Dental Salary Data · BLS OEWS May 2025

Dental Front Office Salary in North Carolina

The median dental front office earns $44,190 a year in North Carolina ($21.24 an hour), with the middle half earning between $37,930 and $47,440.[1]

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

25th percentile

$37,930

Lower end of the middle half

Median

$44,190

Half earn more, half earn less

75th percentile

$47,440

Upper end of the middle half

That's roughly $44,190 per year or $21.24/hr at the median. North Carolina runs about 4% lower than the national median.

The full pay range in North Carolina

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 North Carolina earn. The U.S. figures are shown alongside for comparison.[1][2]

Dental Front Office wages, North Carolina vs. U.S. (BLS OEWS, May 2025)
PercentileNorth Carolina hourlyNorth Carolina annualU.S. hourlyU.S. annual
10th percentile$17.25$35,880$17.27$35,930
25th percentile$18.24$37,930$18.54$38,570
Median$21.24$44,190$22.08$45,930
75th percentile$22.81$47,440$24.32$50,580
90th percentile$26.58$55,290$29.10$60,530
Mean (average)$21.06$43,790$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 North Carolina

Employed

56,840

About 5.9% of all U.S. dental front office staff (calculation)

Per 1,000 jobs

11.50

Share of all jobs in the state

Location quotient

1.86

1.00 = U.S. average; North Carolina is more 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 North Carolina compares to the U.S.

  • Median pay: $44,190 in North Carolina vs. $45,930 nationally, $1,740 (4%) lower.
  • Entry pay (10th percentile): $35,880 vs. $35,930, about the same.
  • Top pay (90th percentile): $55,290 vs. $60,530, 9% lower.
  • Projected job growth (2024–2034): 7.8% in North Carolina 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 North Carolina

All 16 North Carolina metro areas with published BLS data, highest median first.[2]

Dental Front Office pay by North Carolina metro area (BLS OEWS, May 2025)
Metro areaMedianMiddle halfEmployed
Durham-Chapel Hill$46,860$39,990–$49,8305,820
Raleigh-Cary$46,600$38,830–$49,6307,600
Winston-Salem$46,370$38,840–$47,3103,980
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia$45,650$38,850–$48,12013,380
Greensboro-High Point$44,500$38,460–$45,6003,870
Burlington$44,190$37,710–$46,280620
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk$44,080$38,460–$46,4504,970
Asheville$41,520$38,940–$46,8703,000
Rocky Mount$41,480$35,850–$45,020420
Wilmington$40,040$37,560–$46,7302,700
Greenville$39,980$39,210–$44,2901,640
Goldsboro$38,690$36,140–$44,390440
Jacksonville$38,580$35,500–$44,830530
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton$38,380$36,700–$44,9201,790
Pinehurst-Southern Pines$37,920$37,010–$44,590970
Fayetteville$37,600$33,610–$44,6201,700

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 North Carolina

North Carolina's official long-term projections expect employment of dental front office staff to grow 7.8% over 2024–2034, from 46,210 to 49,800 jobs, with about 4,920 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 North Carolina

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

Know your worth, then go get it

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

Dental Front Office salary in North Carolina: FAQ

How much do dental front office staff make in North Carolina?

The median annual wage for dental front office staff in North Carolina was $44,190 ($21.24 an hour) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $37,930 and $47,440. The lowest-paid 10% earned under $35,880 and the top 10% earned over $55,290.

Do dental front office staff in North Carolina earn more than the national median?

No. The North Carolina median of $44,190 is lower than the U.S. median of $45,930. That is $1,740 (4%) lower. This is a DSO Hire calculation from BLS figures and does not adjust for cost of living.

Which North Carolina metro area pays dental front office staff the most?

Among the 16 North Carolina metro areas with published BLS data, Durham-Chapel Hill has the highest median at $46,860 a year. Fayetteville has the lowest, at $37,600.

How many dental front office staff work in North Carolina?

BLS estimates 56,840 dental front office staff were employed in North Carolina in May 2025. That is 11.50 per 1,000 jobs in the state. The location quotient is 1.86, meaning the role is more concentrated than the national average.

Is demand for dental front office staff growing in North Carolina?

North Carolina's official long-term projections expect employment of dental front office staff to grow 7.8% over 2024–2034, from 46,210 to 49,800 jobs. That works out to about 4,920 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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