Dental Salary Data · BLS OEWS May 2025

Dental Front Office Salary in District of Columbia

The median dental front office earns $49,180 a year in District of Columbia ($23.64 an hour), with the middle half earning between $46,920 and $58,170.[1]

Updated October 2026 with BLS May 2025 wage data, the latest release.

25th percentile

$46,920

Lower end of the middle half

Median

$49,180

Half earn more, half earn less

75th percentile

$58,170

Upper end of the middle half

That's roughly $49,180 per year or $23.64/hr at the median. District of Columbia runs about 7% higher than the national median.

The full pay range in District of Columbia

BLS publishes five points on the pay curve. The 10th percentile is a reasonable read on entry pay, and the 90th shows what the best-paid dental front office staff in District of Columbia earn. The U.S. figures are shown alongside for comparison.[1][2]

Dental Front Office wages, District of Columbia vs. U.S. (BLS OEWS, May 2025)
PercentileDistrict of Columbia hourlyDistrict of Columbia annualU.S. hourlyU.S. annual
10th percentile$21.83$45,400$17.27$35,930
25th percentile$22.56$46,920$18.54$38,570
Median$23.64$49,180$22.08$45,930
75th percentile$27.97$58,170$24.32$50,580
90th percentile$28.76$59,810$29.10$60,530
Mean (average)$25.37$52,770$22.50$46,800

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Wages are gross pay for employees and exclude the self-employed. Annual figures assume full-time, year-round work (hourly rate × 2,080 hours) where BLS reports hourly pay.

How many dental front office staff work in District of Columbia

Employed

1,930

About 0.2% of all U.S. dental front office staff (calculation)

Per 1,000 jobs

2.75

Share of all jobs in the state

Location quotient

0.44

1.00 = U.S. average; District of Columbia is less concentrated than the national average

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.[2] A location quotient above 1 means the role makes up a bigger share of jobs here than nationally.

How District of Columbia compares to the U.S.

  • Median pay: $49,180 in District of Columbia vs. $45,930 nationally, $3,250 (7%) higher.
  • Entry pay (10th percentile): $45,400 vs. $35,930, 26% higher.
  • Top pay (90th percentile): $59,810 vs. $60,530, 1% lower.
  • Projected job growth (2024–2034): 7% in District of Columbia vs. 4.2% nationally.

DSO Hire calculation: (state figure minus U.S. figure) divided by the U.S. figure, from BLS OEWS May 2025[1] and Projections Central[3]. Not adjusted for cost of living.

Dental Front Office pay by metro area in District of Columbia

BLS publishes one District of Columbia metro area for this role.[2]

Dental Front Office pay by District of Columbia metro area (BLS OEWS, May 2025)
Metro areaMedianMiddle halfEmployed
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria$48,280$46,710–$57,68018,960

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Gross wages, not adjusted for cost of living. Metro areas cross state lines where noted in the name.

Job outlook for dental front office staff in District of Columbia

District of Columbia's official long-term projections expect employment of dental front office staff to grow 7% over 2024–2034, from 1,550 to 1,660 jobs, with about 160 openings a year.[3] The national projection for the same period is 4.2%.

Openings include replacements for people who retire or change careers, which is why they can far exceed net growth. For what this means for hiring, see The dental hiring shortage, by the numbers.

What drives dental front office pay in District of Columbia

Pay for a dental front office depends on experience, setting, and metro. The metro table above shows how much location alone moves the median. Group practices and dental support organizations (DSOs) compete for talent across many locations, and benefits, schedules and bonuses can matter as much as base pay.

Hiring an outside agency is one way practices fill gaps, and it is expensive. See what agencies charge in What dental staffing agencies actually charge.

For dental pros

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Browse open dental front office roles in District of Columbia, or build a free, ATS-ready resume and get matched to practices that fit how you want to work.

Dental Front Office salary in District of Columbia: FAQ

How much do dental front office staff make in District of Columbia?

The median annual wage for dental front office staff in District of Columbia was $49,180 ($23.64 an hour) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $46,920 and $58,170. The lowest-paid 10% earned under $45,400 and the top 10% earned over $59,810.

Do dental front office staff in District of Columbia earn more than the national median?

Yes. The District of Columbia median of $49,180 is higher than the U.S. median of $45,930. That is $3,250 (7%) higher. This is a DSO Hire calculation from BLS figures and does not adjust for cost of living.

How many dental front office staff work in District of Columbia?

BLS estimates 1,930 dental front office staff were employed in District of Columbia in May 2025. That is 2.75 per 1,000 jobs in the state. The location quotient is 0.44, meaning the role is less concentrated than the national average.

Is demand for dental front office staff growing in District of Columbia?

District of Columbia's official long-term projections expect employment of dental front office staff to grow 7% over 2024–2034, from 1,550 to 1,660 jobs. That works out to about 160 openings a year, including replacements for people who leave the field. The national projection for the same period is 4.2%.

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