Dentists salary in Washington, DC
Median pay for dentists in Washington, DC: $182,000/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $109,780 – $239,200 · about 3,280 employed locally
Above the typical metro median ($165,500) by +$16,500 (+10%).
What it's really worth in Washington
With Washington's cost of living at 110 (US=100), that $182,000 has the buying power of about $166,145 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $119,803 · median home $583,013 · median rent $2,416/mo.
How Washington ranks for this job
On raw pay, Washington, DC is 36th of the 171 metros we hold dentists wages for. Once Washington's cost of living is applied, it ranks 100th.
The headline number flatters Washington. 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 Washington
A median home in Washington, DC costs $583,013 — about 3.2× 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 $2,416/mo works out at 16% 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 Washington.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Washington | Rent vs Washington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte, NC | $239,200 | +31% | 0.7× |
| Salem, OR | $226,010 | +24% | 0.7× |
| Anchorage, AK | $225,170 | +24% | 0.7× |
| Phoenix, AZ | $219,600 | +21% | 0.7× |
Other jobs in Washington
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.