Contents
Dental Assistant Salary
| 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% |
