Dental Salary Data · BLS OEWS May 2025

Dental Office Manager Salary in District of Columbia

The median dental office manager earns $155,140 a year in District of Columbia ($74.59 an hour), with the middle half earning between $122,820 and $189,950.[1]

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

25th percentile

$122,820

Lower end of the middle half

Median

$155,140

Half earn more, half earn less

75th percentile

$189,950

Upper end of the middle half

That's roughly $155,140 per year or $74.59/hr at the median. District of Columbia runs about 25% 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 office managers in District of Columbia earn. The U.S. figures are shown alongside for comparison.[1][2]

Dental Office Manager wages, District of Columbia vs. U.S. (BLS OEWS, May 2025)
PercentileDistrict of Columbia hourlyDistrict of Columbia annualU.S. hourlyU.S. annual
10th percentile$46.09$95,860$35.29$73,390
25th percentile$59.05$122,820$45.53$94,700
Median$74.59$155,140$59.55$123,860
75th percentile$91.32$189,950$79.85$166,100
90th percentile$109.26$227,270$107.86$224,340
Mean (average)$77.99$162,210$67.77$140,970

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 office managers work in District of Columbia

Employed

2,010

About 0.3% of all U.S. dental office managers (calculation)

Per 1,000 jobs

2.87

Share of all jobs in the state

Location quotient

0.75

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: $155,140 in District of Columbia vs. $123,860 nationally, $31,280 (25%) higher.
  • Entry pay (10th percentile): $95,860 vs. $73,390, 31% higher.
  • Top pay (90th percentile): $227,270 vs. $224,340, 1% higher.
  • Projected job growth (2024–2034): 22.5% in District of Columbia vs. 23.2% 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 Office Manager pay by metro area in District of Columbia

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

Dental Office Manager pay by District of Columbia metro area (BLS OEWS, May 2025)
Metro areaMedianMiddle halfEmployed
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria$140,670$117,590–$175,72011,730

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 office managers in District of Columbia

District of Columbia's official long-term projections expect employment of dental office managers to grow 22.5% over 2024–2034, from 2,390 to 2,930 jobs, with about 240 openings a year.[3] The national projection for the same period is 23.2%.

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 office manager pay in District of Columbia

Pay for a dental office manager 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 office manager 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 Office Manager salary in District of Columbia: FAQ

How much do dental office managers make in District of Columbia?

The median annual wage for dental office managers in District of Columbia was $155,140 ($74.59 an hour) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $122,820 and $189,950. The lowest-paid 10% earned under $95,860 and the top 10% earned over $227,270.

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

Yes. The District of Columbia median of $155,140 is higher than the U.S. median of $123,860. That is $31,280 (25%) higher. This is a DSO Hire calculation from BLS figures and does not adjust for cost of living.

How many dental office managers work in District of Columbia?

BLS estimates 2,010 dental office managers were employed in District of Columbia in May 2025. That is 2.87 per 1,000 jobs in the state. The location quotient is 0.75, meaning the role is less concentrated than the national average.

Is demand for dental office managers growing in District of Columbia?

District of Columbia's official long-term projections expect employment of dental office managers to grow 22.5% over 2024–2034, from 2,390 to 2,930 jobs. That works out to about 240 openings a year, including replacements for people who leave the field. The national projection for the same period is 23.2%.

Hiring in District of Columbia?

Fill dental office manager roles across every location.

See how it works