Money · 1 of 5
What dental assistants make
Median
$48,070
Bottom tenth
$37,130
Top tenth
$62,250
The national median is $48,070 a year, and the bottom tenth start near $37,130. This is the federal survey's own Dental Assistants category, so it matches the job title exactly. It is a narrow range by health care standards: there is a floor, and there is also a ceiling.