The average salary for a dentist in the United States is around $127,937 per year.
Avg Salary
Dentists earn an average yearly salary of $127,937.
Wages typically start from $62,176 and go up to $263,251.
127% above national average Updated in 2023
Dentist earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level dentist earnings begin at:
$126.56 per hour
$263,251 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level dentist earnings begin at:
$89.92 per hour
$187,037 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level dentist earnings begin at:
$61.51 per hour
$127,937 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level dentist earnings begin at:
$42.07 per hour
$87,512 per year
10th percentile
Starting level dentist earnings begin at:
$29.89 per hour
$62,176 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Dentist salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Puerto Rico | $47,640 |
| Delaware | $233,860 |
| New Hampshire | $225,140 |
| Rhode Island | $206,600 |
| Connecticut | $199,300 |
| Alaska | $198,950 |
| District of Columbia | $181,410 |
| Maine | $169,000 |
| Arkansas | $168,420 |
| North Carolina | $167,600 |
| Oregon | $167,530 |
| Washington | $167,030 |
| Hawaii | $166,800 |
| Wisconsin | $166,800 |
| Alabama | $166,640 |
| Ohio | $166,180 |
| Kansas | $165,550 |
| New Mexico | $164,660 |
| Massachusetts | $164,480 |
| California | $164,420 |
| Arizona | $164,060 |
| Michigan | $164,060 |
| Minnesota | $163,210 |
| Iowa | $163,140 |
| North Dakota | $162,910 |
| Missouri | $162,650 |
| Mississippi | $162,390 |
| Indiana | $161,790 |
| Maryland | $160,690 |
| Georgia | $158,300 |
| New York | $154,130 |
| Oklahoma | $154,070 |
| Virginia | $145,990 |
| Texas | $144,680 |
| New Jersey | $143,120 |
| Montana | $141,860 |
| Wyoming | $132,360 |
| Florida | $131,850 |
| Vermont | $131,770 |
| Nevada | $130,600 |
| Tennessee | $130,600 |
| Pennsylvania | $130,280 |
| Illinois | $129,580 |
| Nebraska | $128,190 |
| South Dakota | $128,190 |
| Colorado | $128,050 |
| Kentucky | $127,960 |
| West Virginia | $123,030 |
| Louisiana | $121,020 |
| Idaho | $109,580 |
| South Carolina | $105,420 |
| Utah | $102,200 |
How do dentist salaries compare to similar careers?
Dentists earn 9% less than similar careers in the United States. On average, they make less than orthodontists but more than optometrists.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Orthodontist salary | $244K |
| Prosthodontist salary | $234K |
| Nurse anesthetist salary | $213K |
| Podiatrist salary | $141K |
| Dentist salary | $128K |
| Nurse practitioner salary | $121K |
| Physician assistant salary | $111K |
| Pharmacist salary | $107K |
| Optometrist salary | $96K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)