OK, so you think you may have found your passion in life – becoming a dental assistant.

However, the million-dollar question is…

How much will I earn per year as a dental assistant?

We will share more information on dental assisting salaries with you, but there are some other things to consider first:

Is being a dental assistant a growing or a dying career?

How are the employment prospects for a dental assistant?

And where is the best place to live and get paid as a dental assistant?

Keep reading and, hopefully, we can answer some of these questions for you.

What kind of salary can I expect?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for dental assistants was $37,630 in May 2017. By the term “median wage,” we mean that half the workers in the occupation earned more than this. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $26,170, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $53,130.

What are the highest paying states for dental assistants?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, these are the 5 highest paying states. Numbers are based on the mean.

  1. District of Columbia – $23.66 per hour / $49,210 per year
  2. Minnesota – $23.45 per hour / $48,770 per year
  3. New Hampshire – $22.68 per hour / $47,170 per year
  4. Alaska – $22.07 per hour / $45,900 per year
  5. North Dakota – $21.93 per hour / $45,600 per year

What are the lowest paying states for dental assistants?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, these are the 5 lowest paying states/territories. Numbers are based on the mean.

  1. Puerto Rico – $9.61 per hour / $20,000 per year
  2. Louisiana – $14.26 per hour / $29,660 per year
  3. West Virginia – $14.36 per hour / $29,860 per year
  4. Utah – $14.55 per hour / $30,270 per year
  5. Guam – $15.42 per hour / $32,070 per year

What is the Career Ranking for this job?

Well, according to usnews.com, becoming a dental assistant is exceptionally fulfilling. They analyze a boatload of data about salary, unemployment rate, and stress to select the top jobs for each year.

Dental assistants are ranked:

  • #21 in Best Health Care Support Jobs
  • #98 in The 100 Best Jobs

What is the growth potential as a dental assistant?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the typical job growth in a sector is 7%. Dental assistant job growth between 2016 and 2026 is expected to be 19%, adding 64,600 new jobs. That is much faster than the market average!

What are the unemployment figures like for dental assistants?

When looking at a career to get into, it is a good idea to factor in data on how long you can stay employed. Dental assistants have some of the lowest unemployment rates in the US. According to usnews.com, the unemployment rate for dental assistants is only 3.6%.

The bottom line: Becoming a dental assistant is not just a rewarding career; it is a growing and lucrative one, too.