What states pay dental assistants the most?
Whether you’re considering entering the dental assisting profession or climbing the dental assisting career ladder, you may be wondering: “How much can dental assistants earn?”
The truth is, there’s not a one-size-fits-all answer to this question. A dental assistant’s salary can vary, depending on many factors. These can include experience level and geographical location, among others. Generally, dental assistants in major metropolitan areas tend to earn more than dental assistants who live in smaller towns. And some states are known for paying higher wages than others.
DANB’s 2024 Dental Assistants Salary and Satisfaction Survey asked dental assistants who hold Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) certification about their salary and satisfaction levels. Below, we share data on the top-paying states for CDA certificants by median hourly wage. We also share the top-paying states for non-certified dental assistants.
Top-paying states for DANB CDA certificants
These are the states that pay above the median wage for CDAs ($26.00 per hour):
- Vermont ($38.00 per hour)
- District of Columbia ($32.63)
- Alaska ($31.13)
- Massachusetts ($30.00)
- Minnesota ($30.00)
- Washington ($30.00)
- California ($29.15)
- New Hampshire ($29.00)
- North Dakota ($28.38)
- Colorado ($28.00)
- Delaware ($28.00)
- New Jersey ($28.00)
- Connecticut ($27.00)
- Rhode Island ($27.00)
- Nevada ($26.50)
- South Dakota ($26.11)
- Louisiana ($26.01)
Top-paying states for all dental assistants
These are the states that pay above the median wage for non-certified dental assistants ($22.50 per hour):
- Minnesota ($30.23 per hour)
- Massachusetts ($28.30)
- North Dakota ($27.43)
- Oregon ($27.42)
- New Hampshire ($27.10)
- Washington ($26.78)
- District of Columbia ($25.42)
- Alaska ($24.91)
- Vermont ($23.91)
- Connecticut ($23.80)
- Colorado ($23.53)
- California ($23.18)
- Arizona ($23.17)
- Virginia ($23.08)
- Maryland ($23.04)
- Iowa ($22.87)
- South Dakota ($22.83)
- Wyoming ($22.81)
- Rhode Island ($22.65)
- Maine ($22.62)
- North Carolina ($22.60)
