National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Dentists earn a national median of $175,500/year vs HVAC Technicians at $57,620/year. Dentists earn 67% more nationally. The gap is $117,880 per year — or $9,823 per month.
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Dentist
$175,500
national median/year
$14,625/mo • $84/hr
VS
HVAC Technician
$57,620
national median/year
$4,802/mo • $28/hr
Annual salary gap
$117,880
Dentists earn 67% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $1,336,204.
Best states for HVAC Technicians
vs Dentists
Mississippi+$-91,700
Arkansas+$-93,700
West Virginia+$-93,700
Oklahoma+$-95,700
Kentucky+$-99,700
Best states for Dentists
vs HVAC Technicians
California+$124,700
Connecticut+$123,700
Massachusetts+$121,700
Alaska+$119,700
Colorado+$117,700
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Dentists earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Dentists is $175,500 versus $57,620 for HVAC Technicians — a difference of $117,880 per year or $9,823 per month.
The national median salary gap between Dentists and HVAC Technicians is $117,880 per year. Dentists earn 67% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $1,336,204.
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, Hawaii pays HVAC Technicians the highest median salary at $74,620 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 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers 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 HVAC Technicians earn approximately $28 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.
