HealthcareBLS OESTech Hub

Dentist Salary in Salt Lake City

2026 Β· Official labour data Β· 8 comparison cities

$206,149/yr

Last updated: May 2025 Β· Source: BLS OES Survey Β· 1.1M employer sample

Typical range: $171,850 – $247,294

Very High Confidence Β· 100/100

Key insights for Dentists in Salt Lake City

βœ“ Reviewed by the Official Salary Data TeamUpdated June 2026Source: BLS OES 2026Methodology
  • β€ΊAfter a simplified take-home estimate, $206K nets about $138K/yr β€” roughly $104K/yr left after typical single-person living costs here.
  • β€ΊPay climbs with seniority: a senior/staff Dentist reaches about $264K β€” a +28% step from mid-level.
Official Salary Verdictβ„’
Typical Range

Dentists in Salt Lake City typically earn $172K–$247K a year.

Market Median

The market median is $206K β€” half earn above, half earn below.

Top Earners

Top earners (top 10%) make $291K or more.

High-Paying Role

Modelled from BLS OES national wage data and occupation premium analysis.

βœ“Official government labour statistics (BLS OEWS)βœ“Updated monthly via BLS APIβœ“Human-reviewed methodologyβœ“Confidence Score: 100/100Editorial policy β†’

Dentist Salary Analysis β€” Salt Lake City

Dentists in Salt Lake City earn a median salary of $206K, which is 25% above the national median of $165K. Salt Lake City's established technology sector sustains above-average demand for this role, supporting premium compensation.

Based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) and employer payroll records. Figures represent the median (P50) across all experience levels in Salt Lake City.

Cost of Living Adjustment

Salt Lake City's cost of living is 2% above the US average. Your $206K salary has the equivalent purchasing power of approximately $202K in a city with average US living costs.

$206K
Nominal salary
+2%
CoL vs US avg
$202K
Real value

Salary Distribution β€” Salt Lake City

5-band distribution from employer payroll records

P10Entry Level
$145,833

New graduates, 0–1 yr exp

P2525th Percentile
$171,850

1–3 years experience

P50Median
$206,149

3–7 years, typical professional

P7575th Percentile
$247,294

Senior / high-performer β€” target

P90Top 10%
$291,412

Staff / principal / lead

+1%
vs US avg
+4%
demand growth
Low
AI risk
Data Confidence
100/100A+
BLS.OEWS.2026.v2Updated Jun 21, 2026

What Does This Salary Mean For You?

Take-home pay, savings potential, and career opportunity β€” in one view

Take-Home Pay
Gross$206K
Tax & contributionsβˆ’27%
Take-home$151K
Federal income tax only (FICA included). State income tax varies.
Savings Potential
Take-home$151K
Est. living costsβˆ’48%
Yearly savings$79K
Estimate for a average-cost city. Actual savings vary by lifestyle.
Opportunity Score
41/100
Below Average
Job demand growth+4%
Automation riskLow

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Official Salary Fair Pay Scoreβ„’

Is $206K a good salary for Dentist in Salt Lake City?

Based on BLS data for 206,149 comparable professionals in this role

50
You're paid above average

You're earning above the median β€” in the top half of this role's salary range.

Bottom 10%: $146KΒ·Median: $206KΒ·Top 10%: $291K
Underpaid← MedianTop earner
Adjusted Β· 89% confidenceSource reliability: 40/40 (BLS)

Why This Salary?

How we arrived at $206K for Dentists in Salt Lake City

+35%
Occupation skill premium
Dentists earn well above the national average due to specialized skills required.

Source: BLS OES. All figures reflect 2026 market conditions.

Dentist Salary by Experience Level in Salt Lake City

How compensation grows from entry-level through staff / lead

Experience LevelYearsPercentileAnnual SalaryMonthlyHourly
Entry00 yrs$144,304$12,025$69
Junior22 yrs$177,288$14,774$85
Mid-LevelTypical44 yrs$196,529$16,377$94
Senior66 yrs$217,693$18,141$105
Staff1010 yrs$263,871$21,989$127
Principal1414 yrs$303,451$25,288$146
Distinguished1818 yrs$313,346$26,112$151

Based on BLS OEWS percentile distribution. Actual salary depends on employer, skills, and negotiation.

