Dental Salary Data · BLS OEWS May 2025
Dental Assistant Salary by State
Nationally, the median dental assistant earns $48,070 a year ($23.11 an hour).[1] Pick a state for local pay, ranges, and metro areas.
The national pay range
| Percentile | U.S. hourly | U.S. annual |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $17.85 | $37,130 |
| 25th percentile | $21.32 | $44,340 |
| Median | $23.11 | $48,070 |
| 75th percentile | $27.93 | $58,090 |
| 90th percentile | $29.93 | $62,250 |
| Mean (average) | $24.13 | $50,200 |
387,790
7%
About 53,000
BLS projects dental assistant employment to grow 7% over 2025–35, much faster than the average for all occupations.[3] For the hiring side of these numbers, see The dental hiring shortage, by the numbers.
Dental Assistant pay in every state
Ranked by median annual wage. Location quotient compares the role's share of jobs in the state to the national share (1.00 = the same).[2] Growth is each state's official 2024–2034 projection.[4]
| State | Median | Middle half | Employed | Location quotient | Growth 2024–2034 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | $65,270 | $59,940–$74,410 | 5,980 | 0.81 | 9.1% |
| District of Columbia | $60,580 | $58,590–$74,220 | 630 | 0.36 | 5.7% |
| Maine | $60,070 | $49,250–$61,510 | 1,550 | 0.97 | 3.4% |
| New Hampshire | $59,530 | $49,260–$61,160 | 1,600 | 0.94 | 4.7% |
| Oregon | $59,490 | $56,600–$63,520 | 5,930 | 1.21 | 11.6% |
| Washington | $58,090 | $48,780–$62,340 | 13,050 | 1.47 | 15.8% |
| Massachusetts | $57,980 | $48,600–$60,720 | 9,680 | 1.07 | 1.6% |
| North Dakota | $57,770 | $47,150–$60,270 | 860 | 0.80 | 8% |
| Alaska | $57,710 | $47,480–$61,370 | 1,140 | 1.40 | 9.4% |
| Connecticut | $56,850 | $48,360–$59,650 | 3,840 | 0.91 | 6% |
| Vermont | $52,760 | $47,350–$60,420 | 580 | 0.77 | 0.9% |
| North Carolina | $50,380 | $47,680–$57,720 | 11,450 | 0.93 | 8.6% |
| Rhode Island | $50,150 | $48,070–$59,170 | 1,050 | 0.84 | -0.4% |
| California | $50,110 | $46,270–$60,670 | 56,220 | 1.24 | 10% |
| New Jersey | $49,390 | $45,970–$61,290 | 9,990 | 0.93 | 10.8% |
| Arizona | $49,000 | $46,050–$57,880 | 8,680 | 1.07 | 15.7% |
| Michigan | $48,820 | $45,390–$56,940 | 11,990 | 1.09 | 4.8% |
| Indiana | $48,670 | $45,860–$57,720 | 6,690 | 0.84 | 5.8% |
| Maryland | $48,620 | $41,600–$58,820 | 6,560 | 0.95 | 7.5% |
| Illinois | $48,610 | $40,390–$56,860 | 13,740 | 0.90 | 5.1% |
| Iowa | $48,430 | $45,990–$57,620 | 3,210 | 0.83 | 13.8% |
| Colorado | $48,340 | $45,520–$58,340 | 8,360 | 1.17 | 16.8% |
| New York | $48,110 | $44,730–$58,630 | 19,800 | 0.82 | 8.7% |
| Ohio | $47,970 | $42,660–$59,520 | 12,150 | 0.88 | 4.6% |
| Pennsylvania | $47,930 | $45,620–$56,840 | 12,080 | 0.80 | 5.5% |
| South Dakota | $47,900 | $47,060–$57,890 | 1,290 | 1.13 | 14.3% |
| Kentucky | $47,730 | $42,400–$56,760 | 4,530 | 0.91 | 11.5% |
| Florida | $47,620 | $45,120–$54,690 | 26,620 | 1.07 | 13.7% |
| Delaware | $47,600 | $43,480–$55,650 | 990 | 0.82 | 4.6% |
| Wisconsin | $47,520 | $45,560–$55,630 | 7,760 | 1.06 | 8.1% |
| South Carolina | $47,320 | $43,000–$50,780 | 5,530 | 0.96 | 12.2% |
| Nevada | $47,110 | $37,760–$48,450 | 4,230 | 1.09 | 22.2% |
| Georgia | $46,840 | $40,270–$48,960 | 10,540 | 0.86 | 6.9% |
| Tennessee | $46,720 | $44,440–$59,270 | 7,420 | 0.91 | 13.5% |
| Montana | $46,680 | $43,820–$49,920 | 1,450 | 1.14 | 15% |
| Virginia | $46,670 | $39,160–$53,040 | 10,760 | 1.05 | 6% |
| Nebraska | $46,660 | $43,590–$49,370 | 2,520 | 0.99 | 8.5% |
| Missouri | $45,970 | $38,990–$50,150 | 6,760 | 0.92 | 3.9% |
| Idaho | $45,880 | $39,800–$57,690 | 2,680 | 1.25 | 24.1% |
| Oklahoma | $45,740 | $37,210–$47,990 | 4,550 | 1.07 | 6.2% |
| Texas | $45,430 | $37,360–$48,280 | 33,230 | 0.95 | 21.2% |
| Wyoming | $44,990 | $36,460–$48,490 | 630 | 0.90 | 7.2% |
| Hawaii | $44,720 | $37,580–$48,120 | 1,960 | 1.25 | 5.7% |
| New Mexico | $44,400 | $38,300–$47,160 | 2,150 | 0.99 | -0.6% |
| Louisiana | $44,090 | $36,590–$46,630 | 4,540 | 0.94 | -1.9% |
| Arkansas | $42,830 | $36,790–$46,730 | 2,950 | 0.91 | 19.5% |
| Mississippi | $39,160 | $36,240–$47,450 | 3,080 | 1.06 | 24.3% |
| Alabama | $39,080 | $36,190–$47,100 | 3,740 | 0.71 | 13.2% |
| West Virginia | $37,960 | $36,360–$45,180 | 1,290 | 0.74 | 11.4% |
| Utah | $37,760 | $36,400–$45,770 | 6,640 | 1.54 | 29.6% |
All state pages
Dental Assistant salary: FAQ
How much do dental assistants make?
The U.S. median annual wage for dental assistants was $48,070 ($23.11 an hour) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $44,340 and $58,090. The lowest-paid 10% earned under $37,130 and the top 10% earned over $62,250.
Which states pay dental assistants the most?
By BLS median annual wage, the top three are Minnesota ($65,270), District of Columbia ($60,580) and Maine ($60,070). Figures are not adjusted for cost of living.
How many dental assistants are there in the U.S.?
BLS estimates 387,790 dental assistants were employed in May 2025. The count excludes the self-employed.
What is the job outlook for dental assistants?
BLS projects employment to grow 7% over 2025–35, much faster than the average for all occupations, with about 53,000 openings a year.
Hiring dental assistants?
Fill roles across every location, faster.
Sources
- 1.U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025: Dental Assistants (31-9091)
- 2.U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 time-series data files (percentiles, employment, location quotients)
- 3.U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Dental Assistants
- 4.Projections Central, state long-term occupational projections 2024–2034: Dental Assistants