Pay by state / North Dakota
ND · BLS OEWS May 2025
Dental pay in North Dakota
North Dakota's 660 dental hygienists earned a mean of $89,750 in May 2025, 9% below the US mean and number 31 of 50 states. Salaried general dentists averaged $222,340 (+16% against the US); orthodontists' pay is not published for North Dakota. Dental assistants earned $56,450.
- 1Dental hygienists $89,750
- 2General dentists $222,340
- 3Orthodontists not published
- 4Dental assistants $56,450
| Occupation | Employed | Per 1,000 jobs | ND mean | US mean | vs US |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orthodontists | – | – | – | $259,400 | – |
| General dentists | 260 | 0.611 | $222,340 | $191,350 | +16% |
| Dental hygienists | 660 | 1.547 | $89,750 | $98,990 | -9% |
| Dental assistants | 860 | 1.996 | $56,450 | $50,200 | +12% |
How North Dakota ranks
- Orthodontists: no row at all in the BLS May 2025 state file for North Dakota.
- General dentists: number 6 of 47 published states for mean pay ($222,340, median $220,660), with 0.611 per 1,000 jobs.
- Dental hygienists: number 31 of 50 published states for mean pay ($89,750, median $90,530), with 1.547 per 1,000 jobs.
- Dental assistants: number 8 of 50 published states for mean pay ($56,450, median $57,770), with 1.996 per 1,000 jobs.
North Dakota and the West North Central division
Among the 6 West North Central jurisdictions with published figures, North Dakota ranks 2 for dental hygienists' pay; half of its hygienists earn more than $90,530 and half less. The Census Bureau groups these states as a division, which makes a fairer comparison than the national figure when living costs differ by region. Not in the May 2025 BLS state file: KS.
| West North Central | Hygienists | Dentists | Assistants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa | $86,640 | $198,470 | $50,450 |
| Minnesota | $103,830 | $211,780 | $64,740 |
| Missouri | $88,430 | $241,580 | $46,790 |
| Nebraska | $88,990 | $186,420 | $46,430 |
| North Dakota | $89,750 | $222,340 | $56,450 |
| South Dakota | $89,180 | $164,030 | $50,170 |
Staffing in North Dakota
There are 2.5 salaried hygienists for every salaried general dentist in North Dakota, more than the national ratio of about 1.8 — hygienists carry more of the routine work here. A practice here employing one hygienist and one assistant at the state's mean wages pays $146,200 a year in their salaries alone, before benefits. Owners of practices are not counted in these BLS figures, so dentist and orthodontist numbers understate how many work in North Dakota.
What it means for your braces
BLS publishes no orthodontist wage for North Dakota. Wages are one input to what practices charge, alongside rent, equipment and competition, so they explain only part of why quotes differ. Your quote is what matters: put it, your insurance's orthodontic benefit and your FSA or HSA plans into the calculator.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (state and national files). “–” = not published by BLS. Checked 2026-10-24. Methodology.