Dental Assistant salary in Washington, D.C.
Washington–Arlington–Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
The verified BLS median dental assistant in the Washington, D.C. metro earns $47,540 ($22.85/hr). Washington, D.C. is about the national median ($48,070).
Dental Assistant pay in Washington, D.C.: the analysis
At a verified median of $47,540, dental assistants in Washington, D.C. earn in line with the U.S. median of $48,070 . Among the 377 metro areas where the BLS reports dental assistant pay, Washington, D.C. ranks 163rd.
Compared with District of Columbia as a whole (median $60,580), Washington, D.C. pays dental assistants about 22% less than the statewide median. Local demand, cost of labor, and the mix of practices drive most of that difference.
The pay range is wide: the lowest-paid tenth of dental assistants in this metro area earn around $37,870, while the top tenth earn $62,790 or more — a spread of about $24,920. That gap reflects experience, practice setting, and local demand more than any single factor, so an individual offer can sit well above or below the midpoint.
The BLS counts roughly 8,440 dental assistants employed in Washington, D.C. — a measure of how deep the local job market is for the role.
Within Washington, D.C., a dental assistant earns about 3.9× less than a general dentist and about 2.5× less than a dental hygienist ($184,540, $119,170 respectively) — a quick way to see where the role sits in the local dental pay ladder.
Dental Assistant pay distribution — Washington, D.C. (verified)
Inner percentiles marked “est.” are interpolated between published anchors.
| Percentile | Annual pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentilei | $37,870 | $18.21/hr |
| 25th percentilei | $44,240 | $21.27/hr |
| Median (50th)i | $47,540 | $22.86/hr |
| 75th percentilei | $58,790 | $28.26/hr |
| 90th percentilei | $62,790 | $30.19/hr |
| Mean (average)i | $50,450 | $24.25/hr |
District of Columbia context
District of Columbia verified median: $60,580.
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Submit your salary →Frequently asked questions
How much does a dental assistant make in Washington, D.C.?
The verified BLS OEWS median dental assistant in the Washington, D.C. metro earns about $47,540 ($22.85/hr), from the official May 2025 metropolitan wage survey.
How does Washington, D.C. dental assistant pay compare to District of Columbia overall?
The verified BLS OEWS Washington, D.C. metro median is about $47,540, versus the verified BLS OEWS District of Columbia statewide median of about $60,580.
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