Dentists salary in Pittsburgh, PA
Median pay for dentists in Pittsburgh, PA: $157,820/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $74,410 – $226,390 · about 630 employed locally
Below the typical metro median ($165,500) by −$7,680 (-5%).
What it's really worth in Pittsburgh
With Pittsburgh's cost of living at 95 (US=100), that $157,820 has the buying power of about $166,642 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $71,283 · median home $231,356 · median rent $1,527/mo.
How Pittsburgh ranks for this job
On raw pay, Pittsburgh, PA is 115th of the 171 metros we hold dentists wages for. Once Pittsburgh's cost of living is applied, it ranks 96th.
Pay here goes further than the headline number suggests — Pittsburgh is one of the places where dentists gain ground in real terms, because local costs are low relative to what the job pays.
What that salary buys in Pittsburgh
A median home in Pittsburgh, PA costs $231,356 — about 1.5× 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 $1,527/mo works out at 12% 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 Pittsburgh.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Pittsburgh | Rent vs Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte, NC | $239,200 | +52% | 1.1× |
| Salem, OR | $226,010 | +43% | 1.1× |
| Anchorage, AK | $225,170 | +43% | 1.2× |
| Phoenix, AZ | $219,600 | +39% | 1.1× |
Same job elsewhere in PA
| Metro | Median pay | vs Pittsburgh | Rent vs Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scranton, PA | $208,130 | +32% | 0.9× |
| Harrisburg, PA | $186,050 | +18% | 1× |
| Erie, PA | $172,890 | +10% | 0.7× |
| York, PA | $171,980 | +9% | 0.9× |
Staying in PA keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires dentists around Pittsburgh
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- UPMC · Healthcare
- Highmark Health · Healthcare
Other jobs in Pittsburgh
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.