Dental Assistants Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for dental assistants is $48,070, or $23.11 per hour. About 387,790 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $65,270 in Minnesota to $37,760 in Utah.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 50 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minnesota | $65,270 | $31.38 | 5,980 | 0.81 |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $60,580 | $29.13 | 630 | 0.36 |
| 3 | Maine | $60,070 | $28.88 | 1,550 | 0.97 |
| 4 | New Hampshire | $59,530 | $28.62 | 1,600 | 0.94 |
| 5 | Oregon | $59,490 | $28.60 | 5,930 | 1.21 |
| 6 | Washington | $58,090 | $27.93 | 13,050 | 1.47 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $57,980 | $27.88 | 9,680 | 1.07 |
| 8 | North Dakota | $57,770 | $27.78 | 860 | 0.80 |
| 9 | Alaska | $57,710 | $27.74 | 1,140 | 1.40 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $56,850 | $27.33 | 3,840 | 0.91 |
| 11 | Vermont | $52,760 | $25.37 | 580 | 0.77 |
| 12 | North Carolina | $50,380 | $24.22 | 11,450 | 0.93 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $50,150 | $24.11 | 1,050 | 0.84 |
| 14 | California | $50,110 | $24.09 | 56,220 | 1.24 |
| 15 | New Jersey | $49,390 | $23.74 | 9,990 | 0.93 |
| 16 | Arizona | $49,000 | $23.56 | 8,680 | 1.07 |
| 17 | Michigan | $48,820 | $23.47 | 11,990 | 1.09 |
| 18 | Indiana | $48,670 | $23.40 | 6,690 | 0.84 |
| 19 | Maryland | $48,620 | $23.38 | 6,560 | 0.95 |
| 20 | Illinois | $48,610 | $23.37 | 13,740 | 0.90 |
| 21 | Iowa | $48,430 | $23.28 | 3,210 | 0.83 |
| 22 | Colorado | $48,340 | $23.24 | 8,360 | 1.17 |
| 23 | New York | $48,110 | $23.13 | 19,800 | 0.82 |
| 24 | Ohio | $47,970 | $23.06 | 12,150 | 0.88 |
| 25 | Pennsylvania | $47,930 | $23.05 | 12,080 | 0.80 |
| 26 | South Dakota | $47,900 | $23.03 | 1,290 | 1.13 |
| 27 | Kentucky | $47,730 | $22.95 | 4,530 | 0.91 |
| 28 | Florida | $47,620 | $22.89 | 26,620 | 1.07 |
| 29 | Delaware | $47,600 | $22.89 | 990 | 0.82 |
| 30 | Wisconsin | $47,520 | $22.85 | 7,760 | 1.06 |
| 31 | South Carolina | $47,320 | $22.75 | 5,530 | 0.96 |
| 32 | Nevada | $47,110 | $22.65 | 4,230 | 1.09 |
| 33 | Georgia | $46,840 | $22.52 | 10,540 | 0.86 |
| 34 | Tennessee | $46,720 | $22.46 | 7,420 | 0.91 |
| 35 | Montana | $46,680 | $22.44 | 1,450 | 1.14 |
| 36 | Virginia | $46,670 | $22.44 | 10,760 | 1.05 |
| 37 | Nebraska | $46,660 | $22.43 | 2,520 | 0.99 |
| 38 | Missouri | $45,970 | $22.10 | 6,760 | 0.92 |
| 39 | Idaho | $45,880 | $22.06 | 2,680 | 1.25 |
| 40 | Oklahoma | $45,740 | $21.99 | 4,550 | 1.07 |
| 41 | Texas | $45,430 | $21.84 | 33,230 | 0.95 |
| 42 | Wyoming | $44,990 | $21.63 | 630 | 0.90 |
| 43 | Hawaii | $44,720 | $21.50 | 1,960 | 1.25 |
| 44 | New Mexico | $44,400 | $21.35 | 2,150 | 0.99 |
| 45 | Louisiana | $44,090 | $21.20 | 4,540 | 0.94 |
| 46 | Arkansas | $42,830 | $20.59 | 2,950 | 0.91 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $39,160 | $18.83 | 3,080 | 1.06 |
| 48 | Alabama | $39,080 | $18.79 | 3,740 | 0.71 |
| 49 | West Virginia | $37,960 | $18.25 | 1,290 | 0.74 |
| 50 | Utah | $37,760 | $18.16 | 6,640 | 1.54 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do dental assistants make?
The median annual wage for dental assistants in the United States is $48,070, or $23.11 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $37,130, and the top 10% earn $62,250.
How many dental assistants are employed in the U.S.?
About 387,790 people work as dental assistants nationwide.
Which state pays dental assistants the most?
Minnesota pays the most at a median of $65,270, followed by District of Columbia ($60,580) and Maine ($60,070).
Which state pays dental assistants the least?
Utah has the lowest median at $37,760.
Where are dental assistants jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Utah at 1.54×.