The average salary for a dental assistant in the United States is around $48,070 per year.
Avg Salary
Dental assistants earn an average yearly salary of $48,070.
Wages typically start from $37,130 and go up to $62,250.
27% below national average Updated in 2025
Dental assistant earnings by seniority
Top-level dental assistant earnings begin at:
$29.93 per hour
$62,250 per year
Senior-level dental assistant earnings begin at:
$27.93 per hour
$58,090 per year
Mid-level dental assistant earnings begin at:
$23.11 per hour
$48,070 per year
Junior-level dental assistant earnings begin at:
$21.32 per hour
$44,340 per year
Starting level dental assistant earnings begin at:
$17.85 per hour
$37,130 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Dental assistant salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Minnesota | $65,270 |
| District of Columbia | $60,580 |
| Maine | $60,070 |
| New Hampshire | $59,530 |
| Oregon | $59,490 |
| Washington | $58,090 |
| Massachusetts | $57,980 |
| North Dakota | $57,770 |
| Alaska | $57,710 |
| Connecticut | $56,850 |
| Vermont | $52,760 |
| North Carolina | $50,380 |
| Rhode Island | $50,150 |
| California | $50,110 |
| New Jersey | $49,390 |
| Arizona | $49,000 |
| Michigan | $48,820 |
| Indiana | $48,670 |
| Maryland | $48,620 |
| Illinois | $48,610 |
| Iowa | $48,430 |
| Colorado | $48,340 |
| New York | $48,110 |
| Ohio | $47,970 |
| Pennsylvania | $47,930 |
| South Dakota | $47,900 |
| Kentucky | $47,730 |
| Florida | $47,620 |
| Delaware | $47,600 |
| Wisconsin | $47,520 |
| South Carolina | $47,320 |
| Nevada | $47,110 |
| Georgia | $46,840 |
| Tennessee | $46,720 |
| Montana | $46,680 |
| Virginia | $46,670 |
| Nebraska | $46,660 |
| Missouri | $45,970 |
| Idaho | $45,880 |
| Oklahoma | $45,740 |
| Texas | $45,430 |
| Wyoming | $44,990 |
| Hawaii | $44,720 |
| New Mexico | $44,400 |
| Louisiana | $44,090 |
| Arkansas | $42,830 |
| Mississippi | $39,160 |
| Alabama | $39,080 |
| West Virginia | $37,960 |
| Utah | $37,760 |
| Kansas | $37,490 |
| Guam | $37,300 |
| Virgin Islands, U.S. | $37,120 |
| Puerto Rico | $17,630 |
How do dental assistant salaries compare to similar careers?
Dental assistants earn about the same as related careers in the United States. On average, they make less than community health workers but more than pharmacy technicians.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Community health worker salary | $52K |
| Medical appliance technician salary | $48K |
| Rehabilitation counselor salary | $47K |
| Optician salary | $47K |
| Endoscopy technician salary | $48K |
| Dental assistant salary | $48K |
| Veterinary technologist salary | $47K |
| Ophthalmic medical technician salary | $46K |
| Medical administrative assistant salary | $46K |
| Pharmacy technician salary | $46K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)