BLS dental assistant pay in every state and at every level, with overtime and take-home after 2026 tax
Dental assistants earned a median of $23.11 an hour in May 2025 — $48,070 a year full time — according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' count of 387,790. The bottom tenth earned under $17.85; the top quarter over $27.93. The calculator starts at the national median; pick your state to start from its figure.
This is the BLS line for dental assistants (SOC 31-9091) on employers' payrolls. Dental hygienists, who clean teeth and examine patients, are a separate and higher-paid occupation with their own calculator here. Take-home assumes a single filer with 2026 federal tax and FICA and no state tax.
| Pay level | Hourly | Annual | Monthly | Take-home a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $17.85 | $37,130 | $3,094 | $32,014 |
| 25th percentile | $21.32 | $44,340 | $3,695 | $37,807 |
| Median | $23.11 | $48,070 | $4,006 | $40,804 |
| 75th percentile | $27.93 | $58,090 | $4,841 | $48,855 |
| 90th percentile | $29.93 | $62,250 | $5,188 | $52,198 |
Minnesota pays dental assistants the most at $31.38 an hour, then Washington, D.C. ($29.13) and Maine ($28.88). Utah ($18.16) and West Virginia ($18.25) pay least. California has by far the most dental assistants, 56,220, at $24.09. BLS published figures for every state except Kansas, plus D.C.
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | $31.38 | $65,270 | 5,980 |
| District of Columbia | $29.13 | $60,580 | 630 |
| Maine | $28.88 | $60,070 | 1,550 |
| New Hampshire | $28.62 | $59,530 | 1,600 |
| Oregon | $28.60 | $59,490 | 5,930 |
| Washington | $27.93 | $58,090 | 13,050 |
| Massachusetts | $27.88 | $57,980 | 9,680 |
| North Dakota | $27.78 | $57,770 | 860 |
| Alaska | $27.74 | $57,710 | 1,140 |
| Connecticut | $27.33 | $56,850 | 3,840 |
| Vermont | $25.37 | $52,760 | 580 |
| North Carolina | $24.22 | $50,380 | 11,450 |
| Rhode Island | $24.11 | $50,150 | 1,050 |
| California | $24.09 | $50,110 | 56,220 |
| New Jersey | $23.74 | $49,390 | 9,990 |
| Arizona | $23.56 | $49,000 | 8,680 |
| Michigan | $23.47 | $48,820 | 11,990 |
| Indiana | $23.40 | $48,670 | 6,690 |
| Maryland | $23.38 | $48,620 | 6,560 |
| Illinois | $23.37 | $48,610 | 13,740 |
| Iowa | $23.28 | $48,430 | 3,210 |
| Colorado | $23.24 | $48,340 | 8,360 |
| New York | $23.13 | $48,110 | 19,800 |
| Ohio | $23.06 | $47,970 | 12,150 |
| Pennsylvania | $23.05 | $47,930 | 12,080 |
| South Dakota | $23.03 | $47,900 | 1,290 |
| Kentucky | $22.95 | $47,730 | 4,530 |
| Delaware | $22.89 | $47,600 | 990 |
| Florida | $22.89 | $47,620 | 26,620 |
| Wisconsin | $22.85 | $47,520 | 7,760 |
| South Carolina | $22.75 | $47,320 | 5,530 |
| Nevada | $22.65 | $47,110 | 4,230 |
| Georgia | $22.52 | $46,840 | 10,540 |
| Tennessee | $22.46 | $46,720 | 7,420 |
| Montana | $22.44 | $46,680 | 1,450 |
| Virginia | $22.44 | $46,670 | 10,760 |
| Nebraska | $22.43 | $46,660 | 2,520 |
| Missouri | $22.10 | $45,970 | 6,760 |
| Idaho | $22.06 | $45,880 | 2,680 |
| Oklahoma | $21.99 | $45,740 | 4,550 |
| Texas | $21.84 | $45,430 | 33,230 |
| Wyoming | $21.63 | $44,990 | 630 |
| Hawaii | $21.50 | $44,720 | 1,960 |
| New Mexico | $21.35 | $44,400 | 2,150 |
| Louisiana | $21.20 | $44,090 | 4,540 |
| Arkansas | $20.59 | $42,830 | 2,950 |
| Mississippi | $18.83 | $39,160 | 3,080 |
| Alabama | $18.79 | $39,080 | 3,740 |
| West Virginia | $18.25 | $37,960 | 1,290 |
| Utah | $18.16 | $37,760 | 6,640 |
Government clinics pay dental assistants the most, $55,270, against $48,000 in dentists' offices, which employ 91% of them, and $47,310 in physicians' offices (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook).
| Industry | Median annual wage |
|---|---|
| Government, excluding state and local education and hospitals | $55,270 |
| Offices of dentists | $48,000 |
| Offices of physicians | $47,310 |
Almost all dental assistants work in dentists' offices — 91% of them — under a dentist's supervision and alongside hygienists. Most work full time, and some work evenings or weekends (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook). A practice's opening hours set the schedule, so unlike hospital jobs there are rarely night shifts to add a differential.
Dental assistants are normally hourly employees and are owed time and a half for hours over 40 in a workweek. Overtime is counted by the week, not the day, so a 10-hour clinic day in a 4-day week doesn't earn overtime under federal law (U.S. Department of Labor). Some states add daily overtime rules of their own.
There are several routes in. Some states require graduation from an accredited program and an exam; programs at community colleges and vocational schools usually take about a year for a certificate or diploma, or 2 years for an associate's degree. In other states assistants learn on the job. States that allow expanded duties such as coronal polishing require assistants to be licensed, registered or certified, and certification requires an exam and current CPR certification. Taking x rays may need its own state credential (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook).
More ways to work with your dental assistant pay:
$23.11 an hour ($48,070 a year) at the BLS median for May 2025. The middle half earned $21.32 to $27.93 an hour.
Minnesota ($31.38 an hour, $65,270 a year), then District of Columbia and Maine; Utah pays least among the 50 states where BLS released a figure (BLS, May 2025).
BLS doesn't publish a separate wage for them. What it does show is that states set the scope of practice, and states that allow expanded duties require a license, registration or certification (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook); the gap between the 25th and 75th percentile on this page is the best official measure of how far skills and experience move pay.
Hourly dental assistants are owed time and a half after 40 hours in a workweek under federal law. Long clinic days don't count on their own: federal overtime is weekly, though some states also have daily overtime.
Tax rules, limits and pay data change. Check the current figures with the primary source before acting on them.