State salary intelligence
Dental salary by state
Pick any of 25dental roles and rank all 50 states and DC by pay — verified BLS data where it's published, clearly-labeled modeled estimates elsewhere, each with a 2025 figure and a 2026 estimate.
General Dentist pay by state — ranked
2025 median annualFrom Alaska ($230,990) down to Wyoming ($123,830). Tap a state for its full local market.
▸View all states (core roles) as a table
| State | Dentist | Hygienist | Assistant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $153,860 | $61,160 | $39,080 |
| Alaska | $230,990 | $132,690 | $57,710 |
| Arizona | $194,180 | $101,010 | $49,000 |
| Arkansas | $178,930 | $86,760 | $42,830 |
| California | $165,950 | $124,930 | $50,110 |
| Colorado | $166,240 | $109,580 | $48,340 |
| Connecticut | $160,440 | $100,690 | $56,850 |
| Delaware | $174,370 | $98,910 | $47,600 |
| District of Columbia | $198,300 | $137,220 | $60,580 |
| Florida | $174,900 | $91,980 | $47,620 |
| Georgia | $206,760 | $95,490 | $46,840 |
| Hawaii | $167,820 | $97,570 | $44,720 |
| Idaho | $124,190 | $94,650 | $45,880 |
| Illinois | $156,110 | $96,670 | $48,610 |
| Indiana | $166,650 | $92,330 | $48,670 |
| Iowa | $181,520 | $84,010 | $48,430 |
| Kansas | $155,560 | $89,270 | $43,740 |
| Kentucky | $134,160 | $78,830 | $47,730 |
| Louisiana | $170,750 | $85,240 | $44,090 |
| Maine | $209,200 | $97,680 | $60,070 |
| Maryland | $168,500 | $107,830 | $48,620 |
| Massachusetts | $181,600 | $100,640 | $57,980 |
| Michigan | $169,930 | $83,790 | $48,820 |
| Minnesota | $219,200 | $103,970 | $65,270 |
| Mississippi | $143,660 | $67,280 | $39,160 |
| Missouri | $204,960 | $92,750 | $45,970 |
| Montana | $167,200 | $98,440 | $46,680 |
| Nebraska | $179,750 | $92,580 | $46,660 |
| Nevada | $162,200 | $115,290 | $47,110 |
| New Hampshire | $177,480 | $101,250 | $59,530 |
| New Jersey | $171,330 | $107,040 | $49,390 |
| New Mexico | $155,260 | $95,940 | $44,400 |
| New York | $183,060 | $106,130 | $48,110 |
| North Carolina | $207,000 | $97,850 | $50,380 |
| North Dakota | $220,660 | $90,530 | $57,770 |
| Ohio | $167,410 | $88,990 | $47,970 |
| Oklahoma | $166,170 | $97,580 | $45,740 |
| Oregon | $211,690 | $122,080 | $59,490 |
| Pennsylvania | $163,390 | $80,610 | $47,930 |
| Rhode Island | $161,560 | $86,910 | $50,150 |
| South Carolina | $158,640 | $84,340 | $47,320 |
| South Dakota | $158,140 | $92,210 | $47,900 |
| Tennessee | $215,290 | $84,640 | $46,720 |
| Texas | $162,360 | $99,240 | $45,430 |
| Utah | $133,320 | $91,120 | $37,760 |
| Vermont | $204,960 | $97,470 | $52,760 |
| Virginia | $197,110 | $102,950 | $46,670 |
| Washington | $169,730 | $131,160 | $58,090 |
| West Virginia | $170,370 | $73,840 | $37,960 |
| Wisconsin | $193,690 | $96,540 | $47,520 |
| Wyoming | $123,830 | $85,130 | $44,990 |
Mostly verified BLS OEWS May 2025 state wage data; where BLS doesn't publish a role for a state, the figure is a modeled estimate. Specialists and practice-operations roles are available in the role selector above and on each state page.
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Frequently asked questions
Which state pays dentists the most?
Alaska shows the highest dentist median at about $230,990 (verified BLS OEWS state data). BLS state wages cover employed dentists, so practice owners are not included.
How many dental roles can I see by state?
All 25 public dental roles — pick any role (dentists, specialists, hygiene & assisting, practice operations, lab & support) to rank every state. Core roles use verified BLS OEWS May 2025 state data (47 of 51 states for dentists; all of them for hygienists and assistants); other roles are clearly-labeled modeled local estimates.
What are the best states for dental hygienists?
District of Columbia leads for dental hygienists at about $137,220 (verified BLS OEWS May 2025 state data). Pick "Dental hygienist" in the role selector above to rank every state.
Which state pays dental assistants the most?
Minnesota leads for dental assistants at about $65,270 (verified BLS OEWS May 2025 state data).
How are state figures calculated?
Verified state figures come straight from BLS OEWS May 2025 state wage data. Modeled figures scale the national benchmark by each state's documented labor-cost index. Every figure also shows a 2026 modeled estimate.
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