How much does a dentist make?
Typical yearly pay for dentists, general in the United States.
median pay per year, about $14,246 a month or $82.19 an hour.
That's more than 97% of the 100 jobs in our salary guide, ranking #4 of 100.
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| Airline pilot | $232,140 |
| CEO | $213,990 |
| IT manager | $175,140 |
| Dentist | $170,950 |
| Lawyer | $159,670 |
| Judge | $153,990 |
| Air traffic controller | $148,080 |
Similar jobs
- Pharmacist$140,910
- Optometrist$136,570
- Physician assistant$135,880
- Nurse practitioner$132,300
- Veterinarian$130,100
- Hospital administrator$123,860
How much does a dentist make per hour?
About $82.19 an hour, if you spread the median yearly pay over a standard 40-hour week, 52 weeks a year. Actual hourly pay varies with overtime, shift work and location.
Becoming a dentist
The U.S. Department of Labor's career profile covers the training, licenses and day-to-day tasks for this job.
About this number
This is the national median wage for the occupation “Dentists, General” (code 29-1021.00) from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025 release, as published on O*NET OnLine. The median is the middle value: half of workers earn more, half earn less.