Is this a competitive Dental Assistants salary in 2026?
Based on BLS OEWS wage percentiles, JOLTS May 2026 demand signals, and ECI Q1 2026 wage growth.
$Competitive · ~P50
P10$37K
P25$44K
P50$48K
P75$58K
P90$62K
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Demand: HOT. Demand is hot -- health care job openings are running at 5.6% (JOLTS, May 2026), a tight market. Candidates have leverage, so a competitive offer sits at or above the median; below-median offers often will not close.
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Merit budget: Wages in health care are rising about 4% a year (BLS ECI, Q1 2026). Budget a 3.6-4.1% merit increase to hold this role at market.
Bottom line
For a competitive 2026 offer, target $48,069 to $58,094 (market median to the 75th percentile). Lean toward the top of the range for senior or hard-to-fill roles.
Figures are market benchmarks from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; apply professional judgment before making pay decisions.
Source: BLS OEWS · Published May 15, 2026
Next refresh: May 2027
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The national median salary for Dental Assistants is $48,069 per year ($23.11/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $44,346 and $58,094 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $62,254 per year. There are approximately 387,790 dental assistants employed in the United States.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
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.
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+6.4%
Faster than average
Annual openings
53K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
382K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
5% from new growth95% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
Postsecondary nondegree award
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Offices of Dentists
NAICS 621200
355K
$48,000
Outpatient Care Centers
NAICS 621400
9K
$49,090
Offices of Physicians
NAICS 621100
7K
$47,310
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation)
NAICS 999100
3K
$56,640
Employment Services
NAICS 561300
3K
$49,230
Wage range across top 5 industries: $47,310 to $56,640 (20% spread)
Wage Percentiles
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
P10
$17.85
$37,128
P25
$21.32
$44,346
P50MEDIAN
$23.11
$48,069
P75
$27.93
$58,094
P90
$29.93
$62,254
Market Context Signal
JOLTS · health sector
Hot
Openings Rate
5.6%
Quits Rate
1.7%
Health Care & Social Assistance openings eased to 1.42M (-115K) in May, rate 5.6%, but the sector stays structurally tight. Quits edged down to 1.7%; compensation pressure persists for clinical roles.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average dental assistants salary?
The national median salary for Dental Assistants is $48,069 per year ($23.11/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $44,346 and $58,094 annually.
How much do top-earning dental assistants make?
The 90th percentile salary for Dental Assistants is $62,254 per year ($29.93/hr). The 75th percentile is $58,094 per year.
What is the entry-level salary for dental assistants?
Entry-level Dental Assistants (10th percentile) earn approximately $37,128 per year ($17.85/hr). The 25th percentile is $44,346 per year.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.
P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.
Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.
CompSignal is a free labor market intelligence tool built for HR, compensation, and talent acquisition teams. We make BLS data, the same primary source Mercer and Radford cross-reference in their paid surveys, searchable and actionable without an enterprise subscription.
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