National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Police Officers earn a national median of $72,280/year vs Dentists at $175,500/year. Dentists earn 143% more nationally. The gap is $103,220 per year — or $8,602 per month.
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Police Officer
$72,280
national median/year
$6,023/mo • $35/hr
VS
Dentist
$175,500
national median/year
$14,625/mo • $84/hr
Annual salary gap
$103,220
Dentists earn 143% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $1,170,029.
Best states for Dentists
vs Police Officers
Virginia+$114,000
Hawaii+$110,000
Minnesota+$110,000
New Hampshire+$110,000
Texas+$110,000
Best states for Police Officers
vs Dentists
Mississippi+$-86,000
Arkansas+$-88,000
California+$-90,000
Oklahoma+$-92,000
West Virginia+$-92,000
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Dentists earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Police Officers is $72,280 versus $175,500 for Dentists — a difference of $103,220 per year or $8,602 per month.
The national median salary gap between Police Officers and Dentists is $103,220 per year. Dentists earn 143% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $1,170,029.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Police Officers the highest median salary at $108,320 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. Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers 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, Police Officers earn approximately $35 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.
