Dental Assistants salary
Healthcare · OCC code 31-9091 · gross annual wage · BLS OEWS May 2024
Dental Assistants in the US earn a median of $47,300 per year (mean $48,860) as of the BLS OEWS May 2024 survey — that is -4.4% versus the $49,500 median for all US jobs, close to the US median wage for all jobs. The middle half earn between $39,520 and $56,910; the top 10% earn $61,780 or more. The median hourly wage is $22.74. About 375,430 are employed nationally. The highest-paying state is Minnesota ($64,630). Wages are gross (pre-tax) and vary by employer, experience and location.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Data as of OEWS May 2024 (BLS), retrieved June 2026.
Dental Assistants pay range (national percentiles)
What dental assistants earn across the pay distribution, nationally (BLS OEWS, May 2024):
| Pay level | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (lowest-paid 10%) | $36,190 |
| 25th percentile | $39,520 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $47,300 |
| Mean (average) | $48,860 |
| 75th percentile | $56,910 |
| 90th percentile (highest-paid 10%) | $61,780 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Data as of OEWS May 2024 (BLS), retrieved June 2026.
A dash (—) means BLS did not release that figure; a plus (+) means the wage is at or above the BLS top code of $239,200/yr. See what wage percentiles mean or check where your salary ranks.
Dental Assistants salary by state
Median and mean wage for dental assistants in each of the 51 states with published data, highest median first. The national median is $47,300.
| # | State | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minnesota | $64,630 | $63,680 | 5,590 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $57,960 | $56,790 | 9,250 |
| 3 | Oregon | $57,720 | $57,690 | 5,480 |
| 4 | Washington | $57,040 | $56,140 | 13,330 |
| 5 | District of Columbia | $56,500 | $57,390 | 510 |
| 6 | Alaska | $55,950 | $54,720 | 1,080 |
| 7 | Maine | $51,340 | $54,190 | 1,450 |
| 8 | North Dakota | $51,310 | $54,720 | 920 |
| 9 | Vermont | $51,020 | $54,570 | 650 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $50,820 | $51,540 | 3,740 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $50,260 | $52,850 | 1,400 |
| 12 | Arizona | $49,000 | $50,040 | 7,480 |
| 13 | California | $48,910 | $53,570 | 54,580 |
| 14 | North Carolina | $48,710 | $49,270 | 11,100 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | $48,290 | $49,760 | 12,410 |
| 16 | Maryland | $48,280 | $50,410 | 6,520 |
| 17 | New Jersey | $48,070 | $50,570 | 10,660 |
| 18 | Rhode Island | $48,060 | $51,700 | 1,120 |
| 19 | Wisconsin | $48,000 | $49,240 | 6,720 |
| 20 | Indiana | $47,980 | $49,590 | 6,250 |
| 21 | Iowa | $47,820 | $49,020 | 3,540 |
| 22 | Colorado | $47,770 | $50,440 | 7,720 |
| 23 | South Dakota | $47,680 | $49,080 | 1,240 |
| 24 | Illinois | $47,430 | $47,170 | 15,620 |
| 25 | Ohio | $47,330 | $50,960 | 11,130 |
| 26 | Florida | $47,060 | $46,670 | 23,020 |
| 27 | Michigan | $47,030 | $45,990 | 11,830 |
| 28 | New York | $47,020 | $49,850 | 19,700 |
| 29 | Nevada | $46,970 | $47,320 | 3,890 |
| 30 | Virginia | $46,910 | $47,900 | 11,040 |
| 31 | Nebraska | $46,660 | $46,300 | 2,360 |
| 32 | Kentucky | $46,520 | $45,720 | 4,250 |
| 33 | Delaware | $46,090 | $47,110 | 1,120 |
| 34 | Tennessee | $46,090 | $46,680 | 6,370 |
| 35 | South Carolina | $45,930 | $45,890 | 5,380 |
| 36 | Montana | $45,820 | $45,930 | 1,540 |
| 37 | Georgia | $45,600 | $45,510 | 9,730 |
| 38 | Missouri | $45,220 | $45,390 | 7,380 |
| 39 | Hawaii | $44,870 | $42,130 | 1,610 |
| 40 | Oklahoma | $44,450 | $42,980 | 4,540 |
| 41 | Wyoming | $42,770 | $43,740 | 700 |
| 42 | Texas | $42,270 | $42,520 | 31,360 |
| 43 | Kansas | $39,840 | $42,490 | 3,020 |
| 44 | Idaho | $39,460 | $42,710 | 2,860 |
| 45 | New Mexico | $38,840 | $42,290 | 2,010 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $38,150 | $41,450 | 4,420 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $37,680 | $40,730 | 3,020 |
| 48 | West Virginia | $37,330 | $39,280 | 1,380 |
| 49 | Utah | $37,320 | $40,260 | 6,310 |
| 50 | Alabama | $37,280 | $39,600 | 4,450 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $37,130 | $40,160 | 2,690 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Data as of OEWS May 2024 (BLS), retrieved June 2026.
Highest median: Minnesota ($64,630). Lowest: Mississippi ($37,130).
Similar-paying jobs
| Occupation | Median wage | Mean wage | vs US median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dental Assistants (this job) | $47,300 | $48,860 | -4.4% |
| Construction Laborers | $46,730 | $51,260 | -5.6% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | $46,290 | $47,640 | -6.5% |
| Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters | $46,020 | $47,460 | -7.0% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | $48,620 | $52,430 | -1.8% |
| Veterinary Technologists and Technicians | $45,980 | $46,280 | -7.1% |
Construction Laborers · Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive · Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters · Maintenance and Repair Workers, General · Veterinary Technologists and Technicians
Frequently asked questions
How much do dental assistants make?
Dental Assistants earn a national median of $47,300 per year (mean $48,860) as of the BLS OEWS May 2024 survey. The middle half earn between $39,520 (25th percentile) and $56,910 (75th percentile); the top 10% earn $61,780 or more and the bottom 10% earn under $36,190. These are gross, pre-tax wages.
What is the hourly wage for dental assistants?
The median hourly wage is $22.74 and the mean is $23.49 (BLS OEWS, May 2024). BLS reports some occupations only as annual wages, in which case hourly figures are shown as a dash.
Which state pays dental assistants the most?
Minnesota has the highest median wage for dental assistants at $64,630, versus a national median of $47,300. State pay reflects local cost of living, demand and industry mix. See the full state table on this page.
How many dental assistants are there in the US?
BLS estimates about 375,430 dental assistants are employed in the US (OEWS, May 2024). Among the 124 occupations tracked here, this job ranks #100 of 124 by median pay.
Keep exploring
Sources & accuracy
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 (OCC 31-9091), gross annual wages, U.S. public domain, retrieved June 2026. OEWS figures are survey estimates and reflect pay before tax. Your actual pay depends on employer, experience, certifications, industry and location. This is information, not financial or career advice — see our methodology and disclaimer.
Last updated: 2026-06-20