National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Physical Therapists earn a national median of $99,710/year vs Dentists at $175,500/year. Dentists earn 76% more nationally. The gap is $75,790 per year — or $6,316 per month.
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Physical Therapist
$99,710
national median/year
$8,309/mo • $48/hr
VS
Dentist
$175,500
national median/year
$14,625/mo • $84/hr
Annual salary gap
$75,790
Dentists earn 76% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $859,102.
Best states for Dentists
vs Physical Therapists
Massachusetts+$90,000
New York+$90,000
Connecticut+$86,000
Maryland+$86,000
New Jersey+$86,000
Best states for Physical Therapists
vs Dentists
Arkansas+$-60,000
Mississippi+$-60,000
Oklahoma+$-64,000
West Virginia+$-64,000
Alabama+$-66,000
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Dentists earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Physical Therapists is $99,710 versus $175,500 for Dentists — a difference of $75,790 per year or $6,316 per month.
The national median salary gap between Physical Therapists and Dentists is $75,790 per year. Dentists earn 76% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $859,102.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Physical Therapists the highest median salary at $114,320 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 — Dentists earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Physical Therapists 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, Physical Therapists earn approximately $48 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.
