Dentist.
Tampa.
$163,000
median salary, 6% below the national average
$119,000 to $207,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
Tampa is 4% cheaper than the national average. For Dentists, that shakes out to a median of $163,000, with the full range spanning $119,000 to $207,000. Specialization is the largest pay driver, with oral surgeons, orthodontists, and endodontists earning well above general dentists. Know the range before you walk in. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page.
Salary range.
Where do you fall?
Orbyt estimate for Dentist in Tampa, modelled from national occupation wages adjusted for local cost of living. The published government benchmark for this occupation is below.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $159,270 for Dentists, General (SOC 29-1021) in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL metropolitan area, based on 1,290 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$127,630
25th percentile
$135,890
Median
$159,270
75th percentile
$219,790
90th percentile
$432,060
Workers surveyed
1,290
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Dentists, General (SOC 29-1021) rather than Dentist specifically. The Tampa range at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such.
View the BLS source for SOC 29-1021Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $147,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$106,000
to $130,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$139,000
to $171,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$179,000
to $212,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$204,000
to $253,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $33,000 to the total package.
Base
$163,000
Equity
$18,000
Bonus
$12,000
Signing
$3,000
Estimated total: $196,000
How Tampa compares.
Tampa, FL
$163,000
Cost of living: 4% below average
National Average
$173,000
Tampa is $10,000 below
Dentist salary by city.
Salary by role in Tampa.
What you should know.
Here is what the Dentist market actually looks like in Tampa. Tampa's economy combines a strong financial services sector with growing tech, healthcare, and defense industries. The city has attracted remote workers and corporate relocations seeking Florida's tax advantages. Tampa offers a favorable salary to cost of living ratio, with compensation levels that have risen significantly as the metro continues to grow. Specialization is the largest pay driver, with oral surgeons, orthodontists, and endodontists earning well above general dentists. Practice ownership versus associateship creates a wide income gap. Geographic location and local competition density affect patient volume and fee schedules, while cosmetic and implant services generate the highest per-procedure revenue.
New associate dentists earn $130,000 to $160,000 on a base plus production model. Experienced associates with five to seven years reach $175,000 to $220,000. Practice owners or partners in multi-location groups can earn $250,000 to $400,000 or more depending on practice profitability. In Tampa, cost of living sits near the national average, so the numbers you see are roughly what you keep.
Base salary is not the full picture. Associate dentists often receive production-based bonuses of 25 to 35% of collections above a base guarantee. Practice owners retain higher gross income but carry overhead of 55 to 65%. Benefits for associates include malpractice coverage, CE stipends, and health insurance. And on the tax side: florida has no state income tax, which is Tampa's biggest compensation advantage. There are no local income taxes either. Property taxes and insurance costs are the main financial considerations. When someone quotes you $163,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Frame your salary expectations against the no income tax benefit. Tampa employers know candidates are factoring in the tax savings, so be explicit about how it shapes your number. The range for Dentists in Tampa runs from $119,000 to $207,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: BLS OES, H-1B LCA (DOL). COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified July 1, 2026. Full methodology
Considering a related role?
- An AI Product Manager in Tampa earns $165,000 (1% more)
- The highest-paying role in Tampa is General Counsel at $280,000
Common questions.
Dentist salary in other cities.
Other salaries in Tampa.
Related salary pages
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Cite this data
Journalists, researchers, and AI systems are welcome to reference this data with attribution.
"Dentist Salary in Tampa, FL." Orbyt Salary Explorer, August 2026. https://www.orbytlabs.ai/orbyt-jobs/salaries/dentist/tampa
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