29 Series · SOC 29-1021
Dentists, General Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $170,950
- Median / year
- -1.1%
- 2024→2025
- $319,630
- Top 10% earn
- +4.1%
- Growth '24–'34
- 124,390
- Estimated US jobs
Dentists, General earn a median of $170,950 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $170,950, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $86,250 (10th percentile) to $319,630 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 124,390 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is Alaska ($230,990).
The pay verdict
Dentists, General earn a median of $170,950, putting them among the better-paid US occupations and higher than 96% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Healthcare Practitioners and Technical, it ranks #23 of 71 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 4.1% by 2034.
- $170,950
- Median annual wage
- Top 4%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #23 of 71
- in Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- 3.7×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Alaska at $230,990. Typical entry-level education: Doctoral or professional degree.
Observed pay change
What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025
- The published national median for Dentists, General moved from $155,600 in May 2019 to $170,950 in May 2025 (+9.9%).
- Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
- Dentists, General sits -14.6 pp behind that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.
Dentists, General (SOC 29-1021) has a national median of $170,950 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $86,250 to $319,630, and the published mean is $191,350. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 124,390 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 48 state or territory areas and 426 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $172,790 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $170,950 in May 2025, a fall of $1,840 (-1.1%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +4.1% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as about as fast as average relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 3,900 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns Doctoral or professional degree as typical education needed for entry. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Alaska pays the highest state median at $230,990, which is +35% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL at $241,850. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.
Median Salary
$170,950
per year
Median Hourly
$82.19/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$191,350
average
Employment
124,390
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Dentists, General pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$170,950 Top 4% higher than 96% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
| Band | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|
| $0–$20,000 | 0 US occupations | 0% |
| $20,000–$40,000 | 98 US occupations | 12% |
| $40,000–$60,000 | 298 US occupations | 36% |
| $60,000–$80,000 | 209 US occupations | 25% |
| $80,000–$100,000 | 82 US occupations | 10% |
| $100,000–$120,000 | 58 US occupations | 7% |
| $120,000–$140,000 | 32 US occupations | 4% |
| $140,000–$160,000 | 14 US occupations | 2% |
| $160,000–$180,000 (this entry) | 9 US occupations | 1% |
| $180,000 and above | 25 US occupations | 3% |
$170,950 · 96th percentile of 825 US occupations
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 29-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Dentists, General; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Read the chart as text
- Registered Nurses: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.9%, Median annual wage $97550
- Licensed Practical a…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.6%, Median annual wage $64400
- Pharmacy Technicians: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.4%, Median annual wage $45750
- Physicians, All Other: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.5%, Median annual wage $265930
- Clinical Laboratory …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.7%, Median annual wage $62930
- Nurse Practitioners: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 40.1%, Median annual wage $132300
- Pharmacists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.6%, Median annual wage $140910
- Physical Therapists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 10.9%, Median annual wage $102760
- Radiologic Technolog…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.3%, Median annual wage $80110
- Dental Hygienists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 7%, Median annual wage $98100
- Medical Records Spec…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 7.1%, Median annual wage $51140
- Speech-Language Path…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 15%, Median annual wage $97870
- Health Technologists…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.2%, Median annual wage $50290
- Emergency Medical Te…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.1%, Median annual wage $44470
- Occupational Therapi…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 13.8%, Median annual wage $100330
- Physician Assistants: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 20.4%, Median annual wage $135880
- Psychiatric Technici…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 20%, Median annual wage $45130
- Respiratory Therapists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 12.1%, Median annual wage $82280
- Veterinary Technolog…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 9.1%, Median annual wage $47380
- Dentists, General: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.1%, Median annual wage $170950
- Surgical Technologists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.5%, Median annual wage $64650
- Family Medicine Phys…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.7%, Median annual wage $244180
- Paramedics: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5%, Median annual wage $60600
- Diagnostic Medical S…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 13%, Median annual wage $96590
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+4.1%
About as fast as average
Annual Openings
3,900
per year (projected)
Employment Change
+5,400
129,800 (2024) → 135,200 (2034)
Typical Education
Doctoral or professional degree
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations context
Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade
Fatality Rate
0.7/100K
Injury Rate
1.5/100
Danger Index
6.4/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Dentists, General roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Use masks, gloves, and safety glasses to protect patients and self from infectious diseases.
