Dental Assistants Salary in the US
A dental assistants earns a national median of $48,070 a year (mean $50,200) — BLS OEWS May 2025, ranked #595 of 825.
How much does a dental assistants earn in the US?
A dental assistants in the United States earns a median of $48,070 a year (mean $50,200), per BLS OEWS May 2025. That is 6% below the US all-occupations median of $50,980. About 387,790 people work in this occupation (SOC 31-9091), ranked #595 of 825 by national median pay. Updated annually from BLS OEWS.
Median
$48,070
per year
Mean
$50,200
per year
Employment
387,790
US workers
National rank
#595
of 825 by median
What a dental assistants earns in the US
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025 national estimates, a dental assistants (SOC 31-9091) earns a median annual wage of $48,070 and a mean (average) of $50,200. The median is the midpoint — half of dental assistants earn more and half earn less — and is 6% below the US all-occupations median of $50,980. The mean is higher than the median when a minority of very high earners pull the average up.
Note: BLS top-codes any annual wage at or above $239,200/year, so occupations at that ceiling share the same figure.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the average salary for a dental assistants in the US?
- The BLS OEWS May 2025 national annual median wage for dental assistants is $48,070, and the mean (average) is $50,200. The median is the midpoint — half of dental assistants earn more and half earn less.
- How does dental assistants pay compare to the US average?
- At $48,070, a dental assistants earns 6% below the US all-occupations median of $50,980 (BLS OEWS May 2025). The all-occupations US median is $50,980.
- How many dental assistants are employed in the US?
- BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates about 387,790 dental assistants employed nationally (SOC 31-9091), across all industries.
- Where does this dental assistants salary data come from?
- From the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2025 national release — cross-industry, all-ownership estimates, SOC code 31-9091. As US federal government work it is public domain. GeraJobs publishes the figures verbatim; suppressed cells are shown as "—", never estimated.
Compare nearby occupations
- Electronic Equipment Installers and Repairers, Motor Vehicles$48,420
- Sales and Related Workers, All Other$48,280
- Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$48,250
- Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$48,220
- Meter Readers, Utilities$48,150
- Foundry Mold and Coremakers$48,110
- Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders$48,040
- Medical Appliance Technicians$48,030
- Fence Erectors$47,980
- Cooks, Private Household$47,940
- Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$47,920
- Bus Drivers, School$47,920
Find dental assistants jobs with salary ranges
GeraJobs lists live US vacancies with employer-stated salary ranges — see which dental assistants roles pay above the BLS benchmark.
Data source
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) · May 2025 national estimates · SOC 31-9091 · Public domain (U.S. federal government work)
Published verbatim by GeraJobs. Last updated: 2026-06-27. ← All US salaries