The average cost of living in Oregon, the highest-paying state for specialty dentists, is $55,047 for a single adult with no children.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics updated its salary data for dental jobs to reflect 2025 information May 15. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge updated its cost of living calculator Feb. 15.
Here is how the average annual salary for specialty dentists compares to the cost of living in each state:
Note: Salary information was taken from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The minimum cost of living in each state was provided by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Living Wage Calculator. The cost of living is for a single adult with no children before taxes.
| State | Annual Wage | Average cost of living |
| Arizona | $266,340 | $50,900 |
| Arkansas | $228,240 | $41,615 |
| California | $218,050 | $63,402 |
| Colorado | $195,020 | $54,071 |
| Connecticut | $179,460 | $54,178 |
| Illinois | $242,070 | $50,796 |
| Maryland | $201,410 | $53,949 |
| Michigan | $247,360 | $45,914 |
| Missouri | $228,260 | $44,244 |
| Nebraska | $239,620 | $45,241 |
| New Jersey | $282,180 | $56,884 |
| North Carolina | $213,660 | $46,745 |
| Ohio | $186,660 | $43,674 |
| Oklahoma | $219,100 | $43,119 |
| Oregon | $285,900 | $55,047 |
| Pennsylvania | $203,900 | $48,515 |
| South Carolina | $242,930 | $46,469 |
| Texas | $280,030 | $45,290 |
| West Virginia | $213,550 | $40,627 |
