Dental Salaries in Kalamazoo, Michigan

Dentist: a median of $187,770 a year ($90.27 an hour) in BLS's May 2025 estimate. BLS rates the Kalamazoo dentist wage estimate at ±10.3%. Treat the Kalamazoo dentist figure as a rough signal, not a market rate.

Dental Hygienist: a median of $79,670 a year ($38.30 an hour). That is $4,120 below the Michigan dental hygienist median of $83,790 and $18,430 below the national median of $98,100. It ranks 11th of the 15 Michigan metro areas where BLS publishes a dental hygienist median.

Dental Assistant: a median of $46,920 a year ($22.56 an hour). That is $1,900 below the Michigan dental assistant median of $48,820 and $1,150 below the national median of $48,070. It ranks 7th of the 15 Michigan metro areas where BLS publishes a dental assistant median.

Dentist: the middle half of Kalamazoo dentists earn $167,740 to $337,990. The lowest-paid tenth earn under $124,960. The top tenth earn over $337,990. The gap between the two is $213,030.

Dental Hygienist: the middle half of Kalamazoo dental hygienists earn $78,640 to $93,860. The lowest-paid tenth earn under $75,430 (against $77,230 statewide and $74,880 nationally). The top tenth earn over $99,400 (against $96,970 statewide and $126,050 nationally). The gap between the two is $23,970.

Dental Assistant: the middle half of Kalamazoo dental assistants earn $44,800 to $48,920. The lowest-paid tenth earn under $35,890 (against $37,110 statewide and $37,130 nationally). The top tenth earn over $57,570 (against $58,900 statewide and $62,250 nationally). The gap between the two is $21,680.

The Bureau of Economic Analysis puts the Kalamazoo metro's 2024 price level at 94.8 (U.S. = 100), so prices overall run 5.2% below the national average, and housing costs (index 81.6) run 18.4% below. Michigan as a whole sits at 96.2.

Converted to national average prices:

• Dentist: $187,770 here buys about what $197,990 buys at national average prices (low-reliability estimate).
• Dental Hygienist: $79,670 here buys about what $84,000 buys at national average prices — $14,100 below the national median of $98,100.
• Dental Assistant: $46,920 here buys about what $49,470 buys at national average prices — $1,400 above the national median of $48,070.

Dentists: about 90 jobs in the metro, or 0.743 per 1,000 jobs of all kinds. Dentists hold a 7% smaller share of local jobs than nationally (location quotient 0.93).

Dental Hygienists: about 250 jobs in the metro, or 2.091 per 1,000 jobs of all kinds. Dental hygienists hold a 46% larger share of local jobs than nationally (location quotient 1.46).

Dental Assistants: about 280 jobs in the metro, or 2.283 per 1,000 jobs of all kinds. Dental assistants hold an 8% smaller share of local jobs than nationally (location quotient 0.92).

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: Battle Creek (27 mi) pays $148,460, South Bend, Indiana (44 mi) pays $173,140 and Elkhart, Indiana (48 mi) pays $168,030.

Dental Hygienist: Battle Creek (27 mi) pays $79,700, South Bend, Indiana (44 mi) pays $82,650 and Elkhart, Indiana (48 mi) pays $92,050. Kalamazoo's $79,670 is below all 3.

Dental Assistant: Battle Creek (27 mi) pays $44,860, South Bend, Indiana (44 mi) pays $47,770 and Elkhart, Indiana (48 mi) pays $52,830. Kalamazoo's $46,920 is below 2 of the 3.