How much do dental assistants make in 2026?
Dental assistants earn a national median of $48,070 a year ($23.11 an hour) per BLS OEWS May 2025 (SOC 31-9091). The bottom 10% earn about $37,130 and the top 10% reach $62,250. The lever that matters is state-granted scope: an assistant with a radiography permit and expanded-function duties can place and finish restorative materials, take impressions and apply sealants, which makes the chair more productive and is reflected in pay near the $58,090 P75. Oral surgery, orthodontic and implant practices pay above general dentistry for the same reason. Employment is projected to grow 6.4% through 2034 with roughly 52,900 openings a year. → Full dental assistant career guide, career path, credentials & placement →
Note: $48,070 blends every experience level and every setting in this occupation. For pay by level alone, see Pay by Level below.
- Dental Assistants earn a national median $48,070/yr ($23.11/hr) (BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 31-9091); the P10 to P90 range is $37,130 to $62,250.
- Scope of practice is the pay lever: radiography and expanded-function permits let an assistant complete billable steps, and permitted assistants cluster nearer the $58,090 P75.
- Specialty practices — oral surgery, orthodontics and implant dentistry — pay above general dentistry because the assistant carries more procedural responsibility per appointment.
- BLS projects 6.4% growth through 2034 with roughly 52,900 openings a year, and duties are set state by state, so what you may legally do changes when you move.
US Dental Assistant Pay Distribution · BLS OEWS May 2025
Pay by Level · BLS OEWS May 2025
How much do dental assistants earn at each level?
BLS OEWS publishes one blended wage for the whole occupation and does not break pay out by credential or practice level. The levels below distribute the published percentile range across the credential tiers this role actually hires at.
Level medians are aligned to the BLS OEWS May 2025 percentile distribution for SOC 31-9091; GlobalCybers does not yet publish a verified placement sample for this role, so no verified median is shown.
Methodology & Sources
How the numbers on this page are built
Published (BLS): BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 31-9091, United States national estimate. Public, methodologically rigorous, but sampled on a rolling 3-year basis and published ~10 months after collection — so it reflects wages that are already 1–2 years old by the time you read them.
Level and certification medians: distributed across the published BLS percentile range for this SOC code (P10 through P90) according to the credential tiers this occupation actually hires at. They are modeled reference points, not separately surveyed wages.
State and metro figures: modeled — the BLS national median multiplied by the GlobalCybers state wage index, and for metros by the published metro index for that state. They are estimates of local pay, not BLS state or metropolitan-area observations, and are labelled as modeled in the tables below.
No verified placement sample:GlobalCybers does not yet publish a placement median for this role, so no "verified" figure appears anywhere on this page.
Pay by Career Level
How much does a dental assistant earn at each career stage?
Dental assisting has no national licence, so what an assistant may do — and therefore what they are paid — is set by state permits and practice type. Each median below is anchored to the BLS OEWS distribution for SOC 31-9091.
By State
Which states pay dental assistants the most in 2026?
These are modeled state estimates — the BLS national median scaled by the GlobalCybers state wage index — not BLS state observations. State scope rules matter as much as the wage level here: the same certified assistant may perform expanded restorative functions in one state and not in the next, which changes what a practice can pay for.
6 of 51 state guides shown, ranked by median. Bar is relative to California ($55,280), the highest-paying state shown. See all 51 state salary guides →
By Metro
Which cities pay dental assistants the most?
Modeled metro estimates: the national median scaled by the state wage index and then by the published metro index for that state. They estimate local wage levels and are not BLS metropolitan-area observations.
BLS OEWS MSA estimates, May 2025. Nominal pay — weigh each metro against its cost of living before relocating.
Certification Impact
Which certifications raise a dental assistant’s pay the most?
Median annual pay before and after each credential, based on GlobalCybers placement data cross-referenced with BLS. License upgrades move the needle most; stackable certs add on top.
Impacts are not additive, the licensing rows share the same career ladder. Browse all 167 certifications →
Trade Comparison
How does dental assistant pay compare to related roles?
BLS OEWS national median across the closest trades. Dental Assistants sit mid-pack on median but carry one of the widest P10–P90 spreads, licensing and specialization drive the upside.
BLS OEWS May 2025. Verify dental assistant wages on BLS.gov →
Take-Home Pay
What does a dental assistant actually take home after taxes?
The medians above are gross base wage.
Estimates use 2026 federal brackets, standard deduction, and 7.65% FICA. Actual take-home varies with filing status, deductions, and local tax.
FAQ
Dental Assistant Salary, Frequently Asked Questions
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