What Is A Dental Assistant’s Salary?
How much money does a dental assistant make? This is an important detail for anything thinking about becoming a dental assistant. A dental assistant salary is about average for all American jobs. You can make a good living as a dental assistant. Learn more about how much money dental assistants make to see if you’re interested in this job.
How Much Do Dental Assistants Earn?
In 2020, dental assistants earned $41,180 as a median wage. This is just a little bit less than the median wage for all American workers, which was $41,950 in 2020.
Median wage is a way of looking at how much money all dental assistants make. When you’re looking at a group of numbers, the median is the middle value. If you list the salaries of every dental assistant in the country from biggest to smallest, the median wage is the very middle number. Half of all dental assistants make less than $41,180, but the other half make more.
What’s The Most Money You Can Make As A Dental Assistant?
Being a dental assistant is like having any other job. Some dental assistants make more money, and some make less. Dental assistants with lots of experience, training, and education are more likely to earn more money than assistants with less experience. The highest-earning dental assistants made more than $58,390 in 2020.
Where Do Dental Assistants Make The Most Money?
Dental assistants work in several different types of office. Many dental assistants work in dentist’s offices but some also work in government facilities and doctor’s offices.
Assistants in dentist’s offices made a median wage of $41,180. This is the exact same amount as the overall median earnings for dental assistants! Getting a job in a dentist’s office is a great way to earn your standard market value.
Dental assistants in government facilities made more than they would in a dentist’s office. Government dental assistants earned a median wage of $44,940 in 2020. Dental assistants in a doctor’s office made the least. These assistants received a median salary of $38,600.
How To Earn More Money As A Dental Assistant
Most dental assistants work typical business hours during the week. These assistants are usually in the office for 40 hours between Monday and Friday. However, some dental assistants work weekends or evenings. These off-hour shifts are less convenient and it can be hard to find dental assistants to work these schedules. If you’re willing to work on evenings or weekends, you might be able to earn more than the average dental assistant.
How Much Do Dental Assistants Make Compared To Other Careers?
Dental assistants are just under the nationwide median salary. In 2020, the median income for all jobs was $41,950. Dental assistants had a median income of just $770 less than the nationwide median. This means that dental assistants earn a very typical income for all American jobs. Half of all jobs pay more than dental assisting, and half of all jobs pay less.
If you’re interested in the healthcare field, dental assisting is a very well-paying option. Other healthcare assistant roles don’t pay as much as dental assisting. The median income for all healthcare support jobs is $36,780, almost $5,000 less than dental assisting.
Explore some other healthcare assistant jobs to see how they compare to dental assisting.
- Dental assistants $41,180 median salary
- Dental lab technicians $38,260 median salary
- Medical assistants $35,850 median salary
- Pharmacy technicians $35,100 median salary
- Phlebotomists $36,320 median salary
- Veterinary assistants $29,930 median salary
Learn More About Becoming A Dental Assistant
Dental assistants earn a typical wage for American workers. These jobs earn more than many other healthcare support staff. Top-earning dental assistants can bring in almost $60,000 a year! Dental assisting can be a great way to help your family grow in the future. This career is a secure choice since dental assistants will be an in-demand job in the next decade. Click here to learn more about the job outlook for dental assistants to see how your career could grow.
References
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2022, April 18). Dental assistants: Pay. Occupational Outlook Handbook. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/dental-assistants.htm#tab-5
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2022, April 18). Dental assistants: Similar occupations. Occupational Outlook Handbook. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/dental-assistants.htm#tab-8