- ▸ Examine teeth, gums, and related tissues, using dental instruments, x-rays, or other diagnostic equipment, to evaluate dental health, diagnose diseases or abnormalities, and plan appropriate treatments.
- ▸ Administer anesthetics to limit the amount of pain experienced by patients during procedures.
- ▸ Use dental air turbines, hand instruments, dental appliances, or surgical implements.
- ▸ Formulate plan of treatment for patient's teeth and mouth tissue.
- ▸ Diagnose and treat diseases, injuries, or malformations of teeth, gums, or related oral structures and provide preventive or corrective services.
- ▸ Write prescriptions for antibiotics or other medications.
- ▸ Advise or instruct patients regarding preventive dental care, the causes and treatment of dental problems, or oral health care services.
- ▸ Design, make, or fit prosthodontic appliances, such as space maintainers, bridges, or dentures, or write fabrication instructions or prescriptions for denturists or dental technicians.
- ▸ Fill pulp chamber and canal with endodontic materials.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
Dentists, General pay history, 2015–2025
Published national median across 11 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.
Read the chart as text
| Period | National median |
|---|---|
| 2015 | $152,700 |
| 2016 | $153,900 |
| 2017 | $151,440 |
| 2018 | $151,850 |
| 2019 | $155,600 |
| 2020 | $158,940 |
| 2021 | $160,370 |
| 2022 | $155,040 |
| 2023 | $166,300 |
| 2024 | $172,790 |
| 2025 | $170,950 |
2015 median
$152,700
2025 median
$170,950
2019–2025 change (same SOC)
+$15,350 (+9.9%)
Avg/year (same SOC)
+1.6%
| Release | Median | Change | Estimated jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2015 | $152,700 | First banked release | 100,080 |
| May 2016 | $153,900 | +0.8% | 105,620 |
| May 2017 | $151,440 | -1.6% | 110,400 |
| May 2018 | $151,850 | +0.3% | 113,000 |
| May 2019 | $155,600 | Classification break | 110,730 |
| May 2020 | $158,940 | +2.1% | 95,920 |
| May 2021 | $160,370 | +0.9% | 108,680 |
| May 2022 | $155,040 | -3.3% | 120,740 |
| May 2023 | $166,300 | +7.3% | 121,640 |
| May 2024 | $172,790 | +3.9% | 113,490 |
| May 2025 | $170,950 | -1.1% | 124,390 |
Across the 11 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $152,700 in May 2015 to $170,950 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +1.6% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 110,730 in May 2019 to 124,390 in May 2025.
Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in. This span also crosses a classification change: releases before May 2019 use the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification and later releases use the 2018 SOC, so figures either side of that boundary are not strictly like-for-like. Headline change rates on this page use only the same-classification subset.
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
Lowest Paying States
View all 48 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $230,990 | +35% above national |
| 2 | North Dakota | $220,660 | +29% above national |
| 3 | Minnesota | $219,200 | +28% above national |
| 4 | Tennessee | $215,290 | +26% above national |
| 5 | Oregon | $211,690 | +24% above national |
| 6 | Maine | $209,200 | +22% above national |
| 7 | North Carolina | $207,000 | +21% above national |
| 8 | Georgia | $206,760 | +21% above national |
| 9 | Missouri | $204,960 | +20% above national |
| 10 | Vermont | $204,960 | +20% above national |
| 11 | Virginia | $197,110 | +15% above national |
| 12 | Arizona | $194,180 | +14% above national |
| 13 | Wisconsin | $193,690 | +13% above national |
| 14 | New York | $183,060 | +7% above national |
| 15 | Massachusetts | $181,600 | +6% above national |
| 16 | Iowa | $181,520 | +6% above national |
| 17 | Nebraska | $179,750 | +5% above national |
| 18 | Arkansas | $178,930 | +5% above national |
| 19 | New Hampshire | $177,480 | +4% above national |
| 20 | Florida | $174,900 | +2% above national |
| 21 | New Jersey | $171,330 | same as national |
| 22 | Louisiana | $170,750 | same as national |
| 23 | West Virginia | $170,370 | same as national |
| 24 | Michigan | $169,930 | 1% below national |
| 25 | Washington | $169,730 | 1% below national |
| 26 | Maryland | $168,500 | 1% below national |
| 27 | Hawaii | $167,820 | 2% below national |
| 28 | Ohio | $167,410 | 2% below national |
| 29 | Montana | $167,200 | 2% below national |
| 30 | Indiana | $166,650 | 3% below national |
| 31 | Colorado | $166,240 | 3% below national |
| 32 | Oklahoma | $166,170 | 3% below national |
| 33 | California | $165,950 | 3% below national |
| 34 | Pennsylvania | $163,390 | 4% below national |
| 35 | Texas | $162,360 | 5% below national |
| 36 | Nevada | $162,200 | 5% below national |
