National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Doctors earn a national median of $236,000/year vs Dental Hygienists at $81,400/year. Doctors earn 66% more nationally. The gap is $154,600 per year — or $12,883 per month.
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Doctor
$236,000
national median/year
$19,667/mo • $113/hr
VS
Dental Hygienist
$81,400
national median/year
$6,783/mo • $39/hr
Annual salary gap
$154,600
Doctors earn 66% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $1,752,437.
Best states for Dental Hygienists
vs Doctors
Hawaii+$-135,920
Nevada+$-135,920
California+$-137,920
Oregon+$-137,920
Washington+$-139,920
Best states for Doctors
vs Dental Hygienists
Wisconsin+$165,920
Connecticut+$163,920
Massachusetts+$161,920
Minnesota+$161,920
Ohio+$161,920
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Doctors earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Doctors is $236,000 versus $81,400 for Dental Hygienists — a difference of $154,600 per year or $12,883 per month.
The national median salary gap between Doctors and Dental Hygienists is $154,600 per year. Doctors earn 66% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $1,752,437.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, Massachusetts pays Doctors the highest median salary at $258,320 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 — Doctors earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Physicians and Surgeons 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, Doctors earn approximately $113 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.
