National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Doctors earn a national median of $236,000/year vs Dentists at $175,500/year. Doctors earn 26% more nationally. The gap is $60,500 per year — or $5,042 per month.
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Doctor
$236,000
national median/year
$19,667/mo • $113/hr
VS
Dentist
$175,500
national median/year
$14,625/mo • $84/hr
Annual salary gap
$60,500
Doctors earn 26% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $685,785.
Best states for Dentists
vs Doctors
Hawaii+$-46,000
California+$-54,000
Alaska+$-56,000
Nevada+$-56,000
Oregon+$-56,000
Best states for Doctors
vs Dentists
Mississippi+$76,000
Oklahoma+$76,000
Alabama+$70,000
Arkansas+$70,000
Kentucky+$70,000
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Doctors earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Doctors is $236,000 versus $175,500 for Dentists — a difference of $60,500 per year or $5,042 per month.
The national median salary gap between Doctors and Dentists is $60,500 per year. Doctors earn 26% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $685,785.
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 Dentists the highest median salary at $198,320 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 Dentists, General 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 Dentists earn approximately $84 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.
