General Dentist salary in Boston
Boston–Cambridge–Newton, MA-NH
The verified BLS median general dentist in the Boston metro earns $181,150 ($87.09/hr). Boston pays roughly 6% above the national median of $170,950.
General Dentist pay in Boston: the analysis
At a verified median of $181,150, general dentists in Boston earn modestly above the U.S. median of $170,950 — a gap of about 6%. Among the 377 metro areas where the BLS reports general dentist pay, Boston ranks 120th.
Compared with Massachusetts as a whole (median $181,600), Boston tracks the statewide median closely. Local demand, cost of labor, and the mix of practices drive most of that difference.
The pay range is wide: the lowest-paid tenth of general dentists in this metro area earn around $95,550, while the top tenth earn $370,580 or more — a spread of about $275,030. That gap reflects experience, practice setting, and local demand more than any single factor, so an individual offer can sit well above or below the midpoint.
The BLS counts roughly 1,920 general dentists employed in Boston — a measure of how deep the local job market is for the role.
Within Boston, a general dentist earns about 1.8× what a dental hygienist earns and about 3.1× what a dental assistant earns ($101,990, $58,160 respectively) — a quick way to see where the role sits in the local dental pay ladder.
General Dentist pay distribution — Boston (verified)
Inner percentiles marked “est.” are interpolated between published anchors.
| Percentile | Annual pay |
|---|---|
| 10th percentilei | $95,550 |
| 25th percentilei | $157,670 |
| Median (50th)i | $181,150 |
| 75th percentilei | $216,010 |
| 90th percentilei | $370,580 |
| Mean (average)i | $220,730 |
Massachusetts context
Massachusetts verified median: $181,600.
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Submit your salary →Frequently asked questions
How much does a general dentist make in Boston?
The verified BLS OEWS median general dentist in the Boston metro earns about $181,150 ($87.09/hr), from the official May 2025 metropolitan wage survey.
How does Boston general dentist pay compare to Massachusetts overall?
The verified BLS OEWS Boston metro median is about $181,150, versus the verified BLS OEWS Massachusetts statewide median of about $181,600.
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