Medical Assistants vs Dental Assistants
Median pay is about $2k higher for Dental Assistants. Both usually start with the same education: postsecondary cert.
marks the higher pay or growth. Education, difficulty and the AI rows depend on what you want, so they are not marked.
| Measure | Medical Assistants | Dental Assistants |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | ||
| Median pay | $45,690 | $48,070, higher |
| Entry pay 25th percentile | $38,470 | $44,340, higher |
| Experienced pay 75th percentile | $49,180 | $58,090, higher |
| Outlook, 2025 to 2035 | ||
| Projected growth | +13% Growing fast, higher | +7.4% Growing fast |
| Openings a year | 109,700 | 53,000 |
| Getting in | ||
| Typical education | Postsecondary cert | Postsecondary cert |
| Difficulty modeled | 1.8 / 5 | 2 / 5 |
| AI | ||
| Displacement risk modeled | Moderate | Low |
| AI exposure modeled, percentile | 29th pct | 9th pct |
Where the skills differ
Only Medical Assistants
- Critical Thinking
Only Dental Assistants
- Active Learning
Both lean on active listening, speaking, reading comprehension, monitoring, writing.
More comparisons
Compare Medical Assistants with
Compare Dental Assistants with
Pay and outlook: BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills: O*NET 30.3. Difficulty, displacement risk and AI exposure are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.