National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Dentists earn a national median of $175,500/year vs Registered Nurses at $93,600/year. Dentists earn 47% more nationally. The gap is $81,900 per year — or $6,825 per month.
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Dentist
$175,500
national median/year
$14,625/mo • $84/hr
VS
Registered Nurse
$93,600
national median/year
$7,800/mo • $45/hr
Annual salary gap
$81,900
Dentists earn 47% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $928,361.
Best states for Registered Nurses
vs Dentists
California+$-65,020
Mississippi+$-69,120
Arkansas+$-70,320
Maine+$-71,520
New Mexico+$-71,520
Best states for Dentists
vs Registered Nurses
Virginia+$90,320
Texas+$89,920
Wisconsin+$87,520
Connecticut+$87,120
North Dakota+$87,120
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Dentists earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Dentists is $175,500 versus $93,600 for Registered Nurses — a difference of $81,900 per year or $6,825 per month.
The national median salary gap between Dentists and Registered Nurses is $81,900 per year. Dentists earn 47% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $928,361.
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 Registered Nurses the highest median salary at $133,300 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 Registered Nurses 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 Registered Nurses earn approximately $45 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.
