Dental Salaries in New Haven, Connecticut

Dentist: a median of $129,380 a year ($62.20 an hour) in BLS's May 2025 estimate. BLS rates the New Haven dentist wage estimate at ±11.3%. Treat the New Haven dentist figure as a rough signal, not a market rate.

Dental Hygienist: a median of $98,170 a year ($47.20 an hour). That is $2,520 below the Connecticut dental hygienist median of $100,690 and $70 above the national median of $98,100. It ranks 5th of the 5 Connecticut metro areas where BLS publishes a dental hygienist median.

Dental Assistant: a median of $56,650 a year ($27.24 an hour). That is $200 below the Connecticut dental assistant median of $56,850 and $8,580 above the national median of $48,070. It ranks 3rd of the 5 Connecticut metro areas where BLS publishes a dental assistant median.

Dentist: the middle half of New Haven dentists earn $103,430 to $198,130. The lowest-paid tenth earn under $49,850. The top tenth earn over $311,590. The gap between the two is $261,740.

Dental Hygienist: the middle half of New Haven dental hygienists earn $90,440 to $101,030. The lowest-paid tenth earn under $88,170 (against $87,190 statewide and $74,880 nationally). The top tenth earn over $102,650 (against $106,020 statewide and $126,050 nationally). The gap between the two is $14,480.

Dental Assistant: the middle half of New Haven dental assistants earn $50,560 to $58,910. The lowest-paid tenth earn under $40,270 (against $38,630 statewide and $37,130 nationally). The top tenth earn over $60,880 (against $60,900 statewide and $62,250 nationally). The gap between the two is $20,610.

The Bureau of Economic Analysis puts the New Haven metro's 2024 price level at 104.6 (U.S. = 100), so prices overall run 4.6% above the national average, and housing costs (index 124.3) run 24.3% above. Connecticut as a whole sits at 103.6.

Converted to national average prices:

• Dentist: $129,380 here buys about what $123,740 buys at national average prices (low-reliability estimate).
• Dental Hygienist: $98,170 here buys about what $93,890 buys at national average prices — $4,210 below the national median of $98,100.
• Dental Assistant: $56,650 here buys about what $54,180 buys at national average prices — $6,110 above the national median of $48,070.

Dentists: about 290 jobs in the metro, or 1.013 per 1,000 jobs of all kinds. Dentists hold a 27% larger share of local jobs than nationally (location quotient 1.27).

Dental Hygienists: about 470 jobs in the metro, or 1.664 per 1,000 jobs of all kinds. Dental hygienists hold a 16% larger share of local jobs than nationally (location quotient 1.16).

Dental Assistants: about 530 jobs in the metro, or 1.873 per 1,000 jobs of all kinds. Dental assistants hold a 25% smaller share of local jobs than nationally (location quotient 0.75).

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: Waterbury (20 mi) pays $174,370, Bridgeport (29 mi) pays $180,440 and Hartford (31 mi) pays $125,330.

Dental Hygienist: Waterbury (20 mi) pays $101,670, Bridgeport (29 mi) pays $103,390 and Hartford (31 mi) pays $98,950. New Haven's $98,170 is below all 3.

Dental Assistant: Waterbury (20 mi) pays $49,900, Bridgeport (29 mi) pays $57,770 and Hartford (31 mi) pays $56,160. New Haven's $56,650 is below 1 of the 3.