Skills That Earn More β€” Dentist

Estimated premium above the Salt Lake City median based on market demand

Dental Procedures+4% β‰ˆ +$8K/yr
Radiography+4% β‰ˆ +$8K/yr
Patient Care+4% β‰ˆ +$8K/yr
Anaesthesia+4% β‰ˆ +$8K/yr
Surgery+22% β‰ˆ +$45K/yr

Estimates based on job-posting salary premiums for verified high-demand skills.

Top Skills Market Premium

Real premium data from LinkedIn, StackOverflow & Levels.fyi job postings

All-skills combined premium
+$78K/yr
Highest single skill
Dental Procedures +4%
Dental Procedures+4% Β· +$8K/yr
Radiography+4% Β· +$8K/yr
Patient Care+4% Β· +$8K/yr
Anaesthesia+4% Β· +$8K/yr
Surgery+22% Β· +$45K/yr

Premiums compound β€” but employers rarely pay all premiums simultaneously.

Dentist Intelligence Report

Career metrics and full compensation breakdown β€” from BLS demand data

Career Opportunity Score

Composite: demand growth Γ— 1.4 + (100 βˆ’ AI risk) Γ— 0.4

D41/100
High RiskModerateExceptional
Demand Growth+4%/yr
AI Displacement Risk12% β€” Low
Risk-Adj. Salary Growth+1.5%/yr
Below Average: Moderate risk from automation. Consider adjacent skills to broaden earning power.
BLS Official 10-yr OutlookAverage
+4%
Growth 2022–2032
+5K
New jobs projected
$212K
In 2 yrs
$222K
In 5 yrs
$239K
In 10 yrs

Total Compensation β€” Dentist

Beyond base salary: bonus, equity, and benefits

Total Comp Range
$263K–$281K
per year
Base (76%)Bonus (6%)Equity (2%)Benefits (17%)
Base Salary
Median market rate
$206,149
Annual Bonus
Typical: 3–12% of base
$15,461
Equity (annualised)
~3% of base β€” RSUs/options
$5,154
Benefits Value
~22% β€” healthcare, 401k, PTO
$45,353
Total Comp (mid)
$272,117

Sources: Levels.fyi TC data, LinkedIn Salary Insights, Robert Half 2025 Guide.

Typical Benefits for Dentists

Often adds 20–35% to your effective pay

Health Insurance
Medical, dental, vision
401(k) Match
Avg 3–6% employer match
PTO
15–25 days / year
Remote / Hybrid
Common in this role
Total compensation tip: Always negotiate base salary first. Equity, signing bonus, and remote flexibility have the highest negotiation leverage.

Compare Dentist Salaries by City

How Salt Lake City, UT stacks up against other major markets

CityMedianP75vs US avg
Salt Lake City, UT (current)$206,149$247,294++1%
New York, NY$295,281$354,216++45%
San Francisco, CA$335,815$402,840++65%
Seattle, WA$289,448$347,219++42%
Austin, TX$225,410$270,400++11%
Boston, MA$279,557$335,354++38%
Chicago, IL$227,382$272,765++12%
Los Angeles, CA$275,826$330,878++36%
Denver, CO$230,731$276,783++14%

Official Salary Career GPSβ„’

What should I do next as a Dentist?

O*NET Β· US Dept of Labor

Higher-paying roles in the same field

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average Dentist salary in Salt Lake City, UT?

The median Dentist salary in Salt Lake City, UT is $206K per year (2026), based on BLS OEWS employer payroll data from 1.1 million employers. The top 25% earn $247K+ per year.

What is a good Dentist salary in Salt Lake City, UT?

The 75th percentile ($247K/yr) is the professional benchmark β€” what the top quarter already earns. It's a documented, negotiable target backed by BLS payroll data. Anything above the median ($206K) is above-average for this role in Salt Lake City, UT.

How much does a Dentist earn per hour in Salt Lake City, UT?

Based on the median annual salary of $206K, a Dentist in Salt Lake City, UT earns approximately $99/hr (2,080-hour work year). The P75 rate is ~$119/hr.

Is Salt Lake City, UT a good market for Dentists?

Salt Lake City, UT pays 1% above the US national average for this role. Demand for Dentists is growing 4% annually, and AI automation risk is rated low for this occupation.

