Dental Salaries in Ann Arbor, Michigan

Dentist: a median of $174,870 a year ($84.07 an hour) in BLS's May 2025 estimate. BLS rates the Ann Arbor dentist wage estimate at ±11.1%. Treat the Ann Arbor dentist figure as a rough signal, not a market rate.

Dental Hygienist: a median of $91,900 a year ($44.18 an hour). That is $8,110 above the Michigan dental hygienist median of $83,790 and $6,200 below the national median of $98,100. It ranks 1st of the 15 Michigan metro areas where BLS publishes a dental hygienist median.

Dental Lab Technician: a median of $61,370 a year ($29.51 an hour). That is $11,800 above the Michigan dental lab technician median of $49,570 and $11,760 above the national median of $49,610. It ranks 1st of the 4 Michigan metro areas where BLS publishes a dental lab technician median.

Dental Assistant: a median of $53,370 a year ($25.66 an hour). That is $4,550 above the Michigan dental assistant median of $48,820 and $5,300 above the national median of $48,070. It ranks 2nd of the 15 Michigan metro areas where BLS publishes a dental assistant median.

Dentist: the middle half of Ann Arbor dentists earn $74,810 to $335,380. The lowest-paid tenth earn under $62,090. The top tenth earn over $431,520. The gap between the two is $369,430.

Dental Hygienist: the middle half of Ann Arbor dental hygienists earn $80,030 to $92,510. The lowest-paid tenth earn under $74,000 (against $77,230 statewide and $74,880 nationally). The top tenth earn over $99,700 (against $96,970 statewide and $126,050 nationally). The gap between the two is $25,700.

Dental Lab Technician: the middle half of Ann Arbor dental lab technicians earn $45,760 to $71,810. The lowest-paid tenth earn under $39,010 (against $37,560 statewide and $36,660 nationally). The top tenth earn over $82,310 (against $77,420 statewide and $76,940 nationally). The gap between the two is $43,300.

Dental Assistant: the middle half of Ann Arbor dental assistants earn $47,490 to $57,940. The lowest-paid tenth earn under $38,770 (against $37,110 statewide and $37,130 nationally). The top tenth earn over $58,720 (against $58,900 statewide and $62,250 nationally). The gap between the two is $19,950.

The Bureau of Economic Analysis puts the Ann Arbor metro's 2024 price level at 100.9 (U.S. = 100), so prices overall run 0.9% above the national average, and housing costs (index 125.3) run 25.3% above. Michigan as a whole sits at 96.2.

Converted to national average prices:

• Dentist: $174,870 here buys about what $173,340 buys at national average prices (low-reliability estimate).
• Dental Hygienist: $91,900 here buys about what $91,100 buys at national average prices — $7,000 below the national median of $98,100.
• Dental Lab Technician: $61,370 here buys about what $60,830 buys at national average prices — $11,220 above the national median of $49,610.
• Dental Assistant: $53,370 here buys about what $52,900 buys at national average prices — $4,830 above the national median of $48,070.

Dentists: about 190 jobs in the metro, or 0.85 per 1,000 jobs of all kinds. Dentists hold a 6% larger share of local jobs than nationally (location quotient 1.06).

Dental Hygienists: about 360 jobs in the metro, or 1.656 per 1,000 jobs of all kinds. Dental hygienists hold a 16% larger share of local jobs than nationally (location quotient 1.16).

Dental Lab Technicians: about 30 jobs in the metro, or 0.142 per 1,000 jobs of all kinds. Dental lab technicians hold a 36% smaller share of local jobs than nationally (location quotient 0.64). BLS rates this Ann Arbor count as imprecise (relative standard error 28.1%), so treat it as a rough size.

Dental Assistants: about 490 jobs in the metro, or 2.249 per 1,000 jobs of all kinds. Dental assistants hold a 10% smaller share of local jobs than nationally (location quotient 0.90).

The closest metro areas with their own salary page and a published median for each role (distance between metro centers, up to 250 miles).

Dentist: Detroit (46 mi) pays $167,860, Lansing (50 mi) pays $164,610 and Flint (54 mi) pays $177,720.

Dental Hygienist: Detroit (46 mi) pays $84,480, Lansing (50 mi) pays $90,710 and Flint (54 mi) pays $81,500. Ann Arbor's $91,900 is above all 3.

Dental Lab Technician: Detroit (46 mi) pays $55,170, Lansing (50 mi) pays $47,770 and Grand Rapids (108 mi) pays $45,220. Ann Arbor's $61,370 is above all 3.

Dental Assistant: Detroit (46 mi) pays $50,110, Lansing (50 mi) pays $56,150 and Flint (54 mi) pays $48,360. Ann Arbor's $53,370 is below 1 of the 3.