Dental Salaries in Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Dentist: a median of $185,430 a year ($89.15 an hour) in BLS's May 2025 estimate. BLS rates the Baton Rouge dentist wage estimate at ±12.9%. Treat the Baton Rouge dentist figure as a rough signal, not a market rate.

Dental Hygienist: a median of $92,700 a year ($44.57 an hour). That is $7,460 above the Louisiana dental hygienist median of $85,240 and $5,400 below the national median of $98,100. It ranks 2nd of the 10 Louisiana metro areas where BLS publishes a dental hygienist median.

Dental Assistant: a median of $44,800 a year ($21.54 an hour). That is $710 above the Louisiana dental assistant median of $44,090 and $3,270 below the national median of $48,070. It ranks 5th of the 10 Louisiana metro areas where BLS publishes a dental assistant median.

Dental Lab Technician: a median of $40,060 a year ($19.26 an hour). That is $1,570 above the Louisiana dental lab technician median of $38,490 and $9,550 below the national median of $49,610. It ranks 2nd of the 3 Louisiana metro areas where BLS publishes a dental lab technician median.

Dentist: the middle half of Baton Rouge dentists earn $102,310 to $269,700. The lowest-paid tenth earn under $73,240. The top tenth earn over $318,180. The gap between the two is $244,940.

Dental Hygienist: the middle half of Baton Rouge dental hygienists earn $82,510 to $95,900. The lowest-paid tenth earn under $78,500 (against $49,900 statewide and $74,880 nationally). The top tenth earn over $95,980 (against $98,330 statewide and $126,050 nationally). The gap between the two is $17,480.

Dental Assistant: the middle half of Baton Rouge dental assistants earn $36,760 to $46,280. The lowest-paid tenth earn under $36,040 (against $31,050 statewide and $37,130 nationally). The top tenth earn over $48,540 (against $49,640 statewide and $62,250 nationally). The gap between the two is $12,500.

Dental Lab Technician: the middle half of Baton Rouge dental lab technicians earn $38,250 to $62,180. The lowest-paid tenth earn under $30,850 (against $23,850 statewide and $36,660 nationally). The top tenth earn over $68,220 (against $71,320 statewide and $76,940 nationally). The gap between the two is $37,370.

The Bureau of Economic Analysis puts the Baton Rouge metro's 2024 price level at 90.8 (U.S. = 100), so prices overall run 9.2% below the national average, and housing costs (index 74.2) run 25.8% below. Louisiana as a whole sits at 88.2.

Converted to national average prices:

• Dentist: $185,430 here buys about what $204,260 buys at national average prices (low-reliability estimate).
• Dental Hygienist: $92,700 here buys about what $102,120 buys at national average prices — $4,020 above the national median of $98,100.
• Dental Assistant: $44,800 here buys about what $49,350 buys at national average prices — $1,280 above the national median of $48,070.
• Dental Lab Technician: $40,060 here buys about what $44,130 buys at national average prices — $5,480 below the national median of $49,610.

Dentists: about 430 jobs in the metro, or 1.04 per 1,000 jobs of all kinds. Dentists hold a 30% larger share of local jobs than nationally (location quotient 1.30).

Dental Hygienists: about 410 jobs in the metro, or 1.007 per 1,000 jobs of all kinds. Dental hygienists hold a 30% smaller share of local jobs than nationally (location quotient 0.70).

Dental Assistants: about 950 jobs in the metro, or 2.331 per 1,000 jobs of all kinds. Dental assistants hold a 7% smaller share of local jobs than nationally (location quotient 0.93).

Dental Lab Technicians: about 40 jobs in the metro, or 0.104 per 1,000 jobs of all kinds. Dental lab technicians hold a 53% smaller share of local jobs than nationally (location quotient 0.47).

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: Lafayette (70 mi) pays $171,860, Slidell (70 mi) pays $181,080 and Hattiesburg, Mississippi (122 mi) pays $132,390.

Dental Hygienist: Lafayette (70 mi) pays $81,900, Slidell (70 mi) pays $85,920 and Hattiesburg, Mississippi (122 mi) pays $65,360. Baton Rouge's $92,700 is above all 3.

Dental Assistant: Lafayette (70 mi) pays $44,940, Slidell (70 mi) pays $45,020 and Hattiesburg, Mississippi (122 mi) pays $38,190. Baton Rouge's $44,800 is below 2 of the 3.

Dental Lab Technician: New Orleans (126 mi) pays $54,170, Jackson, Mississippi (144 mi) pays $50,430 and Mobile, Alabama (175 mi) pays $45,000. Baton Rouge's $40,060 is below all 3.