Dental Assistant salary in Illinois
The verified BLS median dental assistant in Illinois earns $48,610 ($23.37/hr). Illinois is about the national median ($48,070).
Dental Assistant pay in Illinois: the analysis
At a verified median of $48,610, dental assistants in Illinois earn in line with the U.S. median of $48,070 . Among the 51 states where the BLS reports dental assistant pay, Illinois ranks 20th.
The pay range is wide: the lowest-paid tenth of dental assistants in this state earn around $37,360, while the top tenth earn $59,910 or more — a spread of about $22,550. That gap reflects experience, practice setting, and demand more than any single factor, so an individual offer can sit well above or below the midpoint.
The BLS counts roughly 13,740 dental assistants employed in Illinois — a measure of how deep the local job market is for the role.
Within Illinois, a dental assistant earns about 3.2× less than a general dentist and about 2.0× less than a dental hygienist ($156,110, $96,670 respectively) — a quick way to see where the role sits in the local dental pay ladder.
Within the state, dental assistant pay is highest in Chicago at about $48,950 and lowest in Springfield at about $45,390. Metro-level demand and cost of living explain most of the in-state variation — see the metro breakdown below.
Dental Assistant pay distribution — Illinois (verified)
Inner percentiles marked “est.” are interpolated between published anchors.
| Percentile | Annual pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentilei | $37,360 | $17.96/hr |
| 25th percentilei | $40,390 | $19.42/hr |
| Median (50th)i | $48,610 | $23.37/hr |
| 75th percentilei | $56,860 | $27.34/hr |
| 90th percentilei | $59,910 | $28.80/hr |
| Mean (average)i | $48,990 | $23.55/hr |
Dental Assistant pay by metro in Illinois
All 8 Illinois metros where BLS publishes a dental assistant wage — highest first. State median: $48,610.
- Chicago$48,950+1%
- Decatur$47,770-2%
- Peoria$47,280-3%
- Champaign$47,120-3%
- Bloomington$46,390-5%
- Rockford$45,970-5%
- Kankakee$45,610-6%
- Springfield$45,390-7%
Verified BLS OEWS metropolitan wage estimates (May 2025). Percentages compare each metro median with the Illinois median. Metros where BLS does not publish a dental assistant wage are not listed.
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How much does a dental assistant make in Illinois?
The verified BLS OEWS median dental assistant in Illinois earns about $48,610 ($23.37/hr), from the official May 2025 state wage survey.
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