Even though I’d been in school for the last four years getting a bachelor’s degree, I was still pretty dumb and naive. I had the grand idea to move 1,000 miles across the country, two days after I walked across the stage and received my degree. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention I’d be bringing my wife and 1 year old daughter along with me. This move was solely based on the idea that I would be more successful post graduation in a different state. I’d done all the research. I knew what the economy looked like. I knew what the potential growth was. And, I knew how much more money I’d make there than if I’d stay put in my home state. That last sentence was the biggest motiver in this decision to move.
The day after graduation me and my cute little family packed up our quant apartment and loading everything we owned, hopes and dreams included, into a moving truck and set off. It’s important for me to disclose that as we set off I hadn’t been offered a job yet….with all the statistical data trending up, I was positive, absolutely 100% sure that I’d find the job I was looking for.
As you read this story, I’m sure you’re guessing where it’s going. And, what your guessing is right. It didn’t work out as planned. After 9 months, blowing through our savings, picking up odd jobs, and having another baby, we gave up and moved back to our home state to start over. I don’t look at this experience as a failure per se. I look at is a growing experience. Heck, maybe I went through 9 months of turmoil just so I could write this blog post for you to read. I learned a lot of thing in this experience. The biggest thing I learned can be summed up in a great quote by Collin Wright, “Chase your passions and money will come. Chase money and you may never find your passions.” When I left my home state to pursue what I thought was my dream, I was really just pursuing money. I put the proverbial cart before the horse. You may think that since this experience I’ve given up on my pursuit for money. I haven’t. I’ve just come at it from an entirely new perspective. I take my passion and I let it lead me. In time, that may even take me to a new city or even a new state again. When that time comes, I won’t be afraid and neither should you.
You’ve taken the time to go to school and pursue your passion. Now it’s time to maximize that passion. While it’s not wise to move to a new state blindly, motivated purely by money, there is a lot to gain by moving. With that said, here are the top 5 states where dentists make the most money, factoring in cost of living.
- Wyoming
- Idaho
- North Dakota
- Alaska
- Wisconsin
Sources: https://www.bls.gov/oes/2017/may/oes291021.htm
https://www.missourieconomy.org/indicators/cost_of_living/
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/economy/2018/05/10/cost-of-living-value-of-dollar-in-every-state/34567549/
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