Salary · SOC 29-1021

Dentist salary and hourly pay

BLS data for May 2025: median, mean, and percentile pay, per year and per hour, for every state and the largest metro areas.

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, released May 15, 2026. Publisher page

Quick answer

The median pay for dentists, general in the US was $170,950 a year, or $82.19 an hour, in May 2025 (BLS). The middle 80% earned $86,250 to $319,630. About 124,390 were employed.

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Dentist pay in the US

Dentist wages, United States, May 2025
MeasureAnnualHourly
Median (50th percentile)$170,950$82.19
Mean (average)$191,350$91.99
10th percentile$86,250$41.47
25th percentile$125,710$60.44
75th percentile$224,040$107.71
90th percentile$319,630$153.67

Employment: 124,390.

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Publisher page

Dentist salary by state

Alaska: $230,990AKMaine: $209,200MEWisconsin: $193,690WIVermont: $204,960VTNew Hampshire: $177,480NHWashington: $169,730WAIdaho: $124,190IDMontana: $167,200MTNorth Dakota: $220,660NDMinnesota: $219,200MNIllinois: $156,110ILMichigan: $169,930MINew York: $183,060NYMassachusetts: $181,600MAOregon: $211,690ORNevada: $162,200NVWyoming: $123,830WYSouth Dakota: $158,140SDIowa: $181,520IAIndiana: $166,650INOhio: $167,410OHPennsylvania: $163,390PANew Jersey: $171,330NJConnecticut: $160,440CTRhode Island: $161,560RICalifornia: $165,950CAUtah: $133,320UTColorado: $166,240CONebraska: $179,750NEMissouri: $204,960MOKentucky: $134,160KYWest Virginia: $170,370WVVirginia: $197,110VAMaryland: $168,500MDDE: not publishedDEArizona: $194,180AZNew Mexico: $155,260NMKS: not publishedKSArkansas: $178,930ARTennessee: $215,290TNNorth Carolina: $207,000NCSouth Carolina: $158,640SCDC: not publishedDCOklahoma: $166,170OKLouisiana: $170,750LAMississippi: $143,660MSAL: not publishedALGeorgia: $206,760GAHawaii: $167,820HITexas: $162,360TXFlorida: $174,900FL
Median annual dentist wage by state, May 2025. $123,830 to $160,440$160,440 to $167,200$167,200 to $177,480$177,480 to $204,960$204,960 to $230,990Not publishedEach square is one state, shaded in five equal-count groups.
Dentist median wage by state, highest first
StateMedian annualMedian hourlyEmployed
Alaska$230,990$111.05310
North Dakota$220,660$106.09260
Minnesota$219,200$105.392,370
Tennessee$215,290$103.512,200
Oregon$211,690$101.771,660
Maine$209,200$100.58310
North Carolina$207,000$99.524,140
Georgia$206,760$99.412,620
Missouri$204,960$98.542,440
Vermont$204,960$98.54240
Virginia$197,110$94.764,140
Arizona$194,180$93.363,470
Wisconsin$193,690$93.122,560
New York$183,060$88.017,340
Massachusetts$181,600$87.312,780
Iowa$181,520$87.271,240
Nebraska$179,750$86.42790
Arkansas$178,930$86.021,210
New Hampshire$177,480$85.33500
Florida$174,900$84.099,320
New Jersey$171,330$82.372,980
Louisiana$170,750$82.091,500
West Virginia$170,370$81.91420
Michigan$169,930$81.703,620
Washington$169,730$81.603,240
Maryland$168,500$81.012,100
Hawaii$167,820$80.68830
Ohio$167,410$80.492,790
Montana$167,200$80.39380
Indiana$166,650$80.122,300
Colorado$166,240$79.922,940
Oklahoma$166,170$79.89980
California$165,950$79.7916,770
Pennsylvania$163,390$78.564,460
Texas$162,360$78.068,920
Nevada$162,200$77.981,100
Rhode Island$161,560$77.67360
Connecticut$160,440$77.131,950
South Carolina$158,640$76.272,140
South Dakota$158,140$76.03390
Illinois$156,110$75.066,940
New Mexico$155,260$74.64780
Mississippi$143,660$69.07740
Kentucky$134,160$64.50790
Utah$133,320$64.101,020
Idaho$124,190$59.71650
Wyoming$123,830$59.53240

Download the state table (CSV)

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Publisher page

Dentist salary in the largest metro areas

Dentist median wage in the metro areas with the most employment
Metro areaMedian annualMedian hourlyEmployed
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$190,010$91.357,240
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$139,990$67.306,300
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN$156,100$75.055,910
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL$172,210$82.803,270
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV$184,540$88.723,040
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX$179,990$86.532,890
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ$194,180$93.362,700
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD$163,390$78.562,570
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$202,060$97.142,090
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO$168,620$81.071,980
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$181,150$87.091,920
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$161,270$77.541,920
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI$219,980$105.761,760
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA$222,690$107.061,710
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$158,160$76.041,710
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI$167,860$80.701,700
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX$98,570$47.391,660
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$125,230$60.211,560
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL$212,300$102.071,320
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL$159,270$76.571,290

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Publisher page

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Dentist salary in the US
Median pay: $170,950 a year ($82.19 an hour)
Middle 80% earn $86,250 to $319,630 a year
Employed: 124,390
BLS OEWS, May 2025. Source: Rivvi

Questions

How much does a Dentist make per hour in the US?

The median hourly wage was $82.19 in May 2025, per BLS. The 10th percentile was $41.47 and the 90th was $153.67.

What is the average Dentist salary in the US?

BLS reports a mean (average) of $191,350 a year and a median of $170,950 for May 2025. The median is the middle wage; the mean is pulled up by the highest earners.

Which state pays dentists, general the most?

Alaska has the highest median, $230,990 a year, and Wyoming the lowest, $123,830 (BLS, May 2025, states with a published median).

Where do these numbers come from?

The BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates, SOC 29-1021. Figures BLS did not publish are left out.

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