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SOC 31-9091 · May 2024

Dental Assistant Salary

Average Dental Assistant pay climbed from $41,170 in 2019 to $48,860 in 2024 — a +18.7% change in 5 years.

Median annual

$47,300

Half of all Dental Assistants in the United States earn more than this figure, half earn less. From the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2024 release.

Wage trend

2019$41,1706 pts$48,8602024

+18.7% since 2019 · +3.2% YoY

Hourly

$23.49

Outlook

+7%

US workers

375,430

BLS series

Annual median wage for Dental Assistants in All Industries in the United States

Salary range

From entry to top decile

The 10th-to-90th percentile spread for Dental Assistants is $36,190 – $61,780.

Percentile distribution

USD · annual

10th

$36,190

25th

$39,520

Median

$47,300

75th

$56,910

90th

$61,780

By experience level

What each tenure band earns

By experience level

Estimated from BLS percentile distribution. Actual progression varies by employer and region.

Dental Assistant levelTenureEstimated salaryBLS reference
Entry levelFirst 0–2 years$36,19010th percentile
Early career2–5 years$39,52025th percentile
Mid-career5–10 years$47,300Median
Experienced10+ years$56,91075th percentile
Senior / leadershipTop 10%$61,78090th percentile

Geography

Dental Assistant pay by state

State-level OEWS data lands in Phase 2. The grid below shows national geography ready for that ingest — hover any state for context.

National median

$47,300

AK
ME
VT
NH
WA
MT
ND
MN
IL
WI
MI
NY
MA
OR
ID
WY
SD
IA
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
UT
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
AZ
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
DC
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL

Tile-grid layout · 50 states + D.C. · area-uniform, not geographic. State pay differentials populate after Phase 2 OEWS state ingest.

What affects this salary

Pay drivers for Dental Assistants

Dental assistants support dentists during procedures, take X-rays, prepare materials, and educate patients on oral hygiene. Most enter the field through 1-year certificate programs or on-the-job training. Demand is consistent in private dental practices nationwide.

The 10th-to-90th percentile spread is $36,190 – $61,780. That gap reflects experience, certification, employer type, geographic cost of living, and shift differentials where applicable.

Geography matters. Metropolitan areas in California, New York, Massachusetts, and Washington tend to pay above the national median. Rural and lower-cost states often pay below — though cost-of-living adjustment narrows the real difference.

Credentials compound. Additional certifications, specializations, or advanced degrees consistently push earnings into the 75th and 90th percentile bands. Employer type (hospital vs. private practice, public vs. private sector) also drives meaningful pay variation.

Frequently asked

Questions readers ask

Frequently asked

What is the average Dental Assistant salary in the US?
The median annual Dental Assistant salary in the United States is $47,300, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, May 2024 release. This midpoint figure means half of the 375,430 Dental Assistants employed nationwide earn above $47,300 and half earn below. The mean annual wage is $48,860 — slightly above the median, reflecting upward pull from high-paying metropolitan and specialty positions. Entry-level earners (10th percentile) typically start around $36,190, while experienced professionals at the 75th percentile reach $56,910. Source: BLS OEWS May 2024, SOC 31-9091.
How much does a Dental Assistant make per hour?
Dental Assistants earn a mean hourly wage of $23.49, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2024 survey. This figure represents the average across all Dental Assistants in all industries and geographic areas in the United States. Hourly rates vary considerably based on employer type, geographic location, shift differentials, and years of experience. Hourly equivalents for salaried roles are calculated against a standard 2,080-hour work year (40 hours per week × 52 weeks); actual compensated hours may differ. For reference, the annual mean salary for Dental Assistants is $48,860. Part-time workers, per-diem positions, and contract roles may fall above or below this figure depending on the agreed pay structure and premium differentials. Source: BLS OEWS May 2024, SOC 31-9091.
What does a Dental Assistant earn at the entry level?
Entry-level Dental Assistants — those in the bottom 10% of the wage distribution — typically earn around $36,190 per year, according to BLS OEWS May 2024 data. Workers in the 25th percentile (early-career, typically 1–4 years of experience) earn approximately $39,520 annually. These figures represent all industries and geographic regions nationwide; entry wages in high-cost states such as California, New York, and Massachusetts often run 10–25% above these benchmarks, while rural areas and lower-cost states may pay below them. As credentials, certifications, and clinical or technical experience accumulate, pay scales toward the median of $47,300 and beyond. Entry wage estimates are derived from BLS percentile bands and are labeled as estimates; they are not directly published as entry wages by the BLS. Source: BLS OEWS May 2024, SOC 31-9091.
What is the highest salary a Dental Assistant can earn?
The top 10% of Dental Assistants earn $61,780 or more annually, and the 75th percentile sits at $56,910, according to BLS OEWS May 2024. The highest-paid positions tend to cluster in major metropolitan areas — particularly in California, New York, Massachusetts, and Washington — and in settings that demand advanced credentials, specialized certifications, or leadership responsibilities. Employer type also drives meaningful pay variation: private-sector roles, large hospital systems, and government positions each carry different pay structures. For Dental Assistants, moving from the median ($47,300) to the 90th percentile often involves a combination of advanced degrees or board certifications, supervisory responsibilities, and tenure at a high-volume or high-acuity facility. The mean salary of $48,860 sits below the 90th percentile, indicating most very-high earners are outliers. Source: BLS OEWS May 2024, SOC 31-9091.
Is the mean Dental Assistant salary higher than the median?
Yes, the mean Dental Assistant salary ($48,860) is $1,560 above the median ($47,300). When the mean exceeds the median, it signals that a subset of high earners pulls the average upward — a common pattern in occupations with significant pay variation across specialties, employer types, or geographies. The median is generally the more useful benchmark for an individual worker: it represents what a typical Dental Assistant earns, unaffected by the very highest outlier salaries. Both figures come from the BLS OEWS May 2024 survey, SOC 31-9091.
Is Dental Assistant a growing career?
BLS projects 7% change in Dental Assistant employment over the next decade — about as fast as average compared to the 4% average growth rate across all US occupations. Demand for Dental Assistants is expected to keep pace with the broader labor market over the coming decade. Source: BLS Employment Projections program.
How many Dental Assistants work in the US?
Approximately 375,430 people work as Dental Assistants in the United States, making it a specialized occupation in the US labor market. This employment count is based on the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2024 release, SOC 31-9091. The OEWS program covers non-farm wage and salary workers and excludes the self-employed. Total US employment across all occupations surveyed in the same release was approximately 158 million workers. The Dental Assistant field represents roughly 0.24% of total surveyed US employment.

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Source & methodology

Wage and employment figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, May 2024 release. Standard Occupational Classification: 31-9091. Figures represent the national median, mean, and percentile distribution across all employers and industries. Hourly equivalents assume a 2,080-hour work year. Read our methodology for details on how the data is sourced, transformed, and refreshed.

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