Pay, location & work-life context
Dentist Salary Map by State (2026)
Median dentist pay across 43 states from real job listings — switch views to adjust for cost of living or overlay burnout scores. Medians blend permanent salaries with annualized locums/contract rates. National median: $275,000.
Highest median
North Carolina
$350,000
Best real purchasing power
Arkansas
$397,529 adjusted
Best lifestyle score
Maine
6.3/10 avg burnout score
Compare state markets
Choose a metric, then select a state to see its figures and available breakdown.
Tile positions are approximate, not geographic boundaries. Selection adds an outline without changing the metric color. Work-life scores describe listings, not surveyed clinician burnout.
Dentist pay by state
Sorted by median advertised pay. On smaller screens, scroll the table sideways to compare all metrics.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Take-home, COL-adj. | Work-life score | Listings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | $350,000 | $371,054 | $355,284 | 4.0/10 | 44 |
| Arkansas | $345,600 | $397,529 | $382,026 | 4.5/10 | 16 |
| Tennessee | $312,000 | $339,610 | $339,610 | 4.4/10 | 34 |
| Oklahoma | $302,500 | $344,364 | $328,007 | 4.1/10 | 40 |
| Illinois | $300,000 | $300,126 | $285,270 | 4.3/10 | 80 |
| Nevada | $300,000 | $300,063 | $300,063 | 3.9/10 | 41 |
| Nebraska | $300,000 | $332,952 | $315,639 | 3.8/10 | 7 |
| Pennsylvania | $295,000 | $302,341 | $293,059 | 3.7/10 | 98 |
| New Mexico | $295,000 | $319,915 | $301,040 | 4.3/10 | 34 |
| Arizona | $285,000 | $283,084 | $276,006 | 4.1/10 | 62 |
| South Carolina | $285,000 | $304,003 | $285,155 | 4.0/10 | 36 |
| New Jersey | $285,000 | $261,936 | $245,251 | 5.0/10 | 50 |
| Texas | $275,000 | $283,339 | $283,339 | 4.1/10 | 237 |
| California | $275,000 | $248,374 | $225,275 | 3.6/10 | 351 |
| Colorado | $275,000 | $266,856 | $255,114 | 4.0/10 | 82 |
| Florida | $275,000 | $265,921 | $265,921 | 4.0/10 | 113 |
| Missouri | $275,000 | $302,807 | $288,575 | 3.9/10 | 47 |
| Washington | $275,000 | $256,978 | $256,978 | 3.7/10 | 82 |
| Georgia | $275,000 | $285,587 | $270,194 | 3.9/10 | 39 |
| Oregon | $275,000 | $266,058 | $239,718 | 4.3/10 | 42 |
| Ohio | $275,000 | $296,419 | $286,045 | 4.5/10 | 47 |
| Kansas | $275,000 | $305,325 | $288,288 | 3.8/10 | 29 |
| Massachusetts | $275,000 | $260,030 | $247,029 | 4.1/10 | 69 |
| Louisiana | $275,000 | $311,767 | $302,414 | 3.6/10 | 19 |
| Hawaii | $275,000 | $250,111 | $222,599 | 4.9/10 | 7 |
| Virginia | $273,000 | $270,019 | $254,493 | 3.6/10 | 61 |
| Utah | $270,000 | $273,102 | $260,676 | 3.9/10 | 28 |
| New York | $260,000 | $240,917 | $224,414 | 4.5/10 | 159 |
| Michigan | $260,000 | $270,223 | $258,738 | 4.0/10 | 63 |
| Wisconsin | $260,000 | $276,316 | $261,672 | 4.9/10 | 48 |
| Mississippi | $259,200 | $298,092 | $284,976 | 5.4/10 | 10 |
| Alabama | $242,500 | $273,015 | $259,364 | 4.8/10 | 11 |
| Maryland | $240,500 | $229,137 | $215,962 | 4.6/10 | 45 |
| Connecticut | $234,000 | $225,847 | $210,060 | 3.7/10 | 36 |
| Indiana | $234,000 | $250,726 | $243,204 | 3.4/10 | 27 |
| Kentucky | $225,000 | $249,559 | $239,577 | 5.3/10 | 16 |
| Iowa | $215,000 | $244,981 | $235,671 | 5.1/10 | 15 |
| Idaho | $210,000 | $219,909 | $207,385 | 4.6/10 | 18 |
| Minnesota | $200,000 | $202,797 | $182,821 | 4.5/10 | 35 |
| New Hampshire | $200,000 | $192,003 | $192,003 | 3.8/10 | 8 |
| Vermont | $197,500 | $201,617 | $183,976 | 3.6/10 | 9 |
| Maine | $195,000 | $200,927 | $186,561 | 6.3/10 | 5 |
| North Dakota | $172,500 | $193,910 | $189,062 | 4.5/10 | 7 |
Common questions
Which state pays dentists the most?
North Carolina currently has the highest median dentist salary at $350,000, based on 44 real job listings. Adjusted for cost of living, Arkansas offers the highest real purchasing power at $397,529.
Which state offers the best after-tax dentist pay?
Arkansas currently leads the take-home view at $382,026 — the state median after its state income tax (Tax Foundation state income tax rates (2025)), divided by the local cost-of-living index. No-income-tax states like Texas, Florida and Tennessee often outrank nominally higher-paying states here.
Why adjust dentist salaries for cost of living?
Prices differ across states. The adjusted view divides each state's pay benchmark by its regional price index (U.S. average = 100). Source: BEA Regional Price Parities (2024). This is a state-level comparison, not a personal budget or a city-level cost estimate. Missing price data is shown as unavailable.
Which state has the best dentist lifestyle scores?
Maine currently has the highest average WeekdayDoc burnout score (6.3/10, higher is better) for dentist listings — a measure of call burden, weekend requirements, and schedule flexibility across postings.
More salary maps
See the full percentile breakdown on the Dentist salary page.