Dental assistants typically earn salaries just above the base cost of living in each state, but they make slightly less in four states — Hawaii, Louisiana, New York and Utah — according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Living Wage Calculator.
Average annual dental assistant salary compared to the minimum cost of living in each state:
Note: Salary information was taken from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The minimum cost of living in each state was provided by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Living Wage Calculator. The cost of living is for a single adult with no children before taxes.
Alabama
Average annual compensation: $35,760
Average cost of living: $33,094
Alaska
Average annual compensation: $50,640
Average cost of living: $34,786
Arizona
Average annual compensation: $41,950
Average cost of living: $36,252
Arkansas
Average annual compensation: $34,930
Average cost of living: $32,336
California
Average annual compensation: $46,060
Average cost of living: $45,382
Colorado
Average annual compensation: $43,730
Average cost of living: $39,846
Connecticut
Average annual compensation: $46,130
Average cost of living: $39,526
Delaware
Average annual compensation: $44,690
Average cost of living: $36,896
Florida
Average annual compensation: $40,820
Average cost of living: $35,858
Georgia
Average annual compensation: $39,860
Average cost of living: $36,686
Hawaii
Average annual compensation: $37,860
Average cost of living: $45,747
Idaho
Average annual compensation: $36,250
Average cost of living: $33,603
Illinois
Average annual compensation: $42,400
Average cost of living: $37,782
Indiana
Average annual compensation: $41,630
Average cost of living: $32,844
Iowa
Average annual compensation: $44,360
Average cost of living: $33,657
Kansas
Average annual compensation: $38,330
Average cost of living: $34,073
Kentucky
Average annual compensation: $38,160
Average cost of living: $32,147
Louisiana
Average annual compensation: $33,560
Average cost of living: $33,585
Maine
Average annual compensation: $43,960
Average cost of living: $37,184
Maryland
Average annual compensation: $44,410
Average cost of living: $41,054
Massachusetts
Average annual compensation: $51,210
Average cost of living: $45,517
Michigan
Average annual compensation: $39,680
Average cost of living: $34,028
Minnesota
Average annual compensation: $53,080
Average cost of living: $36,898
Mississippi
Average annual compensation: $36,170
Average cost of living: $32,572
Missouri
Average annual compensation: $40,030
Average cost of living: $33,890
Montana
Average annual compensation: $39,060
Average cost of living: $33,946
Nebraska
Average annual compensation: $40,930
Average cost of living: $34,519
Nevada
Average annual compensation: $38,020
Average cost of living: $33,788
New Hampshire
Average annual compensation: $49,470
Average cost of living: $36,023
New Jersey
Average annual compensation: $43,980
Average cost of living: $42,775
New Mexico
Average annual compensation: $37,790
Average cost of living: $33,792
New York
Average annual compensation: $44,910
Average cost of living: $45,738
North Carolina
Average annual compensation: $44,320
Average cost of living: $35,655
North Dakota
Average annual compensation: $47,780
Average cost of living: $31,976
Ohio
Average annual compensation: $43,440
Average cost of living: $32,460
Oklahoma
Average annual compensation: $39,070
Average cost of living: $32,750
Oregon
Average annual compensation: $48,780
Average cost of living: $40,587
Pennsylvania
Average annual compensation: $43,540
Average cost of living: $34,680
Rhode Island
Average annual compensation: $46,070
Average cost of living: $37,019
South Carolina
Average annual compensation: $40,120
Average cost of living: $36,340
South Dakota
Average annual compensation: $42,010
Average cost of living: $30,895
Tennessee
Average annual compensation: $39,160
Average cost of living: $32,135
Texas
Average annual compensation: $38,370
Average cost of living: $34,127
Utah
Average annual compensation: $35,210
Average cost of living: $35,311
Vermont
Average annual compensation: $45,230
Average cost of living: $37,044
Virginia
Average annual compensation: $43,570
Average cost of living: $40,362
Washington
Average annual compensation: $46,350
Average cost of living: $38,573
West Virginia
Average annual compensation: $36,830
Average cost of living: $32,144
Wisconsin
Average annual compensation: $42,310
Average cost of living: $34,120
Wyoming
Average annual compensation: $41,140
Average cost of living: $31,719