East vs. West: Which region pays dentists more?

The average salary for dentists is $162,880 in the West and $328,553 in the Northeast.

Eight of the 10 highest-paying cities for dentists are in the West and Northeast markets. California and Oregon together have five of the highest-paying cities for dentists in the U.S. while New Hampshire, Connecticut and Maine are home to three of the top-paying Northeast cities.

This salary data comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which updated wage and salary data for several dental specialties March 31 to reflect 2021 information.

Oregon is the highest-paying state in the West for dentists with an average salary of $207,370 while Idaho is the lowest paying at $124,750.

New Hampshire is the highest-paying state in the Northeast for dentists with an average salary of $225,140 while Pennsylvania is the lowest paying at $159,450.

Dentist salary in each state on the West and Northeast (the regions are defined by the Census Bureau):

West

Alaska: $168,390

Arizona: $175,030

California: $165,950

Colorado: $139,460

Hawaii: $177,820

Idaho: $124,750

Montana: $152,770

Nevada: $151,130

New Mexico: $189,430

Oregon: $207,370

Utah: $134,570

Washington: $182,050

Wyoming: $148,730

Northeast

Connecticut: $197,910

Maine: $187,460

Massachusetts: $175,140

New Hampshire: $225,140

New Jersey: N/A

New York: $170,800

Pennsylvania: $159,450

Rhode Island: $206,600

Vermont: $190,030

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