National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Dentists earn a national median of $175,500/year vs Dental Hygienists at $81,400/year. Dentists earn 54% more nationally. The gap is $94,100 per year — or $7,842 per month.
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Dentist
$175,500
national median/year
$14,625/mo • $84/hr
VS
Dental Hygienist
$81,400
national median/year
$6,783/mo • $39/hr
Annual salary gap
$94,100
Dentists earn 54% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $1,066,651.
Best states for Dental Hygienists
vs Dentists
Arkansas+$-75,920
Mississippi+$-75,920
Idaho+$-77,920
Oklahoma+$-77,920
Maine+$-79,920
Best states for Dentists
vs Dental Hygienists
Connecticut+$103,920
New York+$99,920
Massachusetts+$95,920
Minnesota+$95,920
New Jersey+$95,920
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Dentists earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Dentists is $175,500 versus $81,400 for Dental Hygienists — a difference of $94,100 per year or $7,842 per month.
The national median salary gap between Dentists and Dental Hygienists is $94,100 per year. Dentists earn 54% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $1,066,651.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Dentists the highest median salary at $198,320 per year.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Dental Hygienists the highest median salary at $114,400 per year.
Salary is one factor — Dentists earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Dentists, General and Dental Hygienists both have different educational paths, licensing requirements, and long-term growth projections. Use salary as a starting point, not the only factor.
Based on a standard 2,080-hour work year, Dentists earn approximately $84 per hour nationally and Dental Hygienists earn approximately $39 per hour. Actual hourly rates vary based on overtime, part-time work, and whether the role is salaried or hourly.
Methodology: Salary data from Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2024-2025. Figures represent median annual wages for wage and salary workers. Self-employed excluded. Hourly rates calculated at 2,080 hours per year. State salary figures from same BLS OES dataset. Updated annually.
