Dental Assistant salary in Missouri
The verified BLS median dental assistant in Missouri earns $45,970 ($22.10/hr). Missouri pays roughly 4% below the national median of $48,070.
Dental Assistant pay in Missouri: the analysis
At a verified median of $45,970, dental assistants in Missouri earn modestly below the U.S. median of $48,070 — a gap of about 4%. Among the 51 states where the BLS reports dental assistant pay, Missouri ranks 38th.
The pay range is wide: the lowest-paid tenth of dental assistants in this state earn around $36,580, while the top tenth earn $59,410 or more — a spread of about $22,830. 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 6,760 dental assistants employed in Missouri — a measure of how deep the local job market is for the role.
Within Missouri, a dental assistant earns about 4.5× less than a general dentist and about 2.0× less than a dental hygienist ($204,960, $92,750 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 Kansas City at about $48,190 and lowest in Joplin at about $43,010. Metro-level demand and cost of living explain most of the in-state variation — see the metro breakdown below.
Dental Assistant pay distribution — Missouri (verified)
Inner percentiles marked “est.” are interpolated between published anchors.
| Percentile | Annual pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentilei | $36,580 | $17.59/hr |
| 25th percentilei | $38,990 | $18.75/hr |
| Median (50th)i | $45,970 | $22.10/hr |
| 75th percentilei | $50,150 | $24.11/hr |
| 90th percentilei | $59,410 | $28.56/hr |
| Mean (average)i | $46,790 | $22.50/hr |
Dental Assistant pay by metro in Missouri
All 8 Missouri metros where BLS publishes a dental assistant wage — highest first. State median: $45,970.
- Kansas City$48,190+5%
- St. Louis$48,120+5%
- Columbia$46,920+2%
- Springfield$45,500-1%
- Cape Girardeau$44,370-3%
- Jefferson City$44,090-4%
- St. Joseph$43,500-5%
- Joplin$43,010-6%
Verified BLS OEWS metropolitan wage estimates (May 2025). Percentages compare each metro median with the Missouri 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 Missouri?
The verified BLS OEWS median dental assistant in Missouri earns about $45,970 ($22.10/hr), from the official May 2025 state wage survey.
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