Dentistry
Health Professions
Median earnings by degree level
| Degree | Median earnings | Typical range | Schools | Clear the bar |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Doctoral Degree | $156,942 | $128,406 to $174,160 | 7 | 100% |
| First Professional Degree | $172,943 | $159,660 to $184,815 | 57 | 100% |
"Clear the bar" is the share of programs whose graduates out-earn a typical high-school graduate (the federal earnings-premium test). Typical range is the 25th to 75th percentile of program medians.
Job outlook
Projected employment growth +12% (2025 to 2035), about 29,100 openings a year across the occupations this field commonly leads to.
| Occupation | Median pay | Growth | Openings/yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | $107,310 | +17.9% | 24,900 |
| Dentists, General | $170,950 | +5.7% | 4,200 |
Occupation pay and outlook: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wages, Employment Projections). A field maps to several occupations, and the same occupations serve many majors, so these are the jobs this major commonly leads to, not positions reserved for its graduates; the openings should not be added up across majors.
Where this is studied
The 8 colleges where the most students complete a dentistry program, of 65 that report one. Ordered by number of completions only: this is where people study it, not a judgement about where to.
- New York University
- Tufts University
- Boston University
- University of Southern California
- University of Pennsylvania
- University of the Pacific
- Temple University
- University of Detroit Mercy
Earnings source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (release 2026-06-10), median earnings of graduates measured up to four years after completing. Figures describe past graduates and are never a promise. Method: methodology. Report an error.