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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021

31-9091 Dental Assistants

Perform limited clinical duties under the direction of a dentist. Clinical duties may include equipment preparation and sterilization, preparing patients for treatment, assisting the dentist during treatment, and providing patients with instructions for oral healthcare procedures. May perform administrative duties such as scheduling appointments, maintaining medical records, billing, and coding information for insurance purposes.


National estimates for Dental Assistants
Industry profile for Dental Assistants
Geographic profile for Dental Assistants

National estimates for Dental Assistants:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Dental Assistants:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
347,170 1.2 % $ 20.44 $ 42,510 0.5 %

Percentile wage estimates for Dental Assistants:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 14.22 $ 17.79 $ 18.59 $ 22.88 $ 28.63
Annual Wage (2) $ 29,580 $ 37,000 $ 38,660 $ 47,580 $ 59,540


Industry profile for Dental Assistants:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Dental Assistants are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Dental Assistants, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Dental Assistants:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Offices of Dentists 318,100 32.76 $ 20.42 $ 42,460
Outpatient Care Centers 6,420 0.65 $ 20.64 $ 42,920
Offices of Physicians 6,390 0.24 $ 19.35 $ 40,250
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 3,660 0.17 $ 22.10 $ 45,970
Employment Services 3,190 0.09 $ 20.14 $ 41,880

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Dental Assistants:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Offices of Dentists 318,100 32.76 $ 20.42 $ 42,460
Outpatient Care Centers 6,420 0.65 $ 20.64 $ 42,920
Offices of Physicians 6,390 0.24 $ 19.35 $ 40,250
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 3,660 0.17 $ 22.10 $ 45,970
Employment Services 3,190 0.09 $ 20.14 $ 41,880

Top paying industries for Dental Assistants:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 1,230 0.06 $ 24.12 $ 50,170
Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals 120 0.04 $ 23.18 $ 48,210
Home Health Care Services (8) (8) $ 23.04 $ 47,930
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 2,000 0.04 $ 22.68 $ 47,180
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 3,660 0.17 $ 22.10 $ 45,970


Geographic profile for Dental Assistants:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Dental Assistants are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Dental Assistants, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of dental assistants by state, May 2021


States with the highest employment level in Dental Assistants:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 48,090 2.91 1.18 $ 22.15 $ 46,060
Texas 33,040 2.70 1.10 $ 18.45 $ 38,370
Florida 21,390 2.49 1.01 $ 19.63 $ 40,820
New York 19,930 2.30 0.93 $ 21.59 $ 44,910
Illinois 12,340 2.20 0.89 $ 20.39 $ 42,400


Map of location quotient of dental assistants by state, May 2021


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Dental Assistants:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Alaska 1,150 3.87 1.57 $ 24.35 $ 50,640
Utah 6,000 3.86 1.57 $ 16.93 $ 35,210
Idaho 2,510 3.32 1.35 $ 17.43 $ 36,250
Washington 10,500 3.27 1.33 $ 22.29 $ 46,350
New Mexico 2,540 3.27 1.33 $ 18.17 $ 37,790


Map of annual mean wages of dental assistants by state, May 2021


Top paying states for Dental Assistants:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Minnesota 5,330 1.95 0.79 $ 25.52 $ 53,080
Massachusetts 8,550 2.52 1.02 $ 24.62 $ 51,210
Alaska 1,150 3.87 1.57 $ 24.35 $ 50,640
New Hampshire 1,380 2.17 0.88 $ 23.79 $ 49,470
Oregon 5,480 3.00 1.22 $ 23.45 $ 48,780



Map of employment of dental assistants by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Dental Assistants:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 21,340 2.46 1.00 $ 21.83 $ 45,410
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 15,740 2.75 1.12 $ 20.84 $ 43,340
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 11,110 3.10 1.26 $ 18.81 $ 39,120
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 9,800 2.31 0.94 $ 20.98 $ 43,630
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 7,780 2.68 1.09 $ 18.00 $ 37,430
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 7,600 3.10 1.26 $ 18.95 $ 39,420
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 6,870 3.25 1.32 $ 20.58 $ 42,810
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 6,400 2.48 1.01 $ 25.16 $ 52,330
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 6,030 2.33 0.95 $ 19.96 $ 41,520
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 5,980 2.67 1.08 $ 26.51 $ 55,150


Map of location quotient of dental assistants by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Dental Assistants:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Provo-Orem, UT 1,600 5.88 2.38 $ 16.74 $ 34,820
Sherman-Denison, TX 270 5.53 2.24 $ 17.06 $ 35,490
St. George, UT 370 4.96 2.01 $ 16.55 $ 34,420
Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ 250 4.81 1.95 $ 18.85 $ 39,200
Hanford-Corcoran, CA 200 4.60 1.87 $ 23.03 $ 47,900
Fairbanks, AK 160 4.54 1.84 $ 24.97 $ 51,940
Olympia-Tumwater, WA 500 4.44 1.80 $ 22.64 $ 47,100
Modesto, CA 800 4.41 1.79 $ 19.88 $ 41,350
Idaho Falls, ID 320 4.39 1.78 $ 17.08 $ 35,520
Wenatchee, WA 200 4.39 1.78 $ 20.92 $ 43,510


Map of annual mean wages of dental assistants by area, May 2021


Top paying metropolitan areas for Dental Assistants:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 5,980 2.67 1.08 $ 26.51 $ 55,150
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 3,460 1.90 0.77 $ 26.45 $ 55,020
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 2,940 2.75 1.12 $ 26.25 $ 54,590
Santa Rosa, CA 740 3.88 1.57 $ 25.27 $ 52,550
Rochester, MN 230 1.99 0.81 $ 25.25 $ 52,510
Barnstable Town, MA 210 2.14 0.87 $ 25.18 $ 52,380
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 6,400 2.48 1.01 $ 25.16 $ 52,330
Bismarck, ND 180 2.63 1.07 $ 25.11 $ 52,240
Fairbanks, AK 160 4.54 1.84 $ 24.97 $ 51,940
Portsmouth, NH-ME 170 1.87 0.76 $ 24.57 $ 51,110

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Dental Assistants:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 750 1.99 0.81 $ 17.77 $ 36,960
North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) 650 2.06 0.84 $ 19.86 $ 41,310
Piedmont North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 580 2.37 0.96 $ 20.27 $ 42,170
Northeast Mississippi nonmetropolitan area 580 2.60 1.05 $ 15.52 $ 32,280
Northwest Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 550 4.77 1.94 $ 18.32 $ 38,100

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Dental Assistants:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Northwest Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 550 4.77 1.94 $ 18.32 $ 38,100
Arizona nonmetropolitan area 360 4.02 1.63 $ 19.06 $ 39,640
Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area 230 3.99 1.62 $ 23.01 $ 47,860
Northern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area 290 3.84 1.56 $ 18.11 $ 37,670
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 370 3.75 1.52 $ 25.49 $ 53,020

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Dental Assistants:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 370 3.75 1.52 $ 25.49 $ 53,020
Northeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area 90 2.20 0.89 $ 23.94 $ 49,800
Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area 140 2.36 0.96 $ 23.87 $ 49,660
Southeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area 260 1.76 0.72 $ 23.79 $ 49,480
Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area 510 2.83 1.15 $ 23.60 $ 49,080


About May 2021 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2021 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 31, 2022