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Dentist salary in Texas

Updated October 30, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$162,360median pay per year in Texas, or $78.06 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $83,990lowest 10% earn less
  2. $119,99025th percentile
  3. $162,360median
  4. $216,39075th percentile
  5. $308,220top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $170,950[3]

The median pay for dentists in Texas was $162,360 a year[1]. That was $8,590 lower than the US median[6].

Jobs in TX
8,920[4]
Rank by median pay
35 of 47[5]
Compared with US median
−5.0%[6]

How much do dentists make in Texas?

Half of the dentists in Texas earned more than $162,360 a year, and half earned less[1]. That works out to $78.06 an hour[1]. The average was higher, at $178,360 a year[7]. Across the US, the median for dentists was $170,950 a year[3]. Texas had the 35th highest median out of the 47 states with a published median[5]. The median for all jobs in Texas was $48,620[8], so dentists earned $113,740 more than that[9].

Pay varies a lot within the state. The lowest-paid 10% of dentists earned less than $83,990, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $308,220[2]. The middle half earned between $119,990 and $216,390[2].

By metro area, Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos had the highest median, at $188,190 a year[10]. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington had the most dentist jobs among the listed metros, with a median of $179,990[11]. Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands had a median of $98,570[11].

These figures count wage and salary workers only. They leave out the self-employed and business owners, and they do not include bonuses or the cost of benefits[12].

Texas vs US pay

Pay for dentists in Texas next to the national figures[1][3].

TXUS
Median per year$162,360[1]$170,950[3]
Median per hour$78.06[1]$82.19[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$83,990[2]$86,250[13]
Top 10% earn more than$308,220[2]$319,630[13]
Jobs8,920[4]124,390[3]

Pay by metro area in Texas

Metro areas in Texas with the most jobs for dentists, and the median pay in each[11].

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX[11]$179,9902,890
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX$98,5701,660
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX$188,190820
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX$162,140690
El Paso, TX$150,940160
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX$134,160150
Killeen-Temple, TX$147,360120
Amarillo, TX$154,960100

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for dentists in the states that border Texas, highest first[14].

StateMedian per yearJobs
Arkansas[14]$178,9301,210
Louisiana$170,7501,500
Oklahoma$166,170980
New Mexico$155,260780

Median pay for dentists in every state

Job outlook and training

Across the US, jobs for dentists are projected to grow 5.7% from 2025 to 2035[15]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: doctoral or professional degree[16].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does a dentist make in Texas?
The median pay for dentists in Texas was $162,360 a year in May 2025[1]. The average was $178,360 a year[7].
How much does a dentist make an hour in Texas?
The median hourly wage for dentists in Texas was $78.06[1]. The average was $85.75 an hour[7].
Which city in Texas pays dentists the most?
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos had the highest median annual wage for dentists, at $188,190[10]. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, the metro with the most dentist jobs, had a median of $179,990[11].
Is Texas a good state for dentists?
Texas ranked 35th out of 47 states for median dentist pay[5]. Its median was 5.0% lower than the US median[6].
What do you need to become a dentist in Texas?
This is a US figure, not a Texas one. Across the US, the typical path into the job starts with a doctoral or professional degree, with no related work experience or on-the-job training needed[16].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Dentists, General in Texas was $162,360 per year and $78.06 per hour. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Dentists, General in Texas: 10th percentile $83,990, 25th percentile $119,990, 75th percentile $216,390, 90th percentile $308,220. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less, the 90th means 10% earned more. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Dentists, General in the US as a whole was $170,950 per year and $82.19 per hour, with about 124,390 jobs nationwide. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 8,920 people worked as Dentists, General in Texas (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: Texas had the 35th highest median annual wage for Dentists, General out of the 47 states with a published median. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Dentists, General in Texas ($162,360) was $8,590 (5.0%) lower than the US median ($170,950). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Dentists, General in Texas was $178,360 per year and $85.75 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in Texas was $48,620. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Dentists, General in Texas was $113,740 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($48,620). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 20 metro areas in or partly in Texas with a published median for Dentists, General, Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX had the highest median annual wage, $188,190. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Dentists, General in the US: 10th percentile $86,250, 25th percentile $125,710, 75th percentile $224,040, 90th percentile $319,630. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Dentists, General in states that border Texas (highest first): Arkansas $178,930; Louisiana $170,750; Oklahoma $166,170; New Mexico $155,260. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state): employment of Dentists, General is projected to grow 5.7% nationwide from 2025 to 2035, with about 4,200 openings a year on average. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%. BLS Employment Projections
  16. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state), typical path into Dentists, General: education needed for entry: Doctoral or professional degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections

State figures cover only Texas. Job outlook and entry requirements are national (US) figures: BLS does not publish them by state in our sources. Figures labelled “CareerFacts calculation” are simple differences between the BLS numbers shown.