Dental Assistants Salary
Healthcare Support Occupations · 388K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$48,070
Median hourly
$23
Average annual
$50,200
Typical range
$37,130–$62,250
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Dental Assistants is $48,070 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $23 an hour at a full-time schedule.
Perform limited clinical duties under the direction of a dentist. Clinical duties may include equipment preparation and sterilization, preparing patients for treatment, assisting the dentist during treatment, and providing patients with instructions for oral healthcare procedures.
Most earn between $37,130 and $62,250 a year. There are roughly 388K people employed as dental assistants in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.
Salary calculator
Convert your pay and see where it lands for Dental Assistants.
- Hourly
- $23.11
- Daily
- $185
- Weekly
- $924
- Bi-weekly
- $1,849
- Monthly
- $4,006
- Annual
- $48,070
$48,070 a year is around the 50th percentile for Dental Assistantss. The median is $48,070.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1Minnesota$65,270
- 2District of Columbia$60,580
- 3Maine$60,070
- 4New Hampshire$59,530
- 5Oregon$59,490
- 6Washington$58,090
- 7Massachusetts$57,980
- 8North Dakota$57,770
- 9Alaska$57,710
- 10Connecticut$56,850
- 11Vermont$52,760
- 12North Carolina$50,380
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$74,600
- 2Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI$72,370
- 3San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$64,390
- 4Rochester, MN$63,450
- 5Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$62,040
- 6Portland-South Portland, ME$61,240
- 7Mankato, MN$61,010
- 8St. Cloud, MN$61,000
- 9Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$60,590
- 10Napa, CA$60,270
- 11Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA$59,890
- 12Manchester-Nashua, NH$59,700
Related job titles
Employers advertise Dental Assistants roles under these titles.
- Certified Dental Assistant (CDA)
- Certified Registered Dental Assistant
- Dental Aide
- Dental Assistant (DA)
- Dental Nurse
- Dental Specialist
- Dentist Attendant
- Expanded Dental Assistant
- Expanded Duty Dental Assistant (EDDA)
- Expanded Functions Dental Assistant (EFDA)
- General Practical Dental Assistant
- Oral Surgery Assistant
- Orthodontic Assistant (Ortho Assistant)
- Orthodontic Dental Assistant
- Orthodontist Assistant
- Pediatric Dental Assistant
Related occupations
What a Dental Assistants does
- Prepare patient, sterilize or disinfect instruments, set up instrument trays, prepare materials, or assist dentist during dental procedures.
- Assist dentist in management of medical or dental emergencies.
- Expose dental diagnostic x-rays.
- Pour, trim, and polish study casts.
- Record treatment information in patient records.
- Order and monitor dental supplies and equipment inventory.
- Take and record medical and dental histories and vital signs of patients.
- Apply protective coating of fluoride to teeth.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Dental Assistants make?
- The median annual wage for Dental Assistants is $48,070 ($23 per hour). Pay ranges from about $37,130 at the 10th percentile to $62,250 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Dental Assistants?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $50,200, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Dental Assistantss the most?
- Minnesota has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $65,270.
- Is Dental Assistants a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 388K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Dental Assistants do?
- Prepare patient, sterilize or disinfect instruments, set up instrument trays, prepare materials, or assist dentist during dental procedures.; Assist dentist in management of medical or dental emergencies.; Expose dental diagnostic x-rays..