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Dental Assistant Salary

Dental Assistant Salary By Percentile
Percentile 10% 25% 50% 75% 90%
Hourly Wage $11.32 $13.64 $16.59 $19.86 $22.87
Annual Wage $23,500 $28,400 $34,500 $41,300 $47,600

How much do dental assistants make? Dental assistants are an integral part of the typical dental office. They are charged with the task of making patients comfortable during their visit. Dental assistants sterilize equipment before procedures, assist the dentist during dental procedures and engage in a variety of other tasks necessary to the smooth running of a dental practice.A breakdown of the full process of becoming a Dental Assistant can be found here.

Dental Assistant Salary

The median pay, which is defined as the amount where the same number of dental assistants earned less than that amount and the same number earned more, is $34,500 per year. The salary earned by the lowest 10% of full time workers is under $23,550; the salary earned by the top 10% is more than $47,580.

Hours and Work Environment

Most dental assistants work full time during normal business hours in a dental office.

Factors Impacting Salary

Factors that may impact salary earnings include experience, education and certifications held by the employee. An entry-level employee may expect to earn less than someone with years of experience in the field.

  • Education

There are several ways to become a dental assistant. In some states, the assistant must graduate from an accredited program and successfully pass the state exam. These programs, which are offered at community colleges, usually take one year to complete. In other states, there may be no formal educational requirements. In some circumstances, an assistant may decide to take a two year program at a technical college in order to obtain an associate’s degree.

  • Certification

Some states require that assistants be certified. This requires the candidate to pass the Certified Dental Assistant exam. In states where this certification is not required, a dental assistant holding this extra certification may prove to be more valuable to a dental practice, thereby increasing their earning capacity.

Outlook

The outlook for employment of assistants is very favorable, as the industry expects to grow 25% from 2012 to 2022. The industry expectation is that the need for dental assistants during that time period will increase by 74,400.

Salary Data

Top Paying Industries

Industry Employment % of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean salary
Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals 140 0.06 $18.89 $39,280
Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) 3,900 0.19 $18.67 $38,840
State Government (OES Designation) 1,550 0.07 $18.40 $38,270
Facilities Support Services 70 0.05 $18.27 $38,000
Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities 40 0.01 $17.96 $37,360

Salary By State

State 10% 25% Median 75% 90% Jobs (2010) Jobs (2020) Outlook
Alabama $19,800 $24,000 $30,200 $35,100 $37,900 2,890 3,950 +37%
Alaska $28,000 $34,400 $42,200 $50,800 $56,800 1,010 1,340 +33%
Arizona $26,300 $30,900 $34,700 $38,900 $45,300 6,530 9,380 +44%
Arkansas $20,800 $24,600 $28,200 $32,900 $37,100 2,470 2,750 +11%
California $24,000 $28,600 $35,600 $44,200 $52,200 43,700 49,000 +12%
Colorado $25,200 $30,800 $37,300 $44,900 $52,400 6,040 8,020 +33%
Connecticut $31,000 $35,000 $41,000 $46,300 $53,500 4,150 4,660 +13%
Delaware $21,400 $25,000 $34,100 $40,400 $45,600 770 910 +20%
District of Columbia $26,600 $30,900 $42,400 $50,600 $57,600 460 570 +24%
Florida $23,400 $28,100 $33,800 $38,800 $45,300 15,400 19,260 +25%
Georgia $22,800 $27,400 $33,800 $41,700 $49,200 8,760 11,180 +28%
Hawaii $21,700 $25,900 $31,800 $37,600 $46,100 1,730 1,910 +10%
Idaho $21,200 $26,000 $31,600 $36,500 $42,400 2,070 2,570 +24%
Illinois $20,800 $25,500 $32,600 $39,100 $45,900 12,430 14,300 +15%
Iowa $26,300 $30,600 $35,600 $41,600 $46,200 2,860 3,500 +23%
Kansas $21,800 $26,100 $31,600 $36,600 $42,200 3,000 3,860 +29%
Kentucky $22,600 $26,300 $30,100 $36,000 $42,300 4,010 5,130 +28%
Louisiana $21,200 $24,700 $28,900 $34,400 $38,200 3,480 3,950 +14%
Maine $27,300 $32,200 $37,600 $43,800 $47,500 1,010 1,100 +9%
Maryland $23,600 $31,000 $37,000 $43,800 $49,300 5,010 6,180 +23%
Massachusetts $28,900 $34,000 $41,000 $48,100 $56,100 6,660 7,550 +13%
Michigan $24,500 $28,500 $33,600 $38,300 $44,700 9,330 10,760 +15%
Minnesota $32,500 $37,200 $42,500 $47,200 $54,600 5,280 6,280 +19%
Mississippi $21,500 $25,000 $28,700 $34,500 $39,800 2,690 3,170 +18%
Missouri $23,500 $27,500 $33,300 $39,900 $45,900 5,130 5,980 +16%
Montana $21,600 $25,800 $31,100 $36,200 $40,700 1,060 1,320 +24%
Nebraska $24,200 $27,100 $31,600 $36,800 $42,800
Nevada $30,600 $33,100 $37,000 $42,400 $46,200 2,840 3,080 +8%
New Hampshire $29,400 $35,900 $44,400 $52,600 $57,600 1,530 1,850 +21%
New Jersey $24,400 $31,900 $38,700 $45,900 $54,000 9,320 10,170 +9%
New Mexico $21,800 $26,000 $31,600 $38,000 $44,600 2,030 2,370 +17%
New York $25,100 $29,800 $34,700 $40,400 $48,000 17,540 21,150 +21%
North Carolina $27,300 $31,900 $36,700 $43,100 $47,800 8,310 10,290 +24%
North Dakota $26,900 $30,700 $34,400 $37,900 $45,200 580 650 +13%
Ohio $24,200 $28,200 $33,700 $38,400 $45,400 10,030 12,080 +20%
Oklahoma $20,600 $25,000 $29,400 $34,800 $38,500 3,720 4,280 +15%
Oregon $30,700 $33,600 $38,100 $45,100 $52,700 4,450 5,350 0%
Pennsylvania $22,000 $26,700 $32,500 $37,900 $45,500 10,880 12,100 +11%
Rhode Island $25,800 $31,500 $36,500 $42,400 $45,900 880 980 +11%
South Carolina $24,300 $28,900 $34,000 $38,400 $44,400 3,530 4,660 +32%
South Dakota $21,300 $24,500 $28,700 $34,200 $38,600 870 1,070 +24%
Tennessee $23,300 $27,300 $33,100 $39,000 $44,400 5,560 7,140 +29%
Texas $21,400 $26,800 $32,900 $37,800 $44,400 21,930 27,960 +27%
Utah $20,600 $23,200 $26,900 $30,500 $36,000 4,080 5,850 +43%
Vermont $26,800 $31,100 $37,900 $43,900 $47,600 500 500 +1%
Virginia $23,300 $28,400 $34,800 $43,200 $53,100 7,830 11,190 +43%
Washington $27,700 $33,000 $39,400 $45,500 $52,300 9,690 11,530 +19%
West Virginia $19,600 $22,400 $26,700 $31,100 $36,700 1,310 1,450 +10%
Wisconsin $25,600 $30,000 $34,600 $39,500 $45,900 5,260 5,950 +13%
Wyoming $25,300 $28,200 $33,400 $38,500 $43,800 530 680 +29%

 

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