The average salary for a dental assistant in the United States is $47,350, but the range typically falls between $38,220 and $54,430. This corresponds to an average hourly wage of $22.77, with a range between $18.38 and $26.17.
There are approximately 370,690 people employed as a dental assistant in the United States. With California, Texas, Florida employing the highest number of dental assistants.The state with the best pay for a dental assistant is Minnesota, with an average annual salary of $62,760, while Alabama has the lowest average annual salary of $37,440.
| Annual Salary | Hourly Wage | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile | $35,470 | $17.05 |
| 25th Percentile | $38,220 | $18.38 |
| Median | $46,540 | $22.38 |
| 75th Percentile | $54,430 | $26.17 |
| 90th Percentile | $61,060 | $29.35 |
The salary of a dental assistant can vary depending on the state. Below is a map of the United States showing the average annual salary for a dental assistant in each state. The darker the color, the higher the salary. The best states for dental assistants are Minnesota, Massachusetts, North Dakota, Oregon, New Hampshire while the worst states are Alabama, Mississippi, Utah, West Virginia, Idaho.
| State | Low-end | Average | High-end |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $28,650 | $37,440 | $47,770 |
| Alaska | $36,980 | $53,020 | $65,080 |
| Arizona | $37,200 | $47,030 | $57,610 |
| Arkansas | $30,440 | $40,440 | $46,960 |
| California | $37,800 | $52,470 | $72,300 |
| Colorado | $37,590 | $50,940 | $63,680 |
| Connecticut | $35,850 | $49,590 | $61,240 |
| Delaware | $31,580 | $49,040 | $57,160 |
| District of Columbia | $43,220 | $55,100 | $65,480 |
| Florida | $37,440 | $46,240 | $57,300 |
| Georgia | $34,840 | $43,710 | $55,500 |
| Hawaii | $35,360 | $42,960 | $48,780 |
| Idaho | $31,200 | $40,200 | $50,360 |
| Illinois | $29,500 | $42,420 | $54,820 |
| Indiana | $35,490 | $47,250 | $61,680 |
| Iowa | $38,390 | $49,140 | $58,790 |
| Kansas | $30,990 | $41,140 | $50,950 |
| Kentucky | $28,080 | $41,090 | $57,680 |
| Louisiana | $28,100 | $38,290 | $48,040 |
| Maine | $38,590 | $48,760 | $59,330 |
| Maryland | $37,190 | $50,040 | $60,870 |
| Massachusetts | $46,280 | $56,810 | $71,880 |
| Michigan | $35,910 | $45,210 | $57,360 |
| Minnesota | $48,280 | $62,760 | $74,970 |
| Mississippi | $28,560 | $37,610 | $47,160 |
| Missouri | $34,840 | $44,450 | $56,210 |
| Montana | $31,200 | $43,280 | $56,480 |
| Nebraska | $37,230 | $43,930 | $54,350 |
| Nevada | $34,860 | $46,200 | $58,660 |
| New Hampshire | $40,670 | $54,190 | $63,430 |
| New Jersey | $36,080 | $46,950 | $60,880 |
| New Mexico | $30,770 | $40,530 | $48,940 |
| New York | $37,010 | $48,290 | $61,160 |
| North Carolina | $36,790 | $47,840 | $59,760 |
| North Dakota | $42,990 | $54,010 | $61,160 |
| Ohio | $36,120 | $49,550 | $70,880 |
| Oklahoma | $31,330 | $41,470 | $54,620 |
| Oregon | $47,070 | $55,960 | $63,920 |
| Pennsylvania | $36,580 | $47,770 | $58,830 |
| Rhode Island | $31,730 | $52,030 | $76,140 |
| South Carolina | $37,630 | $46,940 | $58,560 |
| South Dakota | $37,670 | $47,620 | $57,310 |
| Tennessee | $35,420 | $43,910 | $54,550 |
| Texas | $29,420 | $41,690 | $56,630 |
| Utah | $31,080 | $39,350 | $47,900 |
| Vermont | $46,630 | $53,860 | $63,670 |
| Virginia | $35,530 | $47,630 | $60,620 |
| Washington | $42,360 | $54,190 | $61,190 |
| West Virginia | $30,470 | $39,890 | $49,660 |
| Wisconsin | $38,170 | $45,700 | $55,100 |
| Wyoming | $35,360 | $47,560 | $60,500 |
Even between cities, the salary of a dental assistant can vary. For example, the areas with the highest average salary for dental assistants is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara area, CA with an average salary of $66,640.The city with the lowest average salary for dental assistants is Southeast Mississippi nonmetropolitan area, MS with an average salary of $32,420.
Areas with highest average salaries for dental assistants
Areas with lowest average salaries for dental assistants
The number of dental assistants in the United States has been increasing over the years. Since 2020, the number of dental assistants has increased by 58,550. On average, the number of dental assistants has been increasing by 4.7% each year. The salary of dental assistants has been increasing. Since 2020, the salary of dental assistants has increased by $5,040. On average, the salary of dental assistants has been increasing by 3.0% each year.
Dental Assistants are part of the healthcare support occupations group. Below is a comparison of the average annual salary for dental assistants compared to other jobs in the same occupation group. View all healthcare support occupations jobs here.
$47,410 per year
$39,090 per year
$42,060 per year
$43,350 per year
$34,810 per year
$41,000 per year
