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Salary comparison

Dentists, General vs. Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses: Who Earns More?

Dentists, General out-earn Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses by $107K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Dentists, General land at $170,950 and Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses at $64,400. The education gap is real: dentists, general programs typically require doctoral or professional degree, while licensed practical and licensed vocational nurse programs require postsecondary nondegree award. Top-paying state for Dentists, General is Alaska ($230,990); for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses it's Washington ($83,150).

Dentists, General
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
Median salary
$170,950
$64,400
Hourly rate
$82.19/hr
$30.96/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$86,250
$49,740
Senior level (90th %)
$319,630
$83,440
Education required
Doctoral or professional degree
Postsecondary nondegree award
U.S. employment
124,390
648,410
Job growth (10-year)
4.1%
2.6%
Category
Healthcare
Healthcare
Top-paying state
Alaska
Washington

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Dentists, General median pay.

State
Dentists, General
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
Alaska
$230,990
$80,800
Oregon
$211,690
$80,470
Maine
$209,200
$73,200
Arizona
$194,180
$77,070
Massachusetts
$181,600
$80,220
New Hampshire
$177,480
$77,110
New Jersey
$171,330
$75,160
Washington
$169,730
$83,150
Maryland
$168,500
$74,660
Colorado
$166,240
$73,880
California
$165,950
$79,750
Nevada
$162,200
$76,160
Rhode Island
$161,560
$80,090
Connecticut
$160,440
$73,690
Illinois
$156,110
$75,000

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Dentists, General or Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses?

Dentists, General earn more nationally. The median is $170,950 for Dentists, General versus $64,400 for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses, a difference of $107K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Dentists, General or Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses?

Dentists, General has the better 10-year outlook at 4.1% projected growth, compared to 2.6% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Dentists, General or Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses?

Dentists, General typically requires doctoral or professional degree. Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses requires postsecondary nondegree award. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Dentists, General get paid the most?

Alaska is the top-paying state for Dentists, General at $230,990/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Dentists, General vs. Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In Alaska, Dentists, General earn $230,990 vs. $80,800 for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Dentists, General salary breakdownView →Full Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses salary breakdownView →Best cities for Dentists, General by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses by take-home payExplore →How to become a dentists, generalGuide →How to become a licensed practical and licensed vocational nursesGuide →