Dentists, General Salary
The median pay for a dentists, general in Columbus, OH is $166,180/year ($79.89/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $64K at the entry level to $307K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 95.47), that's roughly $174,065 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,430/month, or 14.2% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $166K get you in Columbus?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Columbus’s Regional Price Parity (95.47). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About dentists, generals
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What this looks like in Columbus
Dentists, general pay in Columbus tracks closely to the national median, $166K locally vs. $171K nationwide, a 3% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,430/month, 14.3% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 95.47) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for dentists, generals in metros near Columbus, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Cleveland | $155K | $165K |
| Cincinnati | $206K | $216K |
| Akron | $163K | $175K |
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek | $182K | $196K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Columbus, OH
Entry-level dentists, generals (10th percentile) start around $64K. Mid-career wages sit at $166K. Top earners bring in $307K or more, a $243K spread from bottom to top.
Dentists, General pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Dentists, General salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $231K | +35% | 310 |
| North Dakota | $221K | +29% | 260 |
| Minnesota | $219K | +28% | 2,370 |
| Tennessee | $215K | +26% | 2,200 |
| Oregon | $212K | +24% | 1,660 |
| Maine | $209K | +22% | 310 |
| North Carolina | $207K | +21% | 4,140 |
| Georgia | $207K | +21% | 2,620 |
| Vermont | $205K | +20% | 240 |
| Missouri | $205K | +20% | 2,440 |
| Virginia | $197K | +15% | 4,140 |
| Arizona | $194K | +14% | 3,470 |
| Wisconsin | $194K | +13% | 2,560 |
| New York | $183K | +7% | 7,340 |
| Massachusetts | $182K | +6% | 2,780 |
| Iowa | $182K | +6% | 1,240 |
| Nebraska | $180K | +5% | 790 |
| Arkansas | $179K | +5% | 1,210 |
| New Hampshire | $177K | +4% | 500 |
| Florida | $175K | +2% | 9,320 |
| New Jersey | $171K | +0% | 2,980 |
| Louisiana | $171K | -0% | 1,500 |
| West Virginia | $170K | -0% | 420 |
| Michigan | $170K | -1% | 3,620 |
| Washington | $170K | -1% | 3,240 |
| Maryland | $169K | -1% | 2,100 |
| Hawaii | $168K | -2% | 830 |
| Ohio | $167K | -2% | 2,790 |
| Montana | $167K | -2% | 380 |
| Indiana | $167K | -3% | 2,300 |
| Colorado | $166K | -3% | 2,940 |
| Oklahoma | $166K | -3% | 980 |
| California | $166K | -3% | 16,770 |
| Pennsylvania | $163K | -4% | 4,460 |
| Texas | $162K | -5% | 8,920 |
| Nevada | $162K | -5% | 1,100 |
| Rhode Island | $162K | -5% | 360 |
| Connecticut | $160K | -6% | 1,950 |
| South Carolina | $159K | -7% | 2,140 |
| South Dakota | $158K | -7% | 390 |
| Illinois | $156K | -9% | 6,940 |
| New Mexico | $155K | -9% | 780 |
| Mississippi | $144K | -16% | 740 |
| Kentucky | $134K | -22% | 790 |
| Utah | $133K | -22% | 1,020 |
| Idaho | $124K | -27% | 650 |
| Wyoming | $124K | -28% | 240 |
Showing 1–10 of 47 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track dentists, general salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Columbus numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a dentists, general afford a 2BR apartment alone in Columbus?
Yes — at the median salary of $166K, rent takes 14.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,430/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for dentists, generals in Columbus?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new dentists, generals typically earn — is $64K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,846/month. At HUD’s $1,430/month FMR, rent would take 37% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is dentists, general a high-paying job in Columbus?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $166K locally vs. $171K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Columbus compare to the national average for dentists, generals?
Columbus pays $166K median vs. the U.S. average of $171K — that’s -3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 95.47), the purchasing-power equivalent is $174K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do dentists, generals make in Columbus, OH?
The median is $166,180 a year, that works out to about $80 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $64,100, and experienced dentists, generals can clear $306,960. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $166K enough to live in Columbus?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $9,996/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,430/month, which eats 14.3% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a dentists, general salary go in Columbus?
Columbus has a Regional Price Parity of 95.47 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median dentists, general salary is worth about $174,065 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do dentists, generals get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.