Dental Salary Data · BLS OEWS May 2025
Dental Specialist Salary in Colorado
The median dental specialist earns $186,640 a year in Colorado ($89.73 an hour), with the middle half earning between $155,090 and $254,380.[1]
25th percentile
$155,090
Lower end of the middle half
Median
$186,640
Half earn more, half earn less
75th percentile
$254,380
Upper end of the middle half
That's roughly $186,640 per year or $89.73/hr at the median. Colorado runs about 17% lower than the national median.
The full pay range in Colorado
BLS publishes five points on the pay curve. The 10th percentile is a reasonable read on entry pay, and the 90th shows what the best-paid dental specialists in Colorado earn. The U.S. figures are shown alongside for comparison.[1][2]
| Percentile | Colorado hourly | Colorado annual | U.S. hourly | U.S. annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $36.75 | $76,440 | $50.06 | $104,120 |
| 25th percentile | $74.56 | $155,090 | $79.87 | $166,130 |
| Median | $89.73 | $186,640 | $108.17 | $224,990 |
| 75th percentile | $122.30 | $254,380 | $134.90 | $280,590 |
| 90th percentile | $135.66 | $282,170 | $193.61 | $402,700 |
| Mean (average) | $93.76 | $195,020 | $119.20 | $247,930 |
How many dental specialists work in Colorado
70
0.03
0.75
How Colorado compares to the U.S.
- Median pay: $186,640 in Colorado vs. $224,990 nationally, $38,350 (17%) lower.
- Entry pay (10th percentile): $76,440 vs. $104,120, 27% lower.
- Top pay (90th percentile): $282,170 vs. $402,700, 30% lower.
What drives dental specialist pay in Colorado
Pay for a dental specialist depends on experience, setting, and metro. The metro table above shows how much location alone moves the median. Group practices and dental support organizations (DSOs) compete for talent across many locations, and benefits, schedules and bonuses can matter as much as base pay.
Hiring an outside agency is one way practices fill gaps, and it is expensive. See what agencies charge in What dental staffing agencies actually charge.
For dental pros
Know your worth, then go get it
Browse open dental specialist roles in Colorado, or build a free, ATS-ready resume and get matched to practices that fit how you want to work.
Dental Specialist salary in Colorado: FAQ
How much do dental specialists make in Colorado?
The median annual wage for dental specialists in Colorado was $186,640 ($89.73 an hour) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $155,090 and $254,380. The lowest-paid 10% earned under $76,440 and the top 10% earned over $282,170. These figures cover employed workers in the BLS "Dentists, All Other Specialists" category and exclude practice owners.
Do dental specialists in Colorado earn more than the national median?
No. The Colorado median of $186,640 is lower than the U.S. median of $224,990. That is $38,350 (17%) lower. This is a DSO Hire calculation from BLS figures and does not adjust for cost of living.
How many dental specialists work in Colorado?
BLS estimates 70 workers in the BLS "Dentists, All Other Specialists" category were employed in Colorado in May 2025. That is 0.03 per 1,000 jobs in the state. The location quotient is 0.75, meaning the role is less concentrated than the national average.
Hiring in Colorado?
Fill dental specialist roles across every location.
Keep exploring
Other roles in Colorado
Dental Specialist salary by state