| 37 | Rhode Island | $161,560 | 5% below national |
| 38 | Connecticut | $160,440 | 6% below national |
| 39 | South Carolina | $158,640 | 7% below national |
| 40 | South Dakota | $158,140 | 7% below national |
| 41 | Illinois | $156,110 | 9% below national |
| 42 | New Mexico | $155,260 | 9% below national |
| 43 | Mississippi | $143,660 | 16% below national |
| 44 | Kentucky | $134,160 | 22% below national |
| 45 | Utah | $133,320 | 22% below national |
| 46 | Idaho | $124,190 | 27% below national |
| 47 | Wyoming | $123,830 | 28% below national |
| 48 | Puerto Rico | $107,560 | 37% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 316 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $241,850 | +41% above national |
| 2 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $238,040 | +39% above national |
| 3 | Columbia, SC | $228,820 | +34% above national |
| 4 | Anchorage, AK | $228,030 | +33% above national |
| 5 | Evansville, IN | $225,620 | +32% above national |
| 6 | Bend, OR | $224,990 | +32% above national |
| 7 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $222,690 | +30% above national |
| 8 | Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $222,430 | +30% above national |
| 9 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $221,190 | +29% above national |
| 10 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $219,980 | +29% above national |
| 11 | Richmond, VA | $218,880 | +28% above national |
| 12 | El Centro, CA | $217,830 | +27% above national |
| 13 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $216,750 | +27% above national |
| 14 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $215,290 | +26% above national |
| 15 | Visalia, CA | $214,950 | +26% above national |
| 16 | Rockford, IL | $214,670 | +26% above national |
| 17 | Springfield, MO | $214,100 | +25% above national |
| 18 | Corvallis, OR | $214,060 | +25% above national |
| 19 | Grants Pass, OR | $213,240 | +25% above national |
| 20 | Canton-Massillon, OH | $212,640 | +24% above national |
| 21 | Salem, OR | $212,310 | +24% above national |
| 22 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $212,300 | +24% above national |
| 23 | Eugene-Springfield, OR | $212,240 | +24% above national |
| 24 | Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $212,000 | +24% above national |
| 25 | Rochester, MN | $211,190 | +24% above national |
| 26 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $210,940 | +23% above national |
| 27 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $210,430 | +23% above national |
| 28 | Gainesville, GA | $210,400 | +23% above national |
| 29 | Eau Claire, WI | $209,750 | +23% above national |
| 30 | Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | $209,550 | +23% above national |
| 31 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $209,440 | +23% above national |
| 32 | Springfield, IL | $209,430 | +23% above national |
| 33 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $209,300 | +22% above national |
| 34 | Jefferson City, MO | $208,630 | +22% above national |
| 35 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $208,490 | +22% above national |
| 36 | Janesville-Beloit, WI | $208,000 | +22% above national |
| 37 | St. Cloud, MN | $208,000 | +22% above national |
| 38 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $207,910 | +22% above national |
| 39 | Columbia, MO | $207,450 | +21% above national |
| 40 | St. Joseph, MO-KS | $207,450 | +21% above national |
| 41 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $207,380 | +21% above national |
| 42 | Kenosha, WI | $207,140 | +21% above national |
| 43 | Mobile, AL | $207,010 | +21% above national |
| 44 | Las Cruces, NM | $207,000 | +21% above national |
| 45 | Mankato, MN | $207,000 | +21% above national |
| 46 | Morgantown, WV | $207,000 | +21% above national |
| 47 | Appleton, WI | $206,650 | +21% above national |
| 48 | Medford, OR | $206,260 | +21% above national |
| 49 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $206,100 | +21% above national |
| 50 | Toledo, OH | $205,920 | +20% above national |
| 51 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $205,790 | +20% above national |
| 52 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $205,300 | +20% above national |
| 53 | Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | $205,000 | +20% above national |
| 54 | Longview-Kelso, WA | $204,950 | +20% above national |
| 55 | Bangor, ME | $204,780 | +20% above national |
| 56 | Williamsport, PA | $204,660 | +20% above national |
| 57 | Lincoln, NE | $204,530 | +20% above national |
| 58 | Albany, OR | $204,310 | +20% above national |
| 59 | Ocala, FL | $203,980 | +19% above national |
| 60 | Billings, MT | $203,330 | +19% above national |
