Dental Salary Data · BLS OEWS May 2025
Dental Front Office Salary in Illinois
The median dental front office earns $46,670 a year in Illinois ($22.44 an hour), with the middle half earning between $40,320 and $50,170.[1]
25th percentile
$40,320
Lower end of the middle half
Median
$46,670
Half earn more, half earn less
75th percentile
$50,170
Upper end of the middle half
That's roughly $46,670 per year or $22.44/hr at the median. Illinois runs about 2% higher than the national median.
The full pay range in Illinois
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 Illinois earn. The U.S. figures are shown alongside for comparison.[1][2]
| Percentile | Illinois hourly | Illinois annual | U.S. hourly | U.S. annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $18.00 | $37,440 | $17.27 | $35,930 |
| 25th percentile | $19.39 | $40,320 | $18.54 | $38,570 |
| Median | $22.44 | $46,670 | $22.08 | $45,930 |
| 75th percentile | $24.12 | $50,170 | $24.32 | $50,580 |
| 90th percentile | $28.04 | $58,320 | $29.10 | $60,530 |
| Mean (average) | $22.55 | $46,900 | $22.50 | $46,800 |
How many dental front office staff work in Illinois
27,560
4.52
0.73
How Illinois compares to the U.S.
- Median pay: $46,670 in Illinois vs. $45,930 nationally, $740 (2%) higher.
- Entry pay (10th percentile): $37,440 vs. $35,930, 4% higher.
- Top pay (90th percentile): $58,320 vs. $60,530, 4% lower.
- Projected job growth (2024–2034): 6% in Illinois vs. 4.2% nationally.
Dental Front Office pay by metro area in Illinois
All 12 Illinois metro areas with published BLS data, highest median first.[2]
| Metro area | Median | Middle half | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $47,680 | $44,180–$51,080 | 20,020 |
| Champaign-Urbana | $46,060 | $38,580–$48,010 | 570 |
| Rockford | $46,010 | $38,840–$47,470 | 930 |
| Bloomington | $45,940 | $38,830–$49,210 | 390 |
| St. Louis | $45,620 | $39,030–$50,530 | 6,570 |
| Peoria | $44,530 | $38,200–$45,240 | 1,050 |
| Springfield | $43,350 | $39,040–$45,150 | 1,330 |
| Decatur | $41,820 | $40,380–$46,430 | 220 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $39,270 | $37,280–$45,880 | 1,150 |
| Paducah | $38,340 | $36,340–$44,710 | 810 |
| Kankakee | $37,660 | $37,660–$46,590 | 320 |
| Cape Girardeau | $37,360 | $36,110–$46,410 | 290 |
Job outlook for dental front office staff in Illinois
Illinois's official long-term projections expect employment of dental front office staff to grow 6% over 2024–2034, from 25,570 to 27,110 jobs, with about 2,660 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 Illinois
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.
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Dental Front Office salary in Illinois: FAQ
How much do dental front office staff make in Illinois?
The median annual wage for dental front office staff in Illinois was $46,670 ($22.44 an hour) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $40,320 and $50,170. The lowest-paid 10% earned under $37,440 and the top 10% earned over $58,320.
Do dental front office staff in Illinois earn more than the national median?
Yes. The Illinois median of $46,670 is higher than the U.S. median of $45,930. That is $740 (2%) higher. This is a DSO Hire calculation from BLS figures and does not adjust for cost of living.
Which Illinois metro area pays dental front office staff the most?
Among the 12 Illinois metro areas with published BLS data, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin has the highest median at $47,680 a year. Cape Girardeau has the lowest, at $37,360.
How many dental front office staff work in Illinois?
BLS estimates 27,560 dental front office staff were employed in Illinois in May 2025. That is 4.52 per 1,000 jobs in the state. The location quotient is 0.73, meaning the role is less concentrated than the national average.
Is demand for dental front office staff growing in Illinois?
Illinois's official long-term projections expect employment of dental front office staff to grow 6% over 2024–2034, from 25,570 to 27,110 jobs. That works out to about 2,660 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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Dental Front Office salary by state
- Dental Front Office salary in California
- Dental Front Office salary in Texas
- Dental Front Office salary in Florida
- Dental Front Office salary in New York
- Dental Front Office salary in Pennsylvania
- Dental Front Office salary in Ohio
- Dental Front Office salary in Georgia
- Dental Front Office salary in North Carolina
Sources
- 1.U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025: Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants (43-6013), national, state and metro estimates
- 2.U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 time-series data files (percentiles, employment, location quotients)
- 3.Projections Central, Illinois long-term occupational projections 2024–2034: Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants