Dentists, General salary in the U.S.
Dentists, General in the U.S. earn a median of $170,950 a year ($82.19 an hour), based on BLS data for 124,390 workers.
Pay ranges from $86,250 for the lowest-paid 10% to $319,630 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $191,350, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for dentists, general in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $86,250 | $41.47 |
| 25th percentile | $125,710 | $60.44 |
| Median | $170,950 | $82.19 |
| 75th percentile | $224,040 | $107.71 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $319,630 | $153.67 |
| Average (mean) | $191,350 | $91.99 |
Half of dentists, general earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $14,245.83 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $7,122.92 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $6,575 |
| Weekly | $3,287.50 |
| Hourly | $82.19 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Dentists, General salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $230,990 | 310 |
| North Dakota | $220,660 | 260 |
| Minnesota | $219,200 | 2,370 |
| Tennessee | $215,290 | 2,200 |
| Oregon | $211,690 | 1,660 |
| Maine | $209,200 | 310 |
| North Carolina | $207,000 | 4,140 |
| Georgia | $206,760 | 2,620 |
| Missouri | $204,960 | 2,440 |
| Vermont | $204,960 | 240 |
| Virginia | $197,110 | 4,140 |
| Arizona | $194,180 | 3,470 |
| Wisconsin | $193,690 | 2,560 |
| New York | $183,060 | 7,340 |
| Massachusetts | $181,600 | 2,780 |
| Iowa | $181,520 | 1,240 |
| Nebraska | $179,750 | 790 |
| Arkansas | $178,930 | 1,210 |
| New Hampshire | $177,480 | 500 |
| Florida | $174,900 | 9,320 |
| New Jersey | $171,330 | 2,980 |
| Louisiana | $170,750 | 1,500 |
| West Virginia | $170,370 | 420 |
| Michigan | $169,930 | 3,620 |
| Washington | $169,730 | 3,240 |
| Maryland | $168,500 | 2,100 |
| Hawaii | $167,820 | 830 |
| Ohio | $167,410 | 2,790 |
| Montana | $167,200 | 380 |
| Indiana | $166,650 | 2,300 |
| Colorado | $166,240 | 2,940 |
| Oklahoma | $166,170 | 980 |
| California | $165,950 | 16,770 |
| Pennsylvania | $163,390 | 4,460 |
| Texas | $162,360 | 8,920 |
| Nevada | $162,200 | 1,100 |
| Rhode Island | $161,560 | 360 |
| Connecticut | $160,440 | 1,950 |
| South Carolina | $158,640 | 2,140 |
| South Dakota | $158,140 | 390 |
| Illinois | $156,110 | 6,940 |
| New Mexico | $155,260 | 780 |
| Mississippi | $143,660 | 740 |
| Kentucky | $134,160 | 790 |
| Utah | $133,320 | 1,020 |
| Idaho | $124,190 | 650 |
| Wyoming | $123,830 | 240 |
| Puerto Rico | $107,560 | 150 |
Best-paying metro areas for dentists, general
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $241,850 | 450 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $238,040 | 280 |
| Columbia, SC | $228,820 | 480 |
| Anchorage, AK | $228,030 | 180 |
| Evansville, IN | $225,620 | 70 |
| Bend, OR | $224,990 | 120 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $222,690 | 1,710 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $222,430 | 60 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | $221,190 | 150 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $219,980 | 1,760 |
| Richmond, VA | $218,880 | 650 |
| El Centro, CA | $217,830 | 40 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $216,750 | 170 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $215,290 | 1,170 |
| Visalia, CA | $214,950 | 170 |
Metro areas with the most dentists, general
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 7,240 | $190,010 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 6,300 | $139,990 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 5,910 | $156,100 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 3,270 | $172,210 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 3,040 | $184,540 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 2,890 | $179,990 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 2,700 | $194,180 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 2,570 | $163,390 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 2,090 | $202,060 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 1,980 | $168,620 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 1,920 | $181,150 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 1,920 | $161,270 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 1,760 | $219,980 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 1,710 | $222,690 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 1,710 | $158,160 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | $97,550 | $46.90 |
| Physicians, All Other | $265,930 | $127.85 |
| Nurse Practitioner | $132,300 | $63.61 |
| Pharmacist | $140,910 | $67.75 |
| Physical Therapist | $102,760 | $49.40 |
| Dental Hygienist | $98,100 | $47.16 |
| Speech-Language Pathologist | $97,870 | $47.05 |
| Occupational Therapist | $100,330 | $48.24 |
| Physician Assistant | $135,880 | $65.33 |
| Respiratory Therapist | $82,280 | $39.56 |
| Family Medicine Physician | $244,180 | $117.39 |
| Veterinarian | $130,100 | $62.55 |
| Dietitians and Nutritionists | $76,400 | $36.73 |
| General Internal Medicine Physician | $256,560 | $123.35 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 29-1021. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a dentists, general make in the U.S.?
The median salary for dentists, general in the U.S. is $170,950 a year, or $82.19 an hour. Pay ranges from $86,250 for the lowest-paid 10% to $319,630 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid dentists, general make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of dentists, general in the U.S. earn at least $319,630 a year. The top 25% earn $224,040 or more.
What is the starting pay for dentists, general in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $86,250 a year, and a quarter of dentists, general earn $125,710 or less.
How many dentists, general work in the U.S.?
About 124,390 dentists, general are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.