| 61 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $203,250 | +19% above national |
| 62 | Macon-Bibb County, GA | $203,070 | +19% above national |
| 63 | Dalton, GA | $202,690 | +19% above national |
| 64 | Asheville, NC | $202,630 | +19% above national |
| 65 | Wausau, WI | $202,250 | +18% above national |
| 66 | Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | $202,240 | +18% above national |
| 67 | Worcester, MA | $202,110 | +18% above national |
| 68 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $202,060 | +18% above national |
| 69 | Joplin, MO-KS | $201,820 | +18% above national |
| 70 | La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $201,810 | +18% above national |
| 71 | Warner Robins, GA | $201,730 | +18% above national |
| 72 | Barnstable Town, MA | $200,470 | +17% above national |
| 73 | Duluth, MN-WI | $200,210 | +17% above national |
| 74 | Yakima, WA | $200,130 | +17% above national |
| 75 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $199,990 | +17% above national |
| 76 | Green Bay, WI | $199,520 | +17% above national |
| 77 | Iowa City, IA | $199,410 | +17% above national |
| 78 | Beckley, WV | $199,360 | +17% above national |
| 79 | Fargo, ND-MN | $198,570 | +16% above national |
| 80 | Springfield, MA | $198,250 | +16% above national |
| 81 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $198,050 | +16% above national |
| 82 | Oklahoma City, OK | $196,740 | +15% above national |
| 83 | Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ | $196,490 | +15% above national |
| 84 | Fayetteville, NC | $196,470 | +15% above national |
| 85 | Columbus, GA-AL | $196,310 | +15% above national |
| 86 | Farmington, NM | $195,760 | +15% above national |
| 87 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $195,480 | +14% above national |
| 88 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $194,180 | +14% above national |
| 89 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $193,780 | +13% above national |
| 90 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $193,760 | +13% above national |
| 91 | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $193,320 | +13% above national |
| 92 | Goldsboro, NC | $193,210 | +13% above national |
| 93 | Syracuse, NY | $191,830 | +12% above national |
| 94 | Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $191,280 | +12% above national |
| 95 | Muncie, IN | $190,750 | +12% above national |
| 96 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $190,010 | +11% above national |
| 97 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $189,220 | +11% above national |
| 98 | Jacksonville, NC | $188,850 | +10% above national |
| 99 | Fresno, CA | $188,510 | +10% above national |
| 100 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $188,190 | +10% above national |
| 101 | Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | $187,770 | +10% above national |
| 102 | Omaha, NE-IA | $187,400 | +10% above national |
| 103 | Sheboygan, WI | $186,300 | +9% above national |
| 104 | Wilmington, NC | $185,720 | +9% above national |
| 105 | Baton Rouge, LA | $185,430 | +8% above national |
| 106 | Salinas, CA | $185,040 | +8% above national |
| 107 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $184,540 | +8% above national |
| 108 | Gainesville, FL | $184,220 | +8% above national |
| 109 | Fort Wayne, IN | $183,590 | +7% above national |
| 110 | Vallejo, CA | $183,000 | +7% above national |
| 111 | Johnson City, TN | $182,660 | +7% above national |
| 112 | Tucson, AZ | $182,200 | +7% above national |
| 113 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $181,990 | +6% above national |
| 114 | Jackson, MI | $181,800 | +6% above national |
| 115 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $181,150 | +6% above national |
| 116 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $181,140 | +6% above national |
| 117 | Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA | $181,080 | +6% above national |
| 118 | Corpus Christi, TX | $180,630 | +6% above national |
| 119 | Boulder, CO | $180,440 | +6% above national |
| 120 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $180,440 | +6% above national |
| 121 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $180,210 | +5% above national |
| 122 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $179,990 | +5% above national |
| 123 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $179,940 | +5% above national |
| 124 | Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $178,970 | +5% above national |
| 125 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $178,260 | +4% above national |
| 126 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $178,150 | +4% above national |
