Median pay: $129,968
Median base pay: $125,000
Job openings: 1,952
To become a dentist, one must have an undergraduate degree, participate in a four year professional dental program and have a Doctor of Dental Surgery or Doctor of Medical Dentistry degree. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job market for dentists is expected to grow 18 percent between 2014 and 2024. The average growth for most occupations in that ten year span is 7 percent.