by our College Data Analytics Team
[Dentistry](/majors/health-care-professions/dentistry/) is a field where your choice of school can shape what you earn after graduation. The schools below stand out for the salaries their dentistry graduates go on to command.
College Factual analyzed 58 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the highest-paying dentistry schools.
What’s on this page:
The dentistry program you select can have a big impact on your future earnings. To help, we created our Highest Paid Dentistry Graduates ranking. We rank each school on the early-career earnings of its dentistry graduates to surface the highest-paying programs.
Read more about our methodology
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we offer several rankings, including this Highest Paid Dentistry Graduates list, to help you choose. More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this list by region or state.
Want to compare schools head to head? Try our College Combat tool to weigh the factors that matter most to you.
If you want to know which schools send dentistry graduates into the highest-paying careers, see the list below.
Leading the list is University Of Alabama At Birmingham, our #1 for dentistry graduate salaries in the United States. Set in the city of Birmingham, University Of Alabama At Birmingham is a public institution. Dentistry graduates of University Of Alabama At Birmingham earn a median of about $171,066 a year early in their careers.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville produces some of the highest-paid graduates in dentistry, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the suburb of Edwardsville, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is a public institution. Early-career dentistry graduates from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville make a median of around $184,203 per year.
A rank of #3 makes Oregon Health And Science University one of the highest-paying schools for dentistry. Oregon Health And Science University is a public school located in the city of Portland. After graduating, dentistry degree recipients from Oregon Health And Science University typically earn about $178,773 annually.
Marquette University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying dentistry schools. Marquette University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Milwaukee. Students who complete the dentistry program here go on to a median salary of roughly $195,870.
A rank of #5 makes University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill one of the highest-paying schools for dentistry. University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill is a public school located in the city of Chapel Hill. Students who complete the dentistry program here go on to a median salary of roughly $187,283.
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East Carolina University came in at #6 for dentistry graduate earnings this year. East Carolina University is a public school located in the city of Greenville. Students who complete the dentistry program here go on to a median salary of roughly $199,571.
University Of Florida earned the #7 position for dentistry graduate earnings this year. University Of Florida is a public school located in the city of Gainesville. Students who complete the dentistry program here go on to a median salary of roughly $181,489.
University Of Minnesota Twin Cities placed #8 among the highest-paying schools for dentistry. Set in the city of Minneapolis, University Of Minnesota Twin Cities is a public institution. After graduating, dentistry degree recipients from University Of Minnesota Twin Cities typically earn about $166,279 annually.
University Of Missouri Kansas City ranked #9 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying dentistry schools. University Of Missouri Kansas City is a public school located in the city of Kansas City. Dentistry graduates of University Of Missouri Kansas City earn a median of about $167,251 a year early in their careers.
University Of Iowa came in at #10 for dentistry graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of Iowa City, University Of Iowa is a public institution. Early-career dentistry graduates from University Of Iowa make a median of around $165,250 per year.
University Of Kentucky ranked #11 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying dentistry schools. Set in the city of Lexington, University Of Kentucky is a public institution. Early-career dentistry graduates from University Of Kentucky make a median of around $185,046 per year.
Augusta University placed #12 among the highest-paying schools for dentistry. Set in the city of Augusta, Augusta University is a public institution. Dentistry graduates of Augusta University earn a median of about $150,706 a year early in their careers.
Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis placed #13 among the highest-paying schools for dentistry. Located in the city of Indianapolis, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis is a public institution. Dentistry graduates of Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis earn a median of about $170,459 a year early in their careers.
University Of Nebraska Medical Center placed #14 among the highest-paying schools for dentistry. University Of Nebraska Medical Center is a public school located in the city of Omaha. After graduating, dentistry degree recipients from University Of Nebraska Medical Center typically earn about $169,043 annually.
Ohio State University Main Campus placed #15 among the highest-paying schools for dentistry. Set in the city of Columbus, Ohio State University Main Campus is a public institution. After graduating, dentistry degree recipients from Ohio State University Main Campus typically earn about $171,323 annually.
University Of Louisville ranked #16 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying dentistry schools. Set in the city of Louisville, University Of Louisville is a public institution. Students who complete the dentistry program here go on to a median salary of roughly $169,952.
Lake Erie College Of Osteopathic Medicine placed #17 among the highest-paying schools for dentistry. Located in the city of Erie, Lake Erie College Of Osteopathic Medicine is a private not-for-profit institution. Dentistry graduates of Lake Erie College Of Osteopathic Medicine earn a median of about $157,591 a year early in their careers.
University Of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center ranked #18 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying dentistry schools. Set in the city of Oklahoma City, University Of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center is a public institution. Dentistry graduates of University Of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center earn a median of about $163,161 a year early in their careers.
A T Still University Of Health Sciences earned the #19 position for dentistry graduate earnings this year. A T Still University Of Health Sciences is a private not-for-profit school located in the town of Kirksville. After graduating, dentistry degree recipients from A T Still University Of Health Sciences typically earn about $150,378 annually.
University Of Washington Seattle Campus ranked #20 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying dentistry schools. University Of Washington Seattle Campus is a public school located in the city of Seattle. After graduating, dentistry degree recipients from University Of Washington Seattle Campus typically earn about $159,958 annually.
Creighton University ranked #21 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying dentistry schools. Set in the city of Omaha, Creighton University is a private not-for-profit institution. Students who complete the dentistry program here go on to a median salary of roughly $152,982.
University Of Detroit Mercy ranked #22 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying dentistry schools. Set in the city of Detroit, University Of Detroit Mercy is a private not-for-profit institution. After graduating, dentistry degree recipients from University Of Detroit Mercy typically earn about $154,510 annually.
The University Of Tennessee Health Science Center placed #23 among the highest-paying schools for dentistry. The University Of Tennessee Health Science Center is a public school located in the city of Memphis. After graduating, dentistry degree recipients from The University Of Tennessee Health Science Center typically earn about $162,936 annually.
University Of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus came in at #24 for dentistry graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of Pittsburgh, University Of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus is a public institution. Students who complete the dentistry program here go on to a median salary of roughly $189,847.
University Of Colorado Denver earned the #25 position for dentistry graduate earnings this year. University Of Colorado Denver is a public school located in the city of Denver. Early-career dentistry graduates from University Of Colorado Denver make a median of around $150,043 per year.
These schools rounded out the top of this year’s highest-paid dentistry ranking:
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The ranking above is published by College Factual, 2026 edition. The methodology measures the salaries dentistry graduates go on to earn early in their careers, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 58 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
