31
Dental Assistants is a notable career in the 31 category. This page provides verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0 (2024), helping you compare Dental Assistants against similar careers and make data-driven decisions.
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| soc | 31-9091 |
| title | Dental Assistants |
| onet code | 31-9091.00 |
| description | Perform limited clinical duties under the direction of a dentist. Clinical duties may include equipment preparation and sterilization, preparing patients for treatment, assisting the dentist during treatment, and providing patients with instructions for oral healthcare procedures. May perform administrative duties such as scheduling appointments, maintaining medical records, billing, and coding information for insurance purposes. |
| job zone | 3 |
| major group | 31 |
| tot emp | 375,430 |
| a mean | 48,860 |
| a median | 47,300 |
| a pct10 | 36,190 |
| a pct25 | 39,520 |
| a pct75 | 56,910 |
| a pct90 | 61,780 |
| h mean | 23 |
| h median | 22 |
The day-to-day work of a dental assistants typically centers on prepare patient, sterilize or disinfect instruments, set up instrument trays, prepare materials, or assist dentist during dental procedures. Every task listed below is classified as Core in O*NET — they collectively define the role. Task descriptions below are quoted from the U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET 29.0 occupation profile.
Workers in this occupation rely most on Active Listening, Speaking, and Reading Comprehension. Across the top 10 skills, the average O*NET importance score is 3.21 out of 5 — moderately weighted for this role. Importance reflects how essential each skill is for adequate job performance.
Among working dental assistants, the most common entry qualification is a Post (46.0%). Bachelor's-degree-or-higher credentials are reported by 0% of incumbents. Most workers enter without a four-year degree, making this a relatively accessible career path.
Median annual pay is highest in Minnesota at $64,630 and lowest in Mississippi at $37,130 — a 1.7× spread. The top five states (Minnesota, Massachusetts, Oregon, Washington, District of Columbia) average $58,770. Figures reflect BLS OEWS May 2024 state-level wage estimates; percentiles shown are for full-time wage-earners in each state.
| State | Median | Mean | 10th % | 90th % | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | $64,630 | $63,680 | $48,450 | $74,930 | 5,590 |
| Massachusetts | $57,960 | $56,790 | $47,870 | $71,300 | 9,250 |
| Oregon | $57,720 | $57,690 | $48,160 | $71,090 | 5,480 |
| Washington | $57,040 | $56,140 | $45,640 | $66,270 | 13,330 |
| District of Columbia | $56,500 | $57,390 | $43,760 | $70,130 | 510 |
| Alaska | $55,950 | $54,720 | $38,650 | $67,250 | 1,080 |
| Maine | $51,340 | $54,190 | $40,830 | $63,190 | 1,450 |
| North Dakota | $51,310 | $54,720 | $38,260 | $71,630 | 920 |
| Vermont | $51,020 | $54,570 | $45,400 | $62,440 | 650 |
| Connecticut | $50,820 | $51,540 | $37,290 | $60,160 | 3,740 |
| New Hampshire | $50,260 | $52,850 | $45,350 | $61,260 | 1,400 |
| Arizona | $49,000 | $50,040 | $39,010 | $60,480 | 7,480 |
| California | $48,910 | $53,570 | $38,770 | $72,060 | 54,580 |
| North Carolina | $48,710 | $49,270 | $37,330 | $59,300 | 11,100 |
| Pennsylvania | $48,290 | $49,760 | $36,670 | $61,580 | 12,410 |
| Maryland | $48,280 | $50,410 | $34,910 | $59,810 | 6,520 |
| New Jersey | $48,070 | $50,570 | $37,040 | $62,190 | 10,660 |
| Rhode Island | $48,060 | $51,700 | $38,500 | $75,940 | 1,120 |
| Wisconsin | $48,000 | $49,240 | $39,930 | $58,910 | 6,720 |
| Indiana | $47,980 | $49,590 | $36,440 | $60,760 | 6,250 |
| Iowa | $47,820 | $49,020 | $38,640 | $59,010 | 3,540 |
| Colorado | $47,770 | $50,440 | $36,750 | $63,230 | 7,720 |
| South Dakota | $47,680 | $49,080 | $37,790 | $60,760 | 1,240 |
| Illinois | $47,430 | $47,170 | $33,510 | $58,620 | 15,620 |
| Ohio | $47,330 | $50,960 | $36,420 | $74,880 | 11,130 |
| Florida | $47,060 | $46,670 | $37,430 | $57,950 | 23,020 |
| Michigan | $47,030 | $45,990 | $36,290 | $56,750 | 11,830 |
| New York | $47,020 | $49,850 | $37,180 | $61,170 | 19,700 |
| Nevada | $46,970 | $47,320 | $35,800 | $59,410 | 3,890 |
| Virginia | $46,910 | $47,900 | $37,670 | $59,920 | 11,040 |
| Nebraska | $46,660 | $46,300 | $38,430 | $57,820 | 2,360 |
| Kentucky | $46,520 | $45,720 | $29,500 | $59,300 | 4,250 |
| Delaware | $46,090 | $47,110 | $35,530 | $58,560 | 1,120 |
| Tennessee | $46,090 | $46,680 | $36,780 | $59,210 | 6,370 |
| South Carolina | $45,930 | $45,890 | $36,920 | $58,570 | 5,380 |
| Montana | $45,820 | $45,930 | $36,680 | $57,130 | 1,540 |
| Georgia | $45,600 | $45,510 | $36,270 | $58,750 | 9,730 |
| Missouri | $45,220 | $45,390 | $35,210 | $57,770 | 7,380 |
| Hawaii | $44,870 | $42,130 | $31,990 | $50,140 | 1,610 |
| Oklahoma | $44,450 | $42,980 | $32,520 | $51,540 | 4,540 |
| Wyoming | $42,770 | $43,740 | $33,080 | $58,960 | 700 |
| Texas | $42,270 | $42,520 | $29,970 | $55,400 | 31,360 |
| Kansas | $39,840 | $42,490 | $34,480 | $55,170 | 3,020 |
| Idaho | $39,460 | $42,710 | $33,630 | $58,520 | 2,860 |
| New Mexico | $38,840 | $42,290 | $34,620 | $54,290 | 2,010 |
| Louisiana | $38,150 | $41,450 | $28,580 | $55,800 | 4,420 |
| Arkansas | $37,680 | $40,730 | $32,930 | $47,230 | 3,020 |
| West Virginia | $37,330 | $39,280 | $30,660 | $49,480 | 1,380 |
| Utah | $37,320 | $40,260 | $35,360 | $46,710 | 6,310 |
| Alabama | $37,280 | $39,600 | $28,710 | $55,250 | 4,450 |
| Mississippi | $37,130 | $40,160 | $28,170 | $55,480 | 2,690 |
Recruiters and job boards use several alternate titles for dental assistants. Knowing these variants widens your job search — listings for Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) or Certified Registered Dental Assistant frequently describe the same role. The list below is a sample of the most common industry variants.
This data helps you understand how Dental Assistants compares to others in the 31 category. Use it to make informed decisions based on verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0.
careers with the closest data values to Dental Assistants
The CertifyWize editorial team aggregates and verifies careers data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0. Every statistic on this site is cross-referenced against the official source before publication, with quarterly re-verification cycles.
Read our full methodology or contact us with corrections.
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