Average Dentists, All Other Specialists Salary in the United States
The national median salary for Dentists, All Other Specialists is $224,990 per year. The middle 50% earn between $166,130 and $280,590, with 5,230 workers employed nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates . Data covers 23 states and 26 metro areas.
Pay distribution
Here is how Dentists, All Other Specialists pay is distributed across workers nationally. The 10th percentile typically reflects entry-level or early-career pay, the median is the midpoint, and the 90th percentile represents the top earners in the field.
- 10th
- $104,120
- 25th
- $166,130
- Median
- $224,990
- 75th
- $280,590
- 90th
- $402,700
All values are percentiles of annual wages.
Dentists, All Other Specialists are among the highest-paid occupations tracked by BLS, well into the top decile of US wages.
Pay varies significantly across workers. Seniority, employer size, and specialization all move the needle, so it is normal for two dentists, all other specialists at different points in their careers to earn very different salaries.
Job outlook
BLS projects employment for dentists, all other specialists from 2024 to 2034. Growth is below the US average of roughly 4% across all occupations. The field is relatively stable but not expanding quickly.
- Projected growth
- +0.3%
- 0 net jobs over the projection period.
- Annual openings
- 200
- Includes growth plus replacements for workers who leave.
- Typical entry education
- Doctoral or professional degree
- On-the-job training
- Internship/residency
Entry into this field typically requires a doctoral or professional degree, which helps explain the high wage level and relatively narrow candidate pool.
Where Dentists, All Other Specialists earn the most
Location matters a lot. The gap between top-paying and bottom-paying states is large, so where dentists, all other specialists work can reshape their total compensation. Right now, the top-paying state is Texas at $286,510, about 27.3% above the national median. At the metro level, Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL leads with a median of $469,750.
Top-paying states
| State | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | $286,510 | 730 |
| Oregon | $256,510 | N/A |
| Illinois | $250,880 | 230 |
| South Carolina | $246,770 | 70 |
| Arizona | $244,170 | 190 |
| West Virginia | $235,370 | 40 |
| Arkansas | $232,730 | 40 |
| California | $230,730 | 340 |
Top-paying metros
| Metro area | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $469,750 | N/A |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $402,600 | N/A |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $389,520 | N/A |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $281,940 | N/A |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $279,820 | 30 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $269,160 | 150 |
| Tucson, AZ | $254,650 | 40 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $249,600 | N/A |
Compare two locations side by side
Pick two states or metros to see dentists, all other specialists pay in each, along with a cost-of-living adjusted view.
Salary trend and related occupations
Between 2019 and 2025, the national median salary for Dentists, All Other Specialists rose from $147,220 to $224,990, a gain of +52.8% in nominal dollars.
Over the same period, US consumer prices rose by +25.9%. Just to keep pace with inflation, the 2019 median of $147,220 would need to be worth $185,391 in 2025 dollars.
The actual 2025 median of $224,990 is $39,599 above that inflation-adjusted benchmark, a real change of +21.4% in purchasing power.
Real wages have grown strongly, 21.4% above inflation. Workers in this field have meaningfully gained purchasing power.
- Nominal change
- +52.8%
- 2019–2025
- Cumulative inflation
- +25.9%
- US CPI, 2019–2025
- Real change
- +21.4%
- After adjusting for inflation
Median salary over time
Dentists, All Other Specialists median pay by year, going back through the available BLS releases.
- 2025
- $224,990
- 2024
- $225,770
- 2023
- $227,690
- 2022
- $212,740
- 2021
- $175,160
- 2020
- $183,300
- 2019
- $147,220
BLS did not publish a median for 2000–2018, so those years are omitted.
Related occupations
Other occupations in the same field, with median pay for comparison.
- Dentists, General
- $170,950
- Orthodontists
- $289,140
- Podiatrists
- $160,300
- Pharmacists
- $140,910
- Prosthodontists
- $311,180
- Optometrists
- $136,570
- Physician Assistants
- $135,880
- Oral And Maxillofacial Surgeons
- $352,220
Common salary questions for Dentists, All Other Specialists
What does the median salary mean? +
The median is the midpoint of all wages. Half of Dentists, All Other Specialists workers earn more and half earn less. It is a better measure of typical pay than the average, which can be skewed by very high or very low earners.
Why does pay vary so much by location? +
Local labor markets, cost of living, industry concentration, and employer competition all affect wages. High-cost metros like San Francisco and New York often pay more in nominal terms, though some of that premium is offset by higher living costs.
How current is this salary data? +
This page uses the May 2025 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release. BLS publishes OEWS data once per year, typically in the spring for the previous May reference period.
What do the percentile ranges tell me? +
The 10th and 90th percentiles show the full pay band. The 25th to 75th percentile range, the middle 50%, is where most workers fall. A wide spread usually means experience, specialization, or location matter a lot for this occupation.