| 127 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $177,970 | +4% above national |
| 128 | Flint, MI | $177,720 | +4% above national |
| 129 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $177,400 | +4% above national |
| 130 | Albany, GA | $176,760 | +3% above national |
| 131 | Madison, WI | $176,460 | +3% above national |
| 132 | Binghamton, NY | $176,190 | +3% above national |
| 133 | Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $175,950 | +3% above national |
| 134 | Yuba City, CA | $175,850 | +3% above national |
| 135 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $175,420 | +3% above national |
| 136 | Greenville, NC | $174,990 | +2% above national |
| 137 | Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL | $174,910 | +2% above national |
| 138 | Ann Arbor, MI | $174,870 | +2% above national |
| 139 | Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $174,370 | +2% above national |
| 140 | Kokomo, IN | $174,240 | +2% above national |
| 141 | Champaign-Urbana, IL | $174,010 | +2% above national |
| 142 | Pittsfield, MA | $173,990 | +2% above national |
| 143 | Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $173,810 | +2% above national |
| 144 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $173,160 | +1% above national |
| 145 | South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $173,140 | +1% above national |
| 146 | Cheyenne, WY | $173,080 | +1% above national |
| 147 | Missoula, MT | $172,690 | +1% above national |
| 148 | Pueblo, CO | $172,680 | +1% above national |
| 149 | Springfield, OH | $172,680 | +1% above national |
| 150 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $172,310 | +1% above national |
| 151 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $172,250 | +1% above national |
| 152 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $172,210 | +1% above national |
| 153 | Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL | $172,180 | +1% above national |
| 154 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $172,120 | +1% above national |
| 155 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $172,110 | +1% above national |
| 156 | Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | $171,990 | +1% above national |
| 157 | Lafayette, LA | $171,860 | +1% above national |
| 158 | Traverse City, MI | $171,740 | same as national |
| 159 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $171,690 | same as national |
| 160 | Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $171,320 | same as national |
| 161 | Punta Gorda, FL | $171,220 | same as national |
| 162 | Lexington Park, MD | $170,960 | same as national |
| 163 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $170,940 | same as national |
| 164 | Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $170,760 | same as national |
| 165 | Flagstaff, AZ | $170,690 | same as national |
| 166 | Longview, TX | $170,660 | same as national |
| 167 | San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $170,630 | same as national |
| 168 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $170,500 | same as national |
| 169 | Merced, CA | $170,200 | same as national |
| 170 | Wildwood-The Villages, FL | $170,180 | same as national |
| 171 | Redding, CA | $170,060 | 1% below national |
| 172 | Jonesboro, AR | $169,850 | 1% below national |
| 173 | Vineland, NJ | $169,280 | 1% below national |
| 174 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $169,160 | 1% below national |
| 175 | Utica-Rome, NY | $169,070 | 1% below national |
| 176 | Youngstown-Warren, OH | $168,820 | 1% below national |
| 177 | Peoria, IL | $168,780 | 1% below national |
| 178 | Winston-Salem, NC | $168,700 | 1% below national |
| 179 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $168,620 | 1% below national |
| 180 | Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | $168,450 | 1% below national |
| 181 | State College, PA | $168,340 | 2% below national |
| 182 | Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $168,210 | 2% below national |
| 183 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $168,170 | 2% below national |
| 184 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $168,150 | 2% below national |
| 185 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $168,090 | 2% below national |
| 186 | Bellingham, WA | $168,030 | 2% below national |
| 187 | Elkhart-Goshen, IN | $168,030 | 2% below national |
| 188 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $167,860 | 2% below national |
| 189 | Midland, MI | $167,770 | 2% below national |
| 190 | Rochester, NY | $167,480 | 2% below national |
| 191 | Lynchburg, VA | $167,440 | 2% below national |
| 192 | Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | $167,160 | 2% below national |
