Dental Assistant salary in Michigan
The verified BLS median dental assistant in Michigan earns $48,820 ($23.47/hr). Michigan is about the national median ($48,070).
Dental Assistant pay in Michigan: the analysis
At a verified median of $48,820, dental assistants in Michigan earn slightly above the U.S. median of $48,070 — a gap of about 2%. Among the 51 states where the BLS reports dental assistant pay, Michigan ranks 17th.
The pay range is wide: the lowest-paid tenth of dental assistants in this state earn around $37,110, while the top tenth earn $58,900 or more — a spread of about $21,790. 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 11,990 dental assistants employed in Michigan — a measure of how deep the local job market is for the role.
Within Michigan, a dental assistant earns about 3.5× less than a general dentist and about 1.7× less than a dental hygienist ($169,930, $83,790 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 Lansing at about $56,150 and lowest in Battle Creek at about $44,860. Metro-level demand and cost of living explain most of the in-state variation — see the metro breakdown below.
Dental Assistant pay distribution — Michigan (verified)
Inner percentiles marked “est.” are interpolated between published anchors.
| Percentile | Annual pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentilei | $37,110 | $17.84/hr |
| 25th percentilei | $45,390 | $21.82/hr |
| Median (50th)i | $48,820 | $23.47/hr |
| 75th percentilei | $56,940 | $27.38/hr |
| 90th percentilei | $58,900 | $28.32/hr |
| Mean (average)i | $49,650 | $23.87/hr |
Dental Assistant pay by metro in Michigan
All 15 Michigan metros where BLS publishes a dental assistant wage — highest first. State median: $48,820.
- Lansing$56,150+15%
- Ann Arbor$53,370+9%
- Grand Rapids$50,490+3%
- Detroit$50,110+3%
- Flint$48,360-1%
- Midland$48,360-1%
- Kalamazoo$46,920-4%
- Traverse City$46,910-4%
- Muskegon$46,570-5%
- Monroe$46,320-5%
- Niles$46,170-5%
- Saginaw$46,050-6%
- Jackson$45,540-7%
- Bay City$45,070-8%
- Battle Creek$44,860-8%
Verified BLS OEWS metropolitan wage estimates (May 2025). Percentages compare each metro median with the Michigan median. Metros where BLS does not publish a dental assistant wage are not listed.
Estimate your pay
Open calculatorKnow a real number we don’t?
Submit your compensation anonymously. We review every entry and publish only de-identified aggregates above a sample-size threshold.
Submit your salary →Frequently asked questions
How much does a dental assistant make in Michigan?
The verified BLS OEWS median dental assistant in Michigan earns about $48,820 ($23.47/hr), from the official May 2025 state wage survey.
Last updated