How much does a dental assistant make?
Typical yearly pay for dental assistants in the United States.
median pay per year, about $4,006 a month or $23.11 an hour.
That's more than 26% of the 100 jobs in our salary guide, ranking #74 of 100.
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| Private detective | $51,220 |
| Auto mechanic | $50,620 |
| Garbage collector | $49,690 |
| Dental assistant | $48,070 |
| School bus driver | $47,920 |
| Sports coach or scout | $47,320 |
| Fitness instructor | $47,160 |
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- Pharmacy technician$45,750
- Nursing assistant$42,260
- Veterinary assistant$38,150
- Massage therapist$58,450
- Paramedic$60,600
- MRI technologist$95,480
How much does a dental assistant make per hour?
About $23.11 an hour, if you spread the median yearly pay over a standard 40-hour week, 52 weeks a year. Actual hourly pay varies with overtime, shift work and location.
Becoming a dental assistant
The U.S. Department of Labor's career profile covers the training, licenses and day-to-day tasks for this job.
How to become a dental assistant
About this number
This is the national median wage for the occupation “Dental Assistants” (code 31-9091.00) from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025 release, as published on O*NET OnLine. The median is the middle value: half of workers earn more, half earn less.