Dental Salaries in Raleigh, North Carolina

Dentist: a median of $207,380 a year ($99.70 an hour). That is $380 above the North Carolina dentist median of $207,000 and $36,430 above the national median of $170,950. It ranks 2nd of the 14 North Carolina metro areas where BLS publishes a dentist median.

Dental Hygienist: a median of $98,800 a year ($47.50 an hour). That is $950 above the North Carolina dental hygienist median of $97,850 and $700 above the national median of $98,100. It ranks 3rd of the 15 North Carolina metro areas where BLS publishes a dental hygienist median.

Dental Assistant: a median of $58,750 a year ($28.25 an hour). That is $8,370 above the North Carolina dental assistant median of $50,380 and $10,680 above the national median of $48,070. It ranks 1st of the 14 North Carolina metro areas where BLS publishes a dental assistant median.

Dental Lab Technician: a median of $51,110 a year ($24.57 an hour). That is $1,410 above the North Carolina dental lab technician median of $49,700 and $1,500 above the national median of $49,610. It ranks 1st of the 7 North Carolina metro areas where BLS publishes a dental lab technician median.

Dentist: the middle half of Raleigh dentists earn $167,110 to $315,460. The lowest-paid tenth earn under $132,880 (against $107,810 statewide and $86,250 nationally). The top tenth earn over $378,960 (against $337,630 statewide and $319,630 nationally). The gap between the two is $246,080.

Dental Hygienist: the middle half of Raleigh dental hygienists earn $97,680 to $103,040. The lowest-paid tenth earn under $74,940 (against $77,270 statewide and $74,880 nationally). The top tenth earn over $105,730 (against $103,850 statewide and $126,050 nationally). The gap between the two is $30,790.

Dental Assistant: the middle half of Raleigh dental assistants earn $50,580 to $60,680. The lowest-paid tenth earn under $40,410 (against $38,240 statewide and $37,130 nationally). The top tenth earn over $64,390 (against $60,200 statewide and $62,250 nationally). The gap between the two is $23,980.

Dental Lab Technician: the middle half of Raleigh dental lab technicians earn $38,340 to $61,500. The lowest-paid tenth earn under $36,580 (against $36,580 statewide and $36,660 nationally). The top tenth earn over $77,810 (against $75,660 statewide and $76,940 nationally). The gap between the two is $41,230.

The Bureau of Economic Analysis puts the Raleigh metro's 2024 price level at 98.2 (U.S. = 100), so prices overall run 1.8% below the national average, and housing costs (index 103.5) run 3.5% above. North Carolina as a whole sits at 94.3.

Converted to national average prices:

• Dentist: $207,380 here buys about what $211,270 buys at national average prices — $40,320 above the national median of $170,950.
• Dental Hygienist: $98,800 here buys about what $100,660 buys at national average prices — $2,560 above the national median of $98,100.
• Dental Assistant: $58,750 here buys about what $59,850 buys at national average prices — $11,780 above the national median of $48,070.
• Dental Lab Technician: $51,110 here buys about what $52,070 buys at national average prices — $2,460 above the national median of $49,610.

Dentists: about 1,000 jobs in the metro, or 1.35 per 1,000 jobs of all kinds. Dentists hold a 69% larger share of local jobs than nationally (location quotient 1.69).

Dental Hygienists: about 1,220 jobs in the metro, or 1.643 per 1,000 jobs of all kinds. Dental hygienists hold a 15% larger share of local jobs than nationally (location quotient 1.15).

Dental Assistants: about 1,850 jobs in the metro, or 2.492 per 1,000 jobs of all kinds. Dental assistants hold about the same share of local jobs as nationally (location quotient 1.00).

Dental Lab Technicians: about 100 jobs in the metro, or 0.133 per 1,000 jobs of all kinds. Dental lab technicians hold a 40% smaller share of local jobs than nationally (location quotient 0.60). BLS rates this Raleigh count as imprecise (relative standard error 39.1%), so treat it as a rough size.

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: Durham (39 mi) pays $208,490, Rocky Mount (39 mi) pays $161,810 and Burlington (56 mi) pays $166,330. Raleigh's $207,380 is below 1 of the 3.

Dental Hygienist: Durham (39 mi) pays $101,460, Rocky Mount (39 mi) pays $88,390 and Burlington (56 mi) pays $97,210. Raleigh's $98,800 is below 1 of the 3.

Dental Assistant: Durham (39 mi) pays $51,670, Rocky Mount (39 mi) pays $48,490 and Burlington (56 mi) pays $50,140. Raleigh's $58,750 is above all 3.

Dental Lab Technician: Greensboro (77 mi) pays $48,550, Winston (108 mi) pays $50,230 and Virginia Beach, Virginia (137 mi) pays $58,720. Raleigh's $51,110 is below 1 of the 3.