To better understand how dentist salaries change across America, we looked at the most recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics on average pay for dentists by state.
The states in the Top 5 tend to have a smaller number of physicians. For instance, four of the five highest-paying states for dentists have less than 1,000 dentists. Areas with a high concentration of dentists tend to pay less than average, even if those locations have higher costs of living, such as New Jersey or California.
Average Dentist Salary
With an average salary of $173,860 in 2016, dentists earn far more than most other health-care workers.
It’s also notable that a lot depends on the city in which a dentist practices. Jackson, TN, is the highest-paying metropolitan area for dentists, according to the BLS. But Tennessee overall ranks in the middle of the pack in terms of dentist pay.
Highest 5 General Dentist Salary By State:
1. Delaware
Average Dentist Wage in Delaware: $236,130
Number of Professionally Active Dentists: 340
2. North Carolina
Average Dentist Wage in North Carolina: $236,020
Number of Professionally Active Dentists: 3,190
3. Alaska
Average Dentist Wage in Alaska: $234,240
Number of Professionally Active Dentists: 270
4. New Hampshire
Average Dentist Wage in New Hampshire: $220,480
Number of Professionally Active Dentists: 490
5. Nevada
Average Dentist Wage in Nevada: $210,480
Number of Professionally Active Dentists: 910
Average Dentist Salaries by City
The Economic Research Institute provides a sampling of approximate salaries in certain cities for dentists, which includes those with specialties.
We also considered Dentist salary among metropolitan areas with the highest employment level. We found that the average Dentist salary in New York is $158,530, in Los Angeles it is $152,310. Average Dentist salary in Chicago is $138,480. In Dallas, the Dentist salary is $177,400. While the average Dentist salary in Boston is $175,270, in Atlanta it is $163,210.