Average Dentists, General Salary in the United States
The national median salary for Dentists, General is $172,790 per year. The middle 50% earn between $126,090 and $220,380, with 113,490 workers employed nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2024 estimates . Data covers 48 states and 318 metro areas.
Wage range
Pay distribution
Here is how Dentists, General 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
- $83,860
- 25th
- $126,090
- Median
- $172,790
- 75th
- $220,380
- 90th
- ≥$239,200
All values are percentiles of annual wages.
Values marked ≥$239,200 are at or above the BLS wage cap. BLS does not publish an exact figure above this threshold.
Dentists, General are among the highest-paid occupations tracked by BLS, well into the top decile of US wages.
Some dentists, general earn above the BLS wage cap of $239,200, so the top percentiles shown here are BLS's minimum. Actual top-end earnings go higher but are not published in detail.
BLS projections
Job outlook
BLS projects employment for dentists, general from 2024 to 2034. Growth is roughly in line with the US average of about 4% across all occupations.
- Projected growth
- +4.1%
- 5,400 net jobs over the projection period.
- Annual openings
- 3,900
- Includes growth plus replacements for workers who leave.
- Typical entry education
- Doctoral or professional degree
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, General earn the most
Location matters a lot. The gap between top-paying and bottom-paying states is large, so where dentists, general work can reshape their total compensation. Right now, the top-paying state is Vermont at $230,990, about 33.7% above the national median. At the metro level, Anchorage, AK leads with a median of $233,910.
By state
Top-paying states
By metro
Top-paying metros
| Metro area | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Anchorage, AK | $233,910 | 140 |
| North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $233,590 | 470 |
| Eugene-Springfield, OR | $230,710 | 80 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $228,700 | 60 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | $223,320 | 220 |
| Sheboygan, WI | $221,160 | 70 |
| Johnson City, TN | $217,760 | 60 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $214,490 | 1,900 |
Compare two locations side by side
Pick two states or metros to see dentists, general pay in each, along with a cost-of-living adjusted view.
Salary trend and related occupations
Between 2019 and 2024, the national median salary for Dentists, General rose from $155,600 to $172,790, a gain of +11.0% in nominal dollars.
Over the same period, US consumer prices rose by +22.7%. Just to keep pace with inflation, the 2019 median of $155,600 would need to be worth $190,920 in 2024 dollars.
The actual 2024 median of $172,790 is −$18,130 below that inflation-adjusted benchmark, a real change of -9.5% in purchasing power.
Adjusted for inflation, pay has lost ground. Nominal growth of 11.0% has not kept up with rising prices.
- Nominal change
- +11.0%
- 2019–2024
- Cumulative inflation
- +22.7%
- US CPI, 2019–2024
- Real change
- -9.5%
- After adjusting for inflation
Annual history
Median salary over time
Dentists, General median pay by year, going back through the available BLS releases.
- 2019
- $155,600
- 2020
- $158,940
- 2021
- $160,370
- 2022
- $155,040
- 2023
- $166,300
- 2024
- $172,790
Similar jobs
Related occupations
Other occupations in the same field, with median pay for comparison.
- Podiatrists
- $152,800
- Pharmacists
- $137,480
- Optometrists
- $134,830
- Physician Assistants
- $133,260
- Dentists, All Other Specialists
- $225,770
- Chiropractors
- $79,000
- Dietitians And Nutritionists
- $73,850
Common salary questions for Dentists, General
What does the median salary mean? +
The median is the midpoint of all wages. Half of Dentists, General 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 2024 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.