National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Project Managers earn a national median of $98,580/year vs Dentists at $175,500/year. Dentists earn 78% more nationally. The gap is $76,920 per year — or $6,410 per month.
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Project Manager
$98,580
national median/year
$8,215/mo • $47/hr
VS
Dentist
$175,500
national median/year
$14,625/mo • $84/hr
Annual salary gap
$76,920
Dentists earn 78% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $871,911.
Best states for Dentists
vs Project Managers
Hawaii+$104,000
Alaska+$100,000
Minnesota+$84,000
Nevada+$84,000
Wisconsin+$84,000
Best states for Project Managers
vs Dentists
Mississippi+$-64,000
Arkansas+$-66,000
Oklahoma+$-68,000
Alabama+$-70,000
Georgia+$-70,000
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Dentists earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Project Managers is $98,580 versus $175,500 for Dentists — a difference of $76,920 per year or $6,410 per month.
The national median salary gap between Project Managers and Dentists is $76,920 per year. Dentists earn 78% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $871,911.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Project Managers the highest median salary at $122,320 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. Project Management Specialists 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, Project Managers earn approximately $47 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.
