National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Surgeons earn a national median of $297,800/year vs Dental Hygienists at $81,400/year. Surgeons earn 73% more nationally. The gap is $216,400 per year — or $18,033 per month.
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Surgeon
$297,800
national median/year
$24,817/mo • $143/hr
VS
Dental Hygienist
$81,400
national median/year
$6,783/mo • $39/hr
Annual salary gap
$216,400
Surgeons earn 73% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $2,452,958.
Best states for Dental Hygienists
vs Surgeons
Mississippi+$-191,600
West Virginia+$-193,600
Arkansas+$-195,600
Idaho+$-197,600
Louisiana+$-197,600
Best states for Surgeons
vs Dental Hygienists
New York+$235,600
Connecticut+$233,600
New Jersey+$232,600
Maryland+$226,600
Massachusetts+$225,600
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Surgeons earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Surgeons is $297,800 versus $81,400 for Dental Hygienists — a difference of $216,400 per year or $18,033 per month.
The national median salary gap between Surgeons and Dental Hygienists is $216,400 per year. Surgeons earn 73% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $2,452,958.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Surgeons the highest median salary at $338,000 per year.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Dental Hygienists the highest median salary at $114,400 per year.
Salary is one factor — Surgeons earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Surgeons and Dental Hygienists 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, Surgeons earn approximately $143 per hour nationally and Dental Hygienists earn approximately $39 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.
