National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Plumbers earn a national median of $61,550/year vs Dentists at $175,500/year. Dentists earn 185% more nationally. The gap is $113,950 per year — or $9,496 per month.
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Plumber
$61,550
national median/year
$5,129/mo • $30/hr
VS
Dentist
$175,500
national median/year
$14,625/mo • $84/hr
Annual salary gap
$113,950
Dentists earn 185% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $1,291,657.
Best states for Dentists
vs Plumbers
California+$120,000
Virginia+$120,000
Connecticut+$118,000
Maryland+$118,000
Colorado+$116,000
Best states for Plumbers
vs Dentists
Mississippi+$-88,000
Arkansas+$-92,000
West Virginia+$-92,000
Oklahoma+$-94,000
Louisiana+$-96,000
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Dentists earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Plumbers is $61,550 versus $175,500 for Dentists — a difference of $113,950 per year or $9,496 per month.
The national median salary gap between Plumbers and Dentists is $113,950 per year. Dentists earn 185% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $1,291,657.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, Alaska pays Plumbers the highest median salary at $82,320 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. Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters 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, Plumbers earn approximately $30 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.