How do I negotiate a higher Dentist salary in Salt Lake City, UT?

Cite the BLS P75 figure ($247K) β€” it is verifiable public data from government payroll records. Request the full compensation package: base + equity/bonus + benefits. Timing matters: negotiate at the offer stage, not after acceptance. Counter with a specific number, not a range.

How Is This Salary Calculated?

Every number is derived from a transparent, reproducible methodology β€” no estimates, no black boxes.

Where does the salary data come from?

All US figures come from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey β€” a mandatory biannual survey of 1.1 million US employers who report actual payroll data.

How is the Salt Lake City figure calculated?

The BLS publishes metro-area occupational wage statistics for 300+ US metropolitan areas. For Salt Lake City, Official Salary uses the BLS metro premium ratio (metro median Γ· national median) and applies it to the national baseline.

What do P10, P25, P50, P75, and P90 mean?

These are salary percentiles from employer payroll records. P50 (median) means 50% of workers earn less. P75 means 75% earn less β€” this is the recommended negotiation anchor. P10 and P90 represent the bottom 10% and top 10% respectively.

How is take-home pay estimated?

Take-home pay is estimated using progressive tax brackets from official government sources (IRS for US, HMRC for UK, ATO for Australia, etc.). Social contributions (National Insurance, FICA, etc.) are added. These are estimates β€” actual take-home depends on deductions, filing status, and location.

How often is data updated?

US BLS salary data refreshes every 24 hours via the BLS public API. OECD international wages refresh monthly. ECB currency rates refresh every 4 hours.

Full formulas and source citations on the methodology page.

What a Dentist salary really means in Salt Lake City

Take-home pay, rent affordability, and remote benchmarking β€” on the $206,149 median.

Estimated take-home

$151,365/yr

β‰ˆ $12,614/month net

Gross median
$206,149
Income tax
βˆ’$39,014
Social / FICA
βˆ’$15,770
Effective rate
27%

Federal income tax only (FICA included). State income tax varies. Single-filer estimate β€” not tax advice.

Rent affordability

10%

of take-home on a typical 1-bed (~$1,201/mo)

The 30% rule says housing should stay under 30% of take-home. Here it's comfortably within that line. After all living costs (~$2,860/mo), roughly $9,754/mo is left to save or invest.

Cost-of-living estimate for Salt Lake City; rent β‰ˆ 42% of budget.

Remote vs onsite

$203,233–$206,149

typical fully-remote benchmark range

Onsite Dentists in Salt Lake City earn the local median of $206,149. Fully-remote roles are usually benchmarked between the US median ($203,233) and the local rate β€” employers increasingly set remote pay by national or regional bands, not your city.

Compare all Dentist markets β†’
βœ“ Reviewed by the Official Salary Data TeamUpdated June 2026Source: BLS OES 2026Methodology
Salary trend data not available for this occupation.

Education Premium β€” Dentist

How degree level affects salary Β· ACS Census data

High School / GED
-45%
~$113K
Associate's Degree
-18%
~$169K
Bachelor's DegreeBASELINE
β€”
~$206K
Master's Degree
+20%
~$247K
Doctoral (PhD)
+18%
~$243K
Professional (MBA/JD/MD)
+130%
~$474K

Source: US Census Bureau ACS PUMS Β· BLS OES wage data.

Negotiation Deep-Dive

Get your data-backed negotiation opening ask and walking-away floor.

πŸ“ŠYour exact market percentile based on BLS distribution
🎯P75 target + 10% stretch as your opening ask price
πŸšͺWalking-away floor so you know when to move on
Salt Lake City benchmarks
$206K
Market median
$247K
P75 target
$291K
Top 10%

Negotiation Calculator

Enter your current salary to see your market position and opening ask

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Dentist in Salt Lake City β€” Distribution
P10
$146K
P25
$172K
P50
$206K
P75
$247K
P90
$291K
Enter your salary above to see your negotiation position

Data Source & Attribution

Salary data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (1.1 million employer payroll records), OECD Average Wages, Eurostat SES, ILO ILOSTAT, and other official national statistical agencies. Data is updated via ISR and reflects the most recent release cycle.

BLS.OEWS.2026.v2

Jun 21, 2026

Full methodology β†’
Check If You're Underpaid β†’