National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Social Workers earn a national median of $54,150/year vs Dentists at $175,500/year. Dentists earn 224% more nationally. The gap is $121,350 per year — or $10,113 per month.
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Social Worker
$54,150
national median/year
$4,513/mo • $26/hr
VS
Dentist
$175,500
national median/year
$14,625/mo • $84/hr
Annual salary gap
$121,350
Dentists earn 224% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $1,375,538.
Best states for Dentists
vs Social Workers
Hawaii+$136,000
Alaska+$130,000
California+$130,000
Connecticut+$130,000
Massachusetts+$130,000
Best states for Social Workers
vs Dentists
Mississippi+$-96,000
Arkansas+$-98,000
West Virginia+$-100,000
Oklahoma+$-104,000
Alabama+$-106,000
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Dentists earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Social Workers is $54,150 versus $175,500 for Dentists — a difference of $121,350 per year or $10,113 per month.
The national median salary gap between Social Workers and Dentists is $121,350 per year. Dentists earn 224% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $1,375,538.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Social Workers the highest median salary at $68,320 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. Child, Family, and School Social Workers 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, Social Workers earn approximately $26 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.
