Dental assistants make roughly between $9 to $17 more than the minimum wage in each state, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Department of Labor.
Average hourly wage compared to minimum wage for dental assistants in each state:
Alabama
Average hourly wage for dental assistants: $17.19
State minimum hourly wage: $7.25
Alaska
Average hourly wage for dental assistants: $24.35
State minimum hourly wage: $10.34
Arizona
Average hourly wage for dental assistants: $20.17
State minimum hourly wage: $12.80
Arkansas
Average hourly wage for dental assistants: $16.80
State minimum hourly wage: $11 for companies with four or more employees; $7.25 everywhere else
California
Average hourly wage for dental assistants: $22.15
State minimum hourly wage: $14 for small companies; $15 for companies with 26 or more workers
Colorado
Average hourly wage for dental assistants: $21.02
State minimum hourly wage: $12.56
Connecticut
Average hourly wage for dental assistants: $22.18
State minimum hourly wage: $13
Delaware
Average hourly wage for dental assistants: $21.49
State minimum hourly wage: $10.50
Florida
Average hourly wage for dental assistants: $19.63
State minimum hourly wage: $10
Georgia
Average hourly wage for dental assistants: $19.17
State minimum hourly wage: $5.15 for companies exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act
Hawaii
Average hourly wage for dental assistants: $18.20
State minimum hourly wage: $10.10
Idaho
Average hourly wage for dental assistants: $17.43
State minimum hourly wage: $7.25
Illinois
Average hourly wage for dental assistants: $20.39
State minimum hourly wage: $12 for companies with four or more employees, excluding family members; $7.25 everywhere else
Indiana
Average hourly wage for dental assistants: $20.01
State minimum hourly wage: $7.25
Iowa
Average hourly wage for dental assistants: $21.33
State minimum hourly wage: $7.25
Kansas
Average hourly wage for dental assistants: $18.43
State minimum hourly wage: $7.25
Kentucky
Average hourly wage for dental assistants: $18.35
State minimum hourly wage: $7.25
Louisiana
Average hourly wage for dental assistants: $16.14
State minimum hourly wage: $7.25
Maine
Average hourly wage for dental assistants: $21.14
State minimum hourly wage: $12.75
Maryland
Average hourly wage for dental assistants: $21.35
State minimum hourly wage: $12.50
Massachusetts
Average hourly wage for dental assistants: $24.62
State minimum hourly wage: $14.25
Michigan
Average hourly wage for dental assistants: $19.08
State minimum hourly wage: $9.87
Minnesota
Average hourly wage for dental assistants: $25.52
State minimum hourly wage: $8.42 for companies with revenue under $500,000; $10.33 for companies making more
Mississippi
Average hourly wage for dental assistants: $17.39
State minimum hourly wage: $7.25
Missouri
Average hourly wage for dental assistants: $19.25
State minimum hourly wage: $11.15
Montana
Average hourly wage for dental assistants: $18.78
State minimum hourly wage: $9.20 for companies with gross sales over $110,000; $4 for business not covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act with gross annual sales of $110,000 or less
Nebraska
Average hourly wage for dental assistants: $19.68
State minimum hourly wage: $9 for companies with four or more employees; $7.25 everywhere else
Nevada
Average hourly wage for dental assistants: $18.28
State minimum hourly wage: $8.75 with health insurance provided; $9.75 without health insurance
New Hampshire
Average hourly wage for dental assistants: $23.79
State minimum hourly wage: $7.25
New Jersey
Average hourly wage for dental assistants: $21.14
State minimum hourly wage: $13; $11.90 for seasonal and small employers with fewer than six employees
New Mexico
Average hourly wage for dental assistants: $18.17
State minimum hourly wage: $11.50
New York
Average hourly wage for dental assistants: $21.59
State minimum hourly wage: $13.20; $15 (Long Island, Westchester, and NYC)
North Carolina
Average hourly wage for dental assistants: $21.31
State minimum hourly wage: $7.25
North Dakota
Average hourly wage for dental assistants: $22.97
State minimum hourly wage: $7.25
Ohio
Average hourly wage for dental assistants: $20.89
State minimum hourly wage: $9.30 at companies making more than $342,000; $7.25 everywhere else
Oklahoma
Average hourly wage for dental assistants: $18.79
State minimum hourly wage: $7.25 for employers of 10 or more full-time employees at any one location and employers with annual gross sales over $100,000 irrespective of number of full time employees; $2 for all other employers exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act
Oregon
Average hourly wage for dental assistants: $23.45
State minimum hourly wage: $12.75
Pennsylvania
Average hourly wage for dental assistants: $20.94
State minimum hourly wage: $7.25
Rhode Island
Average hourly wage for dental assistants: $22.15
State minimum hourly wage: $12.25
South Carolina
Average hourly wage for dental assistants: $19.29
State minimum hourly wage: $7.25
South Dakota
Average hourly wage for dental assistants: $20.20
State minimum hourly wage: $9.95
Tennessee
Average hourly wage for dental assistants: $18.83
State minimum hourly wage: $7.25
Texas
Average hourly wage for dental assistants: $18.45
State minimum hourly wage: $7.25
Utah
Average hourly wage for dental assistants: $16.93
State minimum hourly wage: $7.25
Vermont
Average hourly wage for dental assistants: $21.75
State minimum hourly wage: $12.55 for companies with two or more employees; $7.25 everywhere else
Virginia
Average hourly wage for dental assistants: $20.95
State minimum hourly wage: $11 for companies with four or more employees; $7.25 everywhere else
Washington
Average hourly wage for dental assistants: $22.29
State minimum hourly wage: $14.49
West Virginia
Average hourly wage for dental assistants: $17.71
State minimum hourly wage: $8.75 for companies with six or more employees at one location; $7.25 everywhere else
Wisconsin
Average hourly wage for dental assistants: $20.34
State minimum hourly wage: $7.25
Wyoming
Average hourly wage for dental assistants: $19.78
State minimum hourly wage: $5.15 for companies exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act