Dentists, General pay range in Chicago
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $123,920 a year or less, while the top 10% make $290,850 or more. The middle half of dentists, general in Chicago earn between $124,800 and $272,510.
- $124K10th
- $125K25th
- $156KMedian
- $273K75th
- $291K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $192,460 | $16,038 | $92.53 |
| Median | $156,100 | $13,008 | $75.05 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $124,800 | $10,400 | $60.00 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $272,510 | $22,709 | $131.01 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Dentists, General pay in Chicago vs. Illinois and the U.S.
Dentists, general in Chicago earn about the same as the Illinois average ($193,050) and about the same as the U.S. average ($191,350). At the median the gap is -9% against the U.S. median of $170,950.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago | $192,460 | $156,100 | $123,920 | $290,850 | 5,910 |
| Illinois | $193,050 | $156,110 | $123,920 | $291,530 | 6,940 |
| United States | $191,350 | $170,950 | $86,250 | $319,630 | 124,390 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Dentists, General salary after taxes in Chicago
On the average salary of $192,460, a single filer in Chicago takes home about $133,920 a year, or $11,160 a month and $5,151 every two weeks. Taxes take 30% of gross pay.
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in IN | $137,562 | $11,464 |
| Working in IL | $133,920 | $11,160 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
Is Chicago a good place for dentists, general? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Chicago area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 103.6), so the average $192,460 buys what about $185,781 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.9 times the median wage of all jobs in Chicago ($54,720). A typical home costs $353,998, or 1.8 years of this average salary before tax.
Dentists, General salary in other Illinois cities
Chicago ranks 5th of 7 Illinois metro areas for this job; Rockford pays the most ($207,080).
- Rockford$207,080
- Springfield$202,440
- Champaign$201,130
- Peoria$195,260
- Chicago$192,460
- Bloomington$180,320
- Kankakee$171,710
Highest-paying cities for dentists, general
St. Louis, MO pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($261,250).
- St. Louis, MO$261,250
- Portland, ME$261,230
- St. Cloud, MN$249,890
- Macon, GA$244,000
- Mankato, MN$242,180
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Dentists, General salary in Chicago: questions
How much do dentists, general make an hour in Chicago?
$92.53 an hour on average, and $75.05 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level dentists, general salary in Chicago?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $123,920 a year and the 25th percentile is $124,800, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the dentists, general take-home pay in Chicago?
About $133,920 a year ($11,160 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $192,460.
Do dentists, general earn more in Chicago than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as the U.S. average for this job ($191,350).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 29-1021; area Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (16980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 6.2%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.64, this job is 1.6 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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