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Dental Assistant Salary by State (2026)
Dental Assistants (Dental Assistants) hold 384,650 jobs across the US. Typical pay is $48,867 per year, but the median ranges from $37,760 in Utah to $65,270 in Minnesota. Pick your state for the full pay range and an estimated take-home after taxes.
Median Dental Assistant salary in every state
| State | Median salary | Jobs |
| Minnesota | $65,270 | 5,980 |
| District of Columbia | $60,580 | 630 |
| Maine | $60,070 | 1,550 |
| New Hampshire | $59,530 | 1,600 |
| Oregon | $59,490 | 5,930 |
| Washington | $58,090 | 13,050 |
| Massachusetts | $57,980 | 9,680 |
| North Dakota | $57,770 | 860 |
| Alaska | $57,710 | 1,140 |
| Connecticut | $56,850 | 3,840 |
| Vermont | $52,760 | 580 |
| North Carolina | $50,380 | 11,450 |
| Rhode Island | $50,150 | 1,050 |
| California | $50,110 | 56,220 |
| New Jersey | $49,390 | 9,990 |
| Arizona | $49,000 | 8,680 |
| Michigan | $48,820 | 11,990 |
| Indiana | $48,670 | 6,690 |
| Maryland | $48,620 | 6,560 |
| Illinois | $48,610 | 13,740 |
| Iowa | $48,430 | 3,210 |
| Colorado | $48,340 | 8,360 |
| New York | $48,110 | 19,800 |
| Ohio | $47,970 | 12,150 |
| Pennsylvania | $47,930 | 12,080 |
| South Dakota | $47,900 | 1,290 |
| Kentucky | $47,730 | 4,530 |
| Florida | $47,620 | 26,620 |
| Delaware | $47,600 | 990 |
| Wisconsin | $47,520 | 7,760 |
| South Carolina | $47,320 | 5,530 |
| Nevada | $47,110 | 4,230 |
| Georgia | $46,840 | 10,540 |
| Tennessee | $46,720 | 7,420 |
| Montana | $46,680 | 1,450 |
| Virginia | $46,670 | 10,760 |
| Nebraska | $46,660 | 2,520 |
| Missouri | $45,970 | 6,760 |
| Idaho | $45,880 | 2,680 |
| Oklahoma | $45,740 | 4,550 |
| Texas | $45,430 | 33,230 |
| Wyoming | $44,990 | 630 |
| Hawaii | $44,720 | 1,960 |
| New Mexico | $44,400 | 2,150 |
| Louisiana | $44,090 | 4,540 |
| Arkansas | $42,830 | 2,950 |
| Mississippi | $39,160 | 3,080 |
| Alabama | $39,080 | 3,740 |
| West Virginia | $37,960 | 1,290 |
| Utah | $37,760 | 6,640 |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the average Dental Assistant salary in the US?
- The typical (employment-weighted median) Dental Assistant salary in the US is about $48,867 per year, based on the latest BLS data covering 384,650 jobs nationwide.
- Which state pays Dental Assistants the most?
- Minnesota has the highest median Dental Assistant salary at $65,270 per year. Remember that taxes and cost of living vary — a high gross salary can shrink after state taxes.
- Which state pays Dental Assistants the least?
- Utah has the lowest median at $37,760 per year. Lower-paying states often also have lower living costs and, in some cases, no state income tax.
Sources and methodology
All figures: BLS OEWS May 2025 (state file, released April 2026) (Dental Assistants, code 31-9091). “Typical pay” is the employment-weighted average of state medians. Take-home estimates on state pages use 2026 federal and verified state tax rules from our PaycheckTally engine.