Dental Assistants Wages
SOC 31-9091 • Full occupation profile
The median annual wage for Dental Assistants is $46,540 nationally (2023 BLS OEWS). The 10th percentile is $35,470 and the 90th percentile is $61,060, showing the wide spread of wages in this occupation.
National Wage Distribution (2023)
Employment
370,690
P10
$35,470
P25
$38,220
Median
$46,540
P75
$54,430
P90
$61,060
National Wage Trend
How national median and mean wages for Dental Assistants have moved across BLS OEWS release years.
| Year | Median | Mean | P10 | P90 | Employment | YoY Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $46,540 | $47,350 | $35,470 | $61,060 | 370,690 | — |
| 2022 | $44,820 | $44,710 | $31,450 | $59,200 | 363,880 | -3.7% |
| 2021 | $38,660 | $42,510 | $29,580 | $59,540 | 347,170 | -13.74% |
| 2020 | $41,180 | $42,310 | $28,940 | $58,390 | 312,140 | +6.52% |
Wages by State (2023)
State-level OEWS wage estimates for Dental Assistants. The highest median is in Minnesota at $62,870, 35% above the U.S. median.
| Area | Median Annual | vs National | Mean Annual | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | $62,870 | +35.1% | $62,760 | 6,000 |
| Massachusetts | $58,860 | +26.5% | $56,810 | 9,200 |
| North Dakota | $57,040 | +22.6% | $54,010 | 800 |
| Oregon | $57,040 | +22.6% | $55,960 | 5,180 |
| New Hampshire | $56,360 | +21.1% | $54,190 | 1,350 |
| Washington | $55,700 | +19.7% | $54,190 | 12,270 |
| District of Columbia | $52,880 | +13.6% | $55,100 | 590 |
| Alaska | $51,820 | +11.3% | $53,020 | 940 |
| Vermont | $49,730 | +6.9% | $53,860 | 580 |
| Connecticut | $49,510 | +6.4% | $49,590 | 3,700 |
| Colorado | $48,950 | +5.2% | $50,940 | 6,710 |
| California | $48,210 | +3.6% | $52,470 | 56,870 |
| Arizona | $48,190 | +3.5% | $47,030 | 7,550 |
| Virginia | $48,000 | +3.1% | $47,630 | 9,580 |
| Maryland | $47,920 | +3% | $50,040 | 5,700 |
| Iowa | $47,580 | +2.2% | $49,140 | 3,400 |
| South Dakota | $47,490 | +2% | $47,620 | 1,140 |
| Wyoming | $47,450 | +2% | $47,560 | 680 |
| Rhode Island | $47,120 | +1.2% | $52,030 | 1,080 |
| Maine | $47,060 | +1.1% | $48,760 | 1,390 |
| North Carolina | $47,000 | +1% | $47,840 | 10,930 |
| New Jersey | $46,790 | +0.5% | $46,950 | 10,170 |
| Pennsylvania | $46,680 | +0.3% | $47,770 | 10,330 |
| Florida | $46,600 | +0.1% | $46,240 | 25,370 |
| South Carolina | $46,490 | -0.1% | $46,940 | 5,000 |
| Ohio | $46,450 | -0.2% | $49,550 | 11,230 |
| Indiana | $46,380 | -0.3% | $47,250 | 6,300 |
| Nevada | $46,330 | -0.5% | $46,200 | 3,860 |
| Delaware | $46,320 | -0.5% | $49,040 | 900 |
| Wisconsin | $45,970 | -1.2% | $45,700 | 6,670 |
| Missouri | $45,760 | -1.7% | $44,450 | 6,530 |
| Michigan | $45,740 | -1.7% | $45,210 | 10,750 |
| Georgia | $45,670 | -1.9% | $43,710 | 10,050 |
| New York | $45,590 | -2% | $48,290 | 17,840 |
| Tennessee | $45,190 | -2.9% | $43,910 | 6,390 |
| Hawaii | $44,880 | -3.6% | $42,960 | 1,350 |
| Nebraska | $44,480 | -4.4% | $43,930 | 2,200 |
| Montana | $44,400 | -4.6% | $43,280 | 1,480 |
| Illinois | $43,590 | -6.3% | $42,420 | 14,370 |
| Texas | $39,640 | -14.8% | $41,690 | 34,490 |
| Kansas | $39,290 | -15.6% | $41,140 | 3,190 |
| Oklahoma | $38,940 | -16.3% | $41,470 | 4,430 |
| Arkansas | $38,590 | -17.1% | $40,440 | 2,970 |
| Kentucky | $38,530 | -17.2% | $41,090 | 4,300 |
| New Mexico | $38,480 | -17.3% | $40,530 | 2,220 |
| Louisiana | $38,180 | -18% | $38,290 | 4,740 |
| Idaho | $37,700 | -19% | $40,200 | 3,060 |
| West Virginia | $37,360 | -19.7% | $39,890 | 1,430 |
| Utah | $37,140 | -20.2% | $39,350 | 6,250 |
| Mississippi | $36,710 | -21.1% | $37,610 | 2,530 |
| Alabama | $36,120 | -22.4% | $37,440 | 4,630 |