National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Dentists earn a national median of $175,500/year vs Surgeons at $297,800/year. Surgeons earn 70% more nationally. The gap is $122,300 per year — or $10,192 per month.
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Dentist
$175,500
national median/year
$14,625/mo • $84/hr
VS
Surgeon
$297,800
national median/year
$24,817/mo • $143/hr
Annual salary gap
$122,300
Surgeons earn 70% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $1,386,307.
Best states for Surgeons
vs Dentists
California+$139,680
New Jersey+$136,680
New York+$135,680
Illinois+$132,680
Maryland+$132,680
Best states for Dentists
vs Surgeons
North Dakota+$-109,680
Wyoming+$-109,680
Iowa+$-113,680
Louisiana+$-113,680
West Virginia+$-113,680
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Surgeons earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Dentists is $175,500 versus $297,800 for Surgeons — a difference of $122,300 per year or $10,192 per month.
The national median salary gap between Dentists and Surgeons is $122,300 per year. Surgeons earn 70% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $1,386,307.
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 Surgeons the highest median salary at $338,000 per year.
Salary is one factor — Surgeons earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Dentists, General and Surgeons 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 Surgeons earn approximately $143 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.
