SOC 29-1021 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Dentists, General — Washington
Washington · 10 metro areas compared
The median wage for Dentists, General in Washington is $169,730 per year, close to the national median of $170,950 for the same occupation.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
The median wage for Dentists, General in Washington is $169,730 per year, close to the national median of $170,950 for the same occupation. Pay ranges from under $85,240 at the tenth percentile to more than $346,840 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $119,250 to $235,180.
Employment stands at 3,240, or 0.9 jobs per thousand held locally. Among the 47 states with published data for this occupation, Washington ranks 25th by median wage. Mount Vernon leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $212,000. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 30th of 757 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $85,240 | −50.1% |
| 25th | $119,250 | −30.2% |
| Median (50th) | $169,730 | −0.7% |
| 75th | $235,180 | +37.6% |
| 90th | $346,840 | +102.9% |
| Mean | $195,810 | +14.5% |
Highest-paying metro areas in Washington
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mount Vernon | $212,000 | 50 | |
| 2 | Spokane | $205,790 | 280 | |
| 3 | Longview | $204,950 | 40 | |
| 4 | Kennewick | $203,250 | 100 | |
| 5 | Yakima | $200,130 | 90 | |
| 6 | Wenatchee | $171,990 | 50 | |
| 7 | Bremerton | $171,320 | 110 | |
| 8 | Bellingham | $168,030 | 90 | |
| 9 | Seattle | $161,270 | 1,920 | |
| 10 | Olympia | $123,460 | 130 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Washington run 7.0% above the national average, so the median of $169,730 buys what $158,626 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 7.2% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$169,730as reported by BLSLocal price level
107.0US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$158,626US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $169,730 a year, 0.7% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $85,240 to $346,840 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 3,240 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 25th of 47 states for this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Mount Vernon, at $212,000.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Dentists, General in Washington?
The median annual wage is $169,730, or $81.60 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $170,950, so pay in Washington is 0.7% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Washington earns more than $346,840 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $85,240 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Mount Vernon, at $212,000 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 3,240 jobs in this occupation in Washington. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
Explore related data