| 193 | Modesto, CA | $167,050 | 2% below national |
| 194 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $166,880 | 2% below national |
| 195 | Tallahassee, FL | $166,800 | 2% below national |
| 196 | Athens-Clarke County, GA | $166,440 | 3% below national |
| 197 | Burlington, NC | $166,330 | 3% below national |
| 198 | Columbus, OH | $166,180 | 3% below national |
| 199 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $166,120 | 3% below national |
| 200 | Niles, MI | $165,950 | 3% below national |
| 201 | Saginaw, MI | $165,410 | 3% below national |
| 202 | Jacksonville, FL | $165,350 | 3% below national |
| 203 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $165,300 | 3% below national |
| 204 | Tulsa, OK | $165,280 | 3% below national |
| 205 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $165,060 | 3% below national |
| 206 | Reno, NV | $165,030 | 3% below national |
| 207 | Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | $164,990 | 3% below national |
| 208 | Yuma, AZ | $164,680 | 4% below national |
| 209 | Topeka, KS | $164,670 | 4% below national |
| 210 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $164,610 | 4% below national |
| 211 | Clarksville, TN-KY | $163,980 | 4% below national |
| 212 | Mansfield, OH | $163,980 | 4% below national |
| 213 | Ames, IA | $163,950 | 4% below national |
| 214 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $163,910 | 4% below national |
| 215 | Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | $163,700 | 4% below national |
| 216 | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $163,600 | 4% below national |
| 217 | Chico, CA | $163,520 | 4% below national |
| 218 | Homosassa Springs, FL | $163,520 | 4% below national |
| 219 | Akron, OH | $163,480 | 4% below national |
| 220 | Bloomington, IN | $163,400 | 4% below national |
| 221 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $163,390 | 4% below national |
| 222 | Great Falls, MT | $162,810 | 5% below national |
| 223 | Glens Falls, NY | $162,780 | 5% below national |
| 224 | Kingston, NY | $162,780 | 5% below national |
| 225 | Charlottesville, VA | $162,400 | 5% below national |
| 226 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $162,200 | 5% below national |
| 227 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $162,140 | 5% below national |
| 228 | Monroe, LA | $161,930 | 5% below national |
| 229 | Hot Springs, AR | $161,820 | 5% below national |
| 230 | Rocky Mount, NC | $161,810 | 5% below national |
| 231 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $161,270 | 6% below national |
| 232 | Grand Junction, CO | $161,200 | 6% below national |
| 233 | Dubuque, IA | $161,140 | 6% below national |
| 234 | Bloomington, IL | $160,750 | 6% below national |
| 235 | Chambersburg, PA | $160,720 | 6% below national |
| 236 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $160,620 | 6% below national |
| 237 | Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $159,620 | 7% below national |
| 238 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $159,270 | 7% below national |
| 239 | Harrisonburg, VA | $159,220 | 7% below national |
| 240 | Colorado Springs, CO | $158,830 | 7% below national |
| 241 | Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA | $158,820 | 7% below national |
| 242 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $158,160 | 7% below national |
| 243 | Rapid City, SD | $158,140 | 7% below national |
| 244 | Knoxville, TN | $157,900 | 8% below national |
| 245 | Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $157,770 | 8% below national |
| 246 | Terre Haute, IN | $156,210 | 9% below national |
| 247 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $156,100 | 9% below national |
| 248 | Abilene, TX | $156,040 | 9% below national |
| 249 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $155,940 | 9% below national |
| 250 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $155,750 | 9% below national |
| 251 | Ogden, UT | $155,250 | 9% below national |
| 252 | Pittsburgh, PA | $155,250 | 9% below national |
| 253 | Amarillo, TX | $154,960 | 9% below national |
| 254 | Santa Fe, NM | $154,960 | 9% below national |
| 255 | Greeley, CO | $154,940 | 9% below national |
| 256 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $154,850 | 9% below national |
| 257 | Cleveland, OH | $154,800 | 9% below national |
| 258 | College Station-Bryan, TX | $154,340 | 10% below national |
| 259 | Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | $153,870 | 10% below national |
| 260 | Odessa, TX | $153,860 | 10% below national |
| 261 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $153,510 | 10% below national |
| 262 | Charleston, WV | $152,980 | 11% below national |
| 263 | Reading, PA | $151,850 | 11% below national |
