Dentists salary in Philadelphia, PA
Median pay for dentists in Philadelphia, PA: $165,980/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $76,530 – $239,200 · about 2,740 employed locally
Above the typical metro median ($165,500) by +$480 (+0%).
What it's really worth in Philadelphia
With Philadelphia's cost of living at 102 (US=100), that $165,980 has the buying power of about $162,148 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $85,555 · median home $390,463 · median rent $1,914/mo.
How Philadelphia ranks for this job
On raw pay, Philadelphia, PA is 82nd of the 171 metros we hold dentists wages for. Once Philadelphia's cost of living is applied, it ranks 113th.
The headline number flatters Philadelphia. Once housing and everyday costs are taken into account, dentists here keep less of what they earn than the raw salary implies.
What that salary buys in Philadelphia
A median home in Philadelphia, PA costs $390,463 — about 2.4× this salary, against a typical US metro figure of 4.7×. Buying is more attainable here than in the average metro on this income.
Median rent of $1,914/mo works out at 14% of gross pay — inside the conventional 30% affordability ceiling.
Where dentists earn more
Pay on its own is only half the picture, so each row shows what rent costs there relative to Philadelphia.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Philadelphia | Rent vs Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte, NC | $239,200 | +44% | 0.9× |
| Salem, OR | $226,010 | +36% | 0.9× |
| Anchorage, AK | $225,170 | +36% | 0.9× |
| Phoenix, AZ | $219,600 | +32% | 0.9× |
Same job elsewhere in PA
| Metro | Median pay | vs Philadelphia | Rent vs Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scranton, PA | $208,130 | +25% | 0.7× |
| Harrisburg, PA | $186,050 | +12% | 0.8× |
| Erie, PA | $172,890 | +4% | 0.6× |
| York, PA | $171,980 | +4% | 0.7× |
Staying in PA keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires dentists around Philadelphia
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- Virtua Health · Healthcare
Other jobs in Philadelphia
Source: US BLS OEWS (May 2023) median annual wage; cost of living from BEA; home price and rent from Zillow; household income from US Census ACS. Rankings are across the 171 metros we hold wage data for in this occupation. Estimates for guidance only. See methodology.