by our College Data Analytics TeamDentistry was the 105th most popular major in the 2020-2021 school year. Colleges in the United States reported awarding 6,770 degrees in this year alone. This is a difference of 156 over the prior year, a growth of 2.3%.
This year's Best Dentistry Schools ranking compares 64 of them to identify the best overall programs in the country. Explore this or one of our many other custom dentistry rankings further below.
One of the most important skills you will need for a career in dentistry is understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents. Talking to others to convey information effectively and using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems are all required skills for careers related to this major.
A high school diploma or equivalent is typically required for most dentistry degree programs and many students will need a minimum GPA and SAT/ACT score depending on the school. Once you obtain your degree, additional dentistry certifications required to pursue a career in this field.
Dentistry degree levels vary. You can spend many years getting as high as a in dentistry to something that takes less time like a . Different dentistry degrees vary in how long they take.
| Degree | Credit Requirements | Typical Program Length |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 60-70 credits | 2 years |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 120 credits | 4 years |
| Master’s Degree | 50-70 credits | 1-3 years |
| Doctorate | Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation | At least 4 years |
A doctor's degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to dentistry, with approximately 53.2% of workers getting one. People currently working in careers related to dentistry tend obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Doctoral Degree | 58.2% |
| Master’s Degree | 18.4% |
| Post-Doctoral Training | 8.0% |
| Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 5.2% |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 5.2% |
62.7% of dentistry workers have at least a doctorate. See the chart below for the most common degree level workers in dentistry have received.
This of course varies depending on which dentistry career you choose.
Want a job when you graduate with your dentistry degree? Dentistry careers are expected to grow 23.5% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to dentistry.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Health Specialties Professors | 294,000 | 25.9% |
| Dentists | 158,500 | 19.4% |
Dentistry graduates between 2017-2019 reported earning an average of $104,238 in the 2019-2020 timeframe. Earnings can range from as low as $62,815 to as high as $232,029. As you might expect, salaries for dentistry graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for dentistry graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers dentistry grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Dentists | $175,840 |
| Health Specialties Professors | $122,320 |
With over 71 different dentistry degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased dentistry school rankings to help you with this.
Dentistry is one of 30 different types of Health Professions programs to choose from.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Nursing | 322,592 |
| Health & Medical Administrative Services | 89,359 |
| Allied Health & Medical Assisting Services | 84,492 |
| Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants | 84,274 |
| Allied Health Professions | 82,308 |
Image Credit: By Michal Jarmoluk under License More about our data sources and methodologies.
