Alaska and $123,830 in Wyoming — a $107,160 gap for the same job. About 124,390 people work as dentists nationally.
Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Public-domain federal data, surveyed from employers.
Dentist salary by state
Annual wages for Dentists, General (BLS occupation code 29-1021). Percentiles show the spread within each state.
| State | 10th percentile | Median | 90th percentile | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $124,200 | $230,990 | $320,440 | 310 |
| Arizona | $62,230 | $194,180 | $336,320 | 3,470 |
| Arkansas | $99,010 | $178,930 | $223,010 | 1,210 |
| California | $74,510 | $165,950 | $272,730 | 16,770 |
| Colorado | $84,590 | $166,240 | $229,070 | 2,940 |
| Connecticut | $89,430 | $160,440 | $362,870 | 1,950 |
| Delaware | not released | not released | not released | 390 |
| District of Columbia | not released | not released | not released | 340 |
| Florida | $98,680 | $174,900 | $314,860 | 9,320 |
| Georgia | $93,590 | $206,760 | $373,420 | 2,620 |
| Hawaii | $83,310 | $167,820 | $416,000 | 830 |
| Idaho | $91,070 | $124,190 | $203,610 | 650 |
| Illinois | $123,920 | $156,110 | $291,530 | 6,940 |
| Indiana | $81,370 | $166,650 | $327,980 | 2,300 |
| Iowa | $100,920 | $181,520 | $259,990 | 1,240 |
| Kentucky | $44,820 | $134,160 | $344,040 | 790 |
| Louisiana | $80,530 | $170,750 | $309,360 | 1,500 |
| Maine | $152,740 | $209,200 | $385,460 | 310 |
| Maryland | $107,880 | $168,500 | $254,820 | 2,100 |
| Massachusetts | $101,470 | $181,600 | $417,670 | 2,780 |
| Michigan | $109,960 | $169,930 | $303,980 | 3,620 |
| Minnesota | $132,930 | $219,200 | $226,940 | 2,370 |
| Mississippi | $59,700 | $143,660 | $240,450 | 740 |
| Missouri | $95,610 | $204,960 | $427,970 | 2,440 |
| Montana | $63,710 | $167,200 | $230,580 | 380 |
| Nebraska | $68,040 | $179,750 | $265,940 | 790 |
| Nevada | $99,600 | $162,200 | $262,350 | 1,100 |
| New Hampshire | $99,780 | $177,480 | $341,950 | 500 |
| New Jersey | $77,920 | $171,330 | $349,780 | 2,980 |
| New Mexico | $101,180 | $155,260 | $306,320 | 780 |
| New York | $75,410 | $183,060 | $375,740 | 7,340 |
| North Carolina | $107,810 | $207,000 | $337,630 | 4,140 |
| North Dakota | $138,570 | $220,660 | $308,040 | 260 |
| Ohio | $64,910 | $167,410 | $316,970 | 2,790 |
| Oklahoma | $97,290 | $166,170 | $346,890 | 980 |
| Oregon | $143,990 | $211,690 | $353,310 | 1,660 |
| Pennsylvania | $65,520 | $163,390 | $316,950 | 4,460 |
| Rhode Island | $103,490 | $161,560 | $240,650 | 360 |
| South Carolina | $96,920 | $158,640 | $310,840 | 2,140 |
| South Dakota | $94,560 | $158,140 | $250,780 | 390 |
| Tennessee | $84,360 | $215,290 | $311,900 | 2,200 |
| Texas | $83,990 | $162,360 | $308,220 | 8,920 |
| Utah | $84,020 | $133,320 | $222,820 | 1,020 |
| Vermont | $112,490 | $204,960 | $326,360 | 240 |
| Virginia | $105,400 | $197,110 | $321,250 | 4,140 |
| Washington | $85,240 | $169,730 | $346,840 | 3,240 |
| West Virginia | $96,270 | $170,370 | $362,930 | 420 |
| Wisconsin | $121,780 | $193,690 | $306,370 | 2,560 |
| Wyoming | $71,150 | $123,830 | $235,090 | 240 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. “Not released” means BLS suppressed the estimate, usually because the state sample was too small — this page shows that rather than guessing. Suppressed in: Delaware, District of Columbia.
Highest-paying metro areas for dentists
| Metro area | Median | 90th percentile |
|---|---|---|
| North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $241,850 | $313,210 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $238,040 | $276,050 |
| Columbia, SC | $228,820 | $310,840 |
| Anchorage, AK | $228,030 | $320,440 |
| Evansville, IN | $225,620 | $366,420 |
| Bend, OR | $224,990 | $340,430 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $222,690 | $373,420 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $222,430 | $351,700 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | $221,190 | $388,110 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $219,980 | $227,640 |
Top 10 of the 393 metro areas BLS publishes. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average dentist salary?
The median dentist salary in the United States is $170,950 a year as of May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Half of dentists earn more than that and half earn less. The 10th percentile is $86,250 and the 90th percentile is $319,630.
Which state pays dentists the most?
Alaska, with a median of $230,990. The lowest of the states BLS publishes is Wyoming at $123,830, a gap of $107,160. Higher-paying states also tend to have higher housing costs, so compare take-home pay and rent rather than the headline figure alone.
How much do dentists make an hour?
The median hourly wage is $82.19 as of May 2025.
Is this data self-reported?
No. These figures come from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, which collects wage data from employers rather than from workers submitting their own salaries. It is public-domain federal data.