Dental Salary Data · BLS OEWS May 2025

Dental Practice Administrator Salary in Alabama

The median dental practice administrator earns $97,790 a year in Alabama ($47.02 an hour), with the middle half earning between $79,500 and $118,440.[1]

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

25th percentile

$79,500

Lower end of the middle half

Median

$97,790

Half earn more, half earn less

75th percentile

$118,440

Upper end of the middle half

That's roughly $97,790 per year or $47.02/hr at the median. Alabama runs about 21% lower than the national median.

The full pay range in Alabama

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 practice administrators in Alabama earn. The U.S. figures are shown alongside for comparison.[1][2]

Dental Practice Administrator wages, Alabama vs. U.S. (BLS OEWS, May 2025)
PercentileAlabama hourlyAlabama annualU.S. hourlyU.S. annual
10th percentile$31.08$64,640$35.29$73,390
25th percentile$38.22$79,500$45.53$94,700
Median$47.02$97,790$59.55$123,860
75th percentile$56.94$118,440$79.85$166,100
90th percentile$76.66$159,450$107.86$224,340
Mean (average)$50.93$105,940$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 practice administrators work in Alabama

Employed

10,360

About 1.7% of all U.S. dental practice administrators (calculation)

Per 1,000 jobs

4.90

Share of all jobs in the state

Location quotient

1.28

1.00 = U.S. average; Alabama 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 Alabama compares to the U.S.

  • Median pay: $97,790 in Alabama vs. $123,860 nationally, $26,070 (21%) lower.
  • Entry pay (10th percentile): $64,640 vs. $73,390, 12% lower.
  • Top pay (90th percentile): $159,450 vs. $224,340, 29% lower.
  • Projected job growth (2024–2034): 25% in Alabama 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 Practice Administrator pay by metro area in Alabama

All 13 Alabama metro areas with published BLS data, highest median first.[2]

Dental Practice Administrator pay by Alabama metro area (BLS OEWS, May 2025)
Metro areaMedianMiddle halfEmployed
Columbus$112,440$92,030–$136,070450
Auburn-Opelika$100,850$86,090–$123,440290
Birmingham$100,500$82,610–$126,5603,430
Mobile$99,270$81,950–$125,720940
Huntsville$99,170$79,580–$107,8901,020
Montgomery$96,820$80,620–$119,170740
Tuscaloosa$96,110$76,980–$124,820500
Daphne-Fairhope-Foley$95,990$76,350–$105,460300
Decatur$91,450$75,620–$101,990210
Dothan$86,450$71,330–$111,660370
Gadsden$85,100$78,140–$102,890260
Florence-Muscle Shoals$84,610$77,840–$102,020240
Anniston-Oxford$83,860$75,840–$105,080160

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 practice administrators in Alabama

Alabama's official long-term projections expect employment of dental practice administrators to grow 25% over 2024–2034, from 10,350 to 12,940 jobs, with about 1,070 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 practice administrator pay in Alabama

Pay for a dental practice administrator 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 practice administrator roles in Alabama, or build a free, ATS-ready resume and get matched to practices that fit how you want to work.

Dental Practice Administrator salary in Alabama: FAQ

How much do dental practice administrators make in Alabama?

The median annual wage for dental practice administrators in Alabama was $97,790 ($47.02 an hour) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $79,500 and $118,440. The lowest-paid 10% earned under $64,640 and the top 10% earned over $159,450.

Do dental practice administrators in Alabama earn more than the national median?

No. The Alabama median of $97,790 is lower than the U.S. median of $123,860. That is $26,070 (21%) lower. This is a DSO Hire calculation from BLS figures and does not adjust for cost of living.

Which Alabama metro area pays dental practice administrators the most?

Among the 13 Alabama metro areas with published BLS data, Columbus has the highest median at $112,440 a year. Anniston-Oxford has the lowest, at $83,860.

How many dental practice administrators work in Alabama?

BLS estimates 10,360 dental practice administrators were employed in Alabama in May 2025. That is 4.90 per 1,000 jobs in the state. The location quotient is 1.28, meaning the role is more concentrated than the national average.

Is demand for dental practice administrators growing in Alabama?

Alabama's official long-term projections expect employment of dental practice administrators to grow 25% over 2024–2034, from 10,350 to 12,940 jobs. That works out to about 1,070 openings a year, including replacements for people who leave the field. The national projection for the same period is 23.2%.

Hiring in Alabama?

Fill dental practice administrator roles across every location.

See how it works