Healthcare Support

Dental Assistants

SOC 31-9091

Assist dentists during procedures and keep the operatory ready.

The job

Median pay

$48k

$44k to $58k typical range

Outlook, 2025 to 2035

Growing fast

+7.4% projected

Openings a year

53k

BLS projection

Typical education

Postsecondary cert

Our model

AI displacement risk

Low

How much of this job AI may do instead of the person

Works with AI

12/100

AI alongside the person rather than instead of them

AI exposure

9th pct

More exposed than 9% of occupations · modeled estimate · 15th pct in Microsoft's data

Future-proof

59/100

Take the next step

Weigh it against Medical AssistantsPay, outlook, entry and AI exposure side by side See where it pays mostMinnesota leads at $65k; every state is below Find careers like itOpen the map at Dental Assistants and explore its neighbours See open jobsDental Assistants roles hiring now Learn the skillsCourses for Dental Assistants, who lean most on active listening Real pay & reviewsWhat Dental Assistants say they actually earn

Key skills

Active Listening
Speaking
Reading Comprehension
Active Learning
Monitoring
Writing

Pay and jobs by state

BLS OEWS May 2025, 51 states. Sorted by jobs; per 1,000 is jobs per thousand workers in the state; vs national compares that rate with the country's. A tilde marks a figure estimated from the parent occupation group where BLS publishes none.

State	Jobs	Per 1,000	vs national	Median pay
California	56,220	3.1	1.2×	$50k
Texas	33,230	2.4	0.9×	$45k
Florida	26,620	2.7	1.1×	$48k
New York	19,800	2.0	0.8×	$48k
Illinois	13,740	2.3	0.9×	$49k
Washington	13,050	3.7	1.5×	$58k
Ohio	12,150	2.2	0.9×	$48k
Pennsylvania	12,080	2.0	0.8×	$48k
Michigan	11,990	2.7	1.1×	$49k
North Carolina	11,450	2.3	0.9×	$50k

All 51 states

State	Jobs	Per 1,000	vs national	Median pay
Virginia	10,760	2.6	1.1×	$47k
Georgia	10,540	2.2	0.9×	$47k
New Jersey	9,990	2.3	0.9×	$49k
Massachusetts	9,680	2.7	1.1×	$58k
Arizona	8,680	2.7	1.1×	$49k
Colorado	8,360	2.9	1.2×	$48k
Wisconsin	7,760	2.6	1.1×	$48k
Tennessee	7,420	2.3	0.9×	$47k
Missouri	6,760	2.3	0.9×	$46k
Indiana	6,690	2.1	0.8×	$49k
Utah	6,640	3.8	1.5×	$38k
Maryland	6,560	2.4	0.9×	$49k
Minnesota	5,980	2.0	0.8×	$65k
Oregon	5,930	3.0	1.2×	$59k
South Carolina	5,530	2.4	1.0×	$47k
Oklahoma	4,550	2.7	1.1×	$46k
Louisiana	4,540	2.3	0.9×	$44k
Kentucky	4,530	2.3	0.9×	$48k
Nevada	4,230	2.7	1.1×	$47k
Connecticut	3,840	2.3	0.9×	$57k
Alabama	3,740	1.8	0.7×	$39k
Kansas	3,296	2.3	0.9×	$46k~
Iowa	3,210	2.1	0.8×	$48k
Mississippi	3,080	2.6	1.1×	$39k
Arkansas	2,950	2.3	0.9×	$43k
Idaho	2,680	3.1	1.3×	$46k
Nebraska	2,520	2.5	1.0×	$47k
New Mexico	2,150	2.5	1.0×	$44k
Hawaii	1,960	3.1	1.3×	$45k
New Hampshire	1,600	2.3	0.9×	$60k
Maine	1,550	2.4	1.0×	$60k
Montana	1,450	2.8	1.1×	$47k
South Dakota	1,290	2.8	1.1×	$48k
West Virginia	1,290	1.8	0.7×	$38k
Alaska	1,140	3.5	1.4×	$58k
Rhode Island	1,050	2.1	0.8×	$50k
Delaware	990	2.0	0.8×	$48k
North Dakota	860	2.0	0.8×	$58k
Washington DC	630	0.9	0.4×	$61k
Wyoming	630	2.2	0.9×	$45k
Vermont	580	1.9	0.8×	$53k

Top metro areas

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA21,090 jobs · $47k median
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ20,870 jobs · $48k median
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN10,490 jobs · $49k median
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL9,180 jobs · $48k median
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX9,010 jobs · $48k median
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV8,440 jobs · $48k median
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX8,150 jobs · $44k median
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA7,530 jobs · $64k median

Explore the rankings

Explore Dental Assistants interactively →

Pay and outlook from BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills and work activities from O*NET 30.3. AI exposure and future-proof scores are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.