Following a rankings plummet last year, dentistry is back in the top 10 US jobs.
After landing at No. 47 in the 2022 US News and World Report’s Best Jobs report, dentistry rose 37 spots to number 10 for the 2023 report due to the profession’s “high median salary and work-life balance scores, and an increased employment rate score,” Janica Ingram, careers expert and staff writer for U.S. News and World Report, told ADA News. “The health care and social assistance industry is also the second-fastest growing industry for projected 10-year job growth.”
According to the report, dentists made a median salary of $160,370 in 2021. The best-paid 25% made $208,000 that year, while the lowest-paid 25% made $101,570.
Other lists from the report where dentistry ranked for 2023 were No. 4 in best health-care job, No. 8 in best STEM job, and No. 11 best-paying job.
Other dental professions to rank in the top 10 on various lists in the report include orthodontist and oral and maxillofacial surgeon in best health-care jobs; oral and maxillofacial surgeon and orthodontist in best-paying jobs; orthodontist in best STEM jobs; and dental hygienist in the top best health-care support jobs.
While almost 40% of the top 100 best jobs are in health care or health care support roles, software developer landed the No. 1 spot for 2023, followed by nurse practitioner. In recent years, dentistry has ranked No. 2 (2020) and No. 1 (2017).
Health-care jobs also ranked high among those offering stability, with dentist and orthodontist landing in the top 10 for careers offering the most job security.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 6.1% employment growth for dentists between 2021 and 2031. In that period, an estimated 7,700 jobs should open up, the report states.
See the full report: US News Best Job Rankings 2023
