Dentists, General Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for dentists, generals across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $191,350 ≈ $92/hr
National median salary $170,950
Total employment 124,390 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +4.1%
Faster than average
Annual openings 3,900 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 129,800 → 135,200 (+5,400)
Typical entry education Doctoral or professional degree
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- Missouri$241,580
- Oregon$240,170
- Maine$237,360
- Hawaii$227,370
- Massachusetts$223,200
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Idaho$139,320
- Utah$144,880
- Wyoming$146,240
- Mississippi$149,300
- Kentucky$157,630
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Missouri | $241,580 | $204,960 | $116 | +26.3% | 2,440 |
| 2 | Oregon | $240,170 | $211,690 | $115 | +25.5% | 1,660 |
| 3 | Maine | $237,360 | $209,200 | $114 | +24% | 310 |
| 4 | Hawaii | $227,370 | $167,820 | $109 | +18.8% | 830 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $223,200 | $181,600 | $107 | +16.6% | 2,780 |
| 6 | North Dakota | $222,340 | $220,660 | $107 | +16.2% | 260 |
| 7 | Alaska | $215,360 | $230,990 | $104 | +12.5% | 310 |
| 8 | Vermont | $214,130 | $204,960 | $103 | +11.9% | 240 |
| 9 | Georgia | $214,040 | $206,760 | $103 | +11.9% | 2,620 |
| 10 | Minnesota | $211,780 | $219,200 | $102 | +10.7% | 2,370 |
| 11 | Tennessee | $210,700 | $215,290 | $101 | +10.1% | 2,200 |
| 12 | North Carolina | $207,550 | $207,000 | $100 | +8.5% | 4,140 |
| 13 | Wisconsin | $203,600 | $193,690 | $98 | +6.4% | 2,560 |
| 14 | New York | $202,040 | $183,060 | $97 | +5.6% | 7,340 |
| 15 | West Virginia | $200,640 | $170,370 | $96 | +4.9% | 420 |
| 16 | New Hampshire | $200,420 | $177,480 | $96 | +4.7% | 500 |
| 17 | Iowa | $198,470 | $181,520 | $95 | +3.7% | 1,240 |
| 18 | New Jersey | $198,290 | $171,330 | $95 | +3.6% | 2,980 |
| 19 | Virginia | $197,820 | $197,110 | $95 | +3.4% | 4,140 |
| 20 | Florida | $195,930 | $174,900 | $94 | +2.4% | 9,320 |
| 21 | Washington | $195,810 | $169,730 | $94 | +2.3% | 3,240 |
| 22 | Indiana | $195,140 | $166,650 | $94 | +2% | 2,300 |
| 23 | Illinois | $193,050 | $156,110 | $93 | +0.9% | 6,940 |
| 24 | Michigan | $188,930 | $169,930 | $91 | -1.3% | 3,620 |
| 25 | Oklahoma | $188,280 | $166,170 | $91 | -1.6% | 980 |
| 26 | Nebraska | $186,420 | $179,750 | $90 | -2.6% | 790 |
| 27 | Maryland | $185,740 | $168,500 | $89 | -2.9% | 2,100 |
| 28 | New Mexico | $185,010 | $155,260 | $89 | -3.3% | 780 |
| 29 | Connecticut | $183,990 | $160,440 | $88 | -3.8% | 1,950 |
| 30 | South Carolina | $181,570 | $158,640 | $87 | -5.1% | 2,140 |
| 31 | Arizona | $181,040 | $194,180 | $87 | -5.4% | 3,470 |
| 32 | Ohio | $180,440 | $167,410 | $87 | -5.7% | 2,790 |
| 33 | Nevada | $178,460 | $162,200 | $86 | -6.7% | 1,100 |
| 34 | Texas | $178,360 | $162,360 | $86 | -6.8% | 8,920 |
| 35 | Louisiana | $176,540 | $170,750 | $85 | -7.7% | 1,500 |
| 36 | Arkansas | $174,280 | $178,930 | $84 | -8.9% | 1,210 |
| 37 | Pennsylvania | $172,710 | $163,390 | $83 | -9.7% | 4,460 |
| 38 | California | $170,690 | $165,950 | $82 | -10.8% | 16,770 |
| 39 | Montana | $168,460 | $167,200 | $81 | -12% | 380 |
| 40 | South Dakota | $164,030 | $158,140 | $79 | -14.3% | 390 |
| 41 | Rhode Island | $162,440 | $161,560 | $78 | -15.1% | 360 |
| 42 | Colorado | $160,810 | $166,240 | $77 | -16% | 2,940 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $157,630 | $134,160 | $76 | -17.6% | 790 |
| 44 | Mississippi | $149,300 | $143,660 | $72 | -22% | 740 |
| 45 | Wyoming | $146,240 | $123,830 | $70 | -23.6% | 240 |
| 46 | Utah | $144,880 | $133,320 | $70 | -24.3% | 1,020 |
| 47 | Idaho | $139,320 | $124,190 | $67 | -27.2% | 650 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 432 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sussex Delaware nonmetropolitan area | $319,140 | $281,080 | 50 |
| 2 | Coast Oregon nonmetropolitan area | $318,010 | $282,790 | 130 |
| 3 | Eastern Oregon nonmetropolitan area | $273,050 | $244,330 | 50 |
| 4 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $241,850 | $234,080 | 450 |
| 5 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $238,040 | $208,090 | 280 |
| 6 | Alaska nonmetropolitan area | $237,560 | $238,580 | 100 |
| 7 | Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $230,720 | $247,130 | 240 |
| 8 | Columbia, SC | $228,820 | $236,230 | 480 |
| 9 | Anchorage, AK | $228,030 | $200,870 | 180 |
| 10 | Evansville, IN | $225,620 | $231,540 | 70 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing dentists, generals (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Offices of Other Health Practitioners | $209,480 | $196,980 | 30 |
| 2 | Offices of All Other Health Practitioners | $209,480 | $194,340 | 30 |
| 3 | Miscellaneous Manufacturing | $208,220 | $199,370 | 90 |
| 4 | Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing | $208,220 | $199,370 | 90 |
| 5 | Sectors 31, 32, and 33 - Manufacturing | $208,220 | $199,370 | 90 |
| 6 | Other Ambulatory Health Care Services | $200,010 | $211,440 | 190 |
| 7 | All Other Ambulatory Health Care Services | $200,010 | $211,440 | 190 |
| 8 | Home Health Care Services | $197,880 | $190,980 | 50 |
| 9 | Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $196,060 | $194,870 | 590 |
| 10 | Outpatient Care Centers | $194,220 | $198,880 | 3,640 |
| 11 | Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $193,760 | $209,800 | 1,330 |
| 12 | Sector 99 - Federal, State, and Local Government, excl. State & Local Schools & Hospitals & USPS | $193,760 | $209,800 | 1,330 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do dentists, general make in the U.S.?
The median dentists, general salary in the United States is $170,950 per year (mean $191,350), and about 80% earn between $86,250 and $319,630.
How much do dentists, general make per hour?
Roughly $92 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $191,350 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays dentists, general the most?
Missouri has the highest average pay for dentists, general at $241,580 per year (median $204,960).
What is the job outlook for dentists, general?
Employment is projected to change +4.1% from 2024 to 2034 (Faster than average), with about 3,900 openings per year.
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Common U.S. search queries related to this occupation.
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