| 264 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $151,420 | 11% below national |
| 265 | El Paso, TX | $150,940 | 12% below national |
| 266 | York-Hanover, PA | $150,290 | 12% below national |
| 267 | Jackson, MS | $149,990 | 12% below national |
| 268 | Laredo, TX | $149,820 | 12% below national |
| 269 | Coeur d'Alene, ID | $149,700 | 12% below national |
| 270 | Wichita Falls, TX | $148,800 | 13% below national |
| 271 | Battle Creek, MI | $148,460 | 13% below national |
| 272 | Killeen-Temple, TX | $147,360 | 14% below national |
| 273 | Waco, TX | $145,630 | 15% below national |
| 274 | Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $145,030 | 15% below national |
| 275 | Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC | $144,640 | 15% below national |
| 276 | Lancaster, PA | $141,960 | 17% below national |
| 277 | Albuquerque, NM | $141,580 | 17% below national |
| 278 | Spartanburg, SC | $140,360 | 18% below national |
| 279 | Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | $140,330 | 18% below national |
| 280 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $139,990 | 18% below national |
| 281 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $139,940 | 18% below national |
| 282 | Erie, PA | $137,530 | 20% below national |
| 283 | Kankakee, IL | $137,390 | 20% below national |
| 284 | Florence, SC | $137,260 | 20% below national |
| 285 | Salisbury, MD | $136,010 | 20% below national |
| 286 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $135,390 | 21% below national |
| 287 | Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $134,550 | 21% below national |
| 288 | Twin Falls, ID | $134,550 | 21% below national |
| 289 | Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | $134,420 | 21% below national |
| 290 | McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $134,160 | 22% below national |
| 291 | Logan, UT-ID | $132,700 | 22% below national |
| 292 | Hattiesburg, MS | $132,390 | 23% below national |
| 293 | St. George, UT | $131,700 | 23% below national |
| 294 | Naples-Marco Island, FL | $130,560 | 24% below national |
| 295 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $130,510 | 24% below national |
| 296 | Victoria, TX | $129,430 | 24% below national |
| 297 | New Haven, CT | $129,380 | 24% below national |
| 298 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $129,250 | 24% below national |
| 299 | Casper, WY | $129,030 | 25% below national |
| 300 | Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA | $128,140 | 25% below national |
| 301 | Johnstown, PA | $127,110 | 26% below national |
| 302 | Idaho Falls, ID | $126,020 | 26% below national |
| 303 | Tyler, TX | $125,990 | 26% below national |
| 304 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $125,330 | 27% below national |
| 305 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $125,230 | 27% below national |
| 306 | Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $123,460 | 28% below national |
| 307 | Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI | $123,240 | 28% below national |
| 308 | Cleveland, TN | $122,910 | 28% below national |
| 309 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $121,090 | 29% below national |
| 310 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $120,160 | 30% below national |
| 311 | Boise City, ID | $119,550 | 30% below national |
| 312 | Altoona, PA | $117,110 | 31% below national |
| 313 | Pocatello, ID | $115,870 | 32% below national |
| 314 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $114,990 | 33% below national |
| 315 | Lake Charles, LA | $114,470 | 33% below national |
| 316 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $98,570 | 42% below national |
Same SOC major group
Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 29 (Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.
Acupuncturists
SOC 29-1291
Anesthesiologists
SOC 29-1211
Athletic Trainers
SOC 29-9091
Audiologists
SOC 29-1181
Cardiologists
SOC 29-1212
Showing 5 of 70 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.
Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale
Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($170,950 here) and reported employment (124,390 jobs here).
Similar median pay
Nearest other detailed occupations by BLS OEWS national median annual wage.
Similar employment scale
Nearest headcount peers (floor 1,000 national jobs), distinct from the pay column.
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with this data
How to use Dentists, General pay figures in a real decision
- The 75th-percentile wage is about $224,040/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Alaska leads at $230,990/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.