National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Dentists earn a national median of $175,500/year vs Pilots at $203,010/year. Pilots earn 16% more nationally. The gap is $27,510 per year — or $2,293 per month.
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Dentist
$175,500
national median/year
$14,625/mo • $84/hr
VS
Pilot
$203,010
national median/year
$16,918/mo • $98/hr
Annual salary gap
$27,510
Pilots earn 16% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $311,834.
Best states for Pilots
vs Dentists
California+$39,690
Virginia+$39,690
Georgia+$35,690
Illinois+$35,690
Maryland+$35,690
Best states for Dentists
vs Pilots
North Dakota+$310
Wyoming+$-3,690
Iowa+$-9,690
Montana+$-9,690
Nebraska+$-9,690
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Pilots earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Dentists is $175,500 versus $203,010 for Pilots — a difference of $27,510 per year or $2,293 per month.
The national median salary gap between Dentists and Pilots is $27,510 per year. Pilots earn 16% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $311,834.
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 Pilots the highest median salary at $238,010 per year.
Salary is one factor — Pilots earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Dentists, General and Airline and Commercial Pilots 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 Pilots earn approximately $98 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.
