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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2020

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)
312,140 0.9 % $ 20.34 $ 42,310 0.4 %

Percentile wage estimates for Dental Assistants:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 13.91 $ 16.57 $ 19.80 $ 23.95 $ 28.07
Annual Wage (2) $ 28,940 $ 34,470 $ 41,180 $ 49,810 $ 58,390


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 279,850 33.06 $ 20.34 $ 42,300
Offices of Physicians 7,360 0.28 $ 19.23 $ 39,990
Outpatient Care Centers 5,500 0.57 $ 20.17 $ 41,940
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 3,670 0.18 $ 21.76 $ 45,260
Employment Services 3,610 0.11 $ 19.93 $ 41,450

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 279,850 33.06 $ 20.34 $ 42,300
Outpatient Care Centers 5,500 0.57 $ 20.17 $ 41,940
Offices of Physicians 7,360 0.28 $ 19.23 $ 39,990
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 3,670 0.18 $ 21.76 $ 45,260
Employment Services 3,610 0.11 $ 19.93 $ 41,450

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) 1,260 0.06 $ 24.08 $ 50,080
Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) (8) (8) $ 22.29 $ 46,370
Other Ambulatory Health Care Services 340 0.11 $ 22.16 $ 46,090
Management of Companies and Enterprises 140 0.01 $ 22.12 $ 46,010
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 2,180 0.04 $ 21.93 $ 45,620


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.





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 47,140 2.87 1.28 $ 21.61 $ 44,940
Texas 29,950 2.48 1.10 $ 19.08 $ 39,680
Florida 20,690 2.45 1.09 $ 19.79 $ 41,170
New York 14,420 1.66 0.74 $ 20.74 $ 43,150
Illinois 11,390 2.02 0.90 $ 19.61 $ 40,780




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)
Utah 5,640 3.79 1.69 $ 16.76 $ 34,850
Colorado 8,390 3.26 1.45 $ 21.12 $ 43,930
New Mexico 2,460 3.13 1.40 $ 17.98 $ 37,410
Alaska 920 3.12 1.39 $ 24.63 $ 51,230
Montana 1,420 3.11 1.39 $ 17.95 $ 37,330




Top paying states for Dental Assistants:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Minnesota 5,110 1.89 0.84 $ 25.80 $ 53,670
Massachusetts 6,020 1.80 0.80 $ 24.88 $ 51,750
Alaska 920 3.12 1.39 $ 24.63 $ 51,230
New Hampshire 1,150 1.85 0.82 $ 24.43 $ 50,820
Oregon 4,550 2.52 1.12 $ 23.23 $ 48,320





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)
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 16,680 2.86 1.28 $ 19.83 $ 41,250
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 16,250 1.84 0.82 $ 21.45 $ 44,610
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 9,580 2.67 1.19 $ 20.72 $ 43,110
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 8,740 2.00 0.89 $ 20.36 $ 42,350
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 7,070 2.82 1.26 $ 19.35 $ 40,250
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 7,010 2.36 1.05 $ 18.35 $ 38,170
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 5,680 2.69 1.20 $ 20.38 $ 42,380
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 5,630 2.41 1.08 $ 25.72 $ 53,510
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 5,410 1.79 0.80 $ 24.64 $ 51,250
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 5,050 1.92 0.85 $ 20.86 $ 43,390




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)
Pocatello, ID 240 7.25 3.23 $ 14.56 $ 30,280
Johnstown, PA 250 5.41 2.41 $ 18.14 $ 37,730
Provo-Orem, UT 1,320 5.20 2.32 $ 15.94 $ 33,160
Yakima, WA 440 4.87 2.17 $ 19.75 $ 41,070
Pueblo, CO 280 4.78 2.13 $ 19.87 $ 41,330
Ogden-Clearfield, UT 1,200 4.61 2.05 $ 15.59 $ 32,420
Colorado Springs, CO 1,270 4.55 2.03 $ 20.08 $ 41,760
Bellingham, WA 370 4.54 2.02 $ 22.50 $ 46,810
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA 210 4.53 2.02 $ 21.02 $ 43,720
Bremerton-Silverdale, WA 390 4.51 2.01 $ 21.71 $ 45,170




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)
Santa Rosa, CA 670 3.48 1.55 $ 28.16 $ 58,570
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 3,390 1.83 0.82 $ 27.04 $ 56,240
Vallejo-Fairfield, CA 420 3.13 1.40 $ 26.23 $ 54,550
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 2,820 2.55 1.14 $ 26.08 $ 54,250
Bismarck, ND 160 2.38 1.06 $ 25.77 $ 53,600
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 5,630 2.41 1.08 $ 25.72 $ 53,510
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 4,440 1.70 0.76 $ 25.60 $ 53,250
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA 350 3.19 1.42 $ 25.52 $ 53,080
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA 440 2.39 1.07 $ 25.22 $ 52,460
Rochester, MN 300 2.60 1.16 $ 25.10 $ 52,210

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 740 1.95 0.87 $ 19.40 $ 40,350
North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) 630 2.02 0.90 $ 19.52 $ 40,610
Northeast Mississippi nonmetropolitan area 580 2.61 1.16 $ 14.15 $ 29,440
South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 530 3.33 1.48 $ 17.74 $ 36,900
Southeast Coastal North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 520 2.16 0.96 $ 19.32 $ 40,190

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)
Central Utah nonmetropolitan area 300 5.98 2.66 $ 15.37 $ 31,960
Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area 230 4.23 1.89 $ 24.15 $ 50,230
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 390 3.91 1.74 $ 27.44 $ 57,080
Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area 360 3.76 1.68 $ 18.50 $ 38,490
Northwest Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 410 3.72 1.66 $ 18.43 $ 38,330

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 390 3.91 1.74 $ 27.44 $ 57,080
South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area 330 2.27 1.01 $ 25.85 $ 53,760
North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area 280 2.88 1.28 $ 24.47 $ 50,900
Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area 230 4.23 1.89 $ 24.15 $ 50,230
Southeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area 280 1.87 0.83 $ 23.93 $ 49,770


About May 2020 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 2020 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 31, 2021