Dental Assistant salary in New Jersey
The verified BLS median dental assistant in New Jersey earns $49,390 ($23.74/hr). New Jersey pays roughly 3% above the national median of $48,070.
Dental Assistant pay in New Jersey: the analysis
At a verified median of $49,390, dental assistants in New Jersey earn slightly above the U.S. median of $48,070 — a gap of about 3%. Among the 51 states where the BLS reports dental assistant pay, New Jersey ranks 15th.
The pay range is wide: the lowest-paid tenth of dental assistants in this state earn around $38,660, while the top tenth earn $64,200 or more — a spread of about $25,540. 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 9,990 dental assistants employed in New Jersey — a measure of how deep the local job market is for the role.
Within New Jersey, a dental assistant earns about 3.5× less than a general dentist and about 2.2× less than a dental hygienist ($171,330, $107,040 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 Trenton at about $57,400 and lowest in Vineland at about $48,790. Metro-level demand and cost of living explain most of the in-state variation — see the metro breakdown below.
Dental Assistant pay distribution — New Jersey (verified)
Inner percentiles marked “est.” are interpolated between published anchors.
| Percentile | Annual pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentilei | $38,660 | $18.59/hr |
| 25th percentilei | $45,970 | $22.10/hr |
| Median (50th)i | $49,390 | $23.75/hr |
| 75th percentilei | $61,290 | $29.47/hr |
| 90th percentilei | $64,200 | $30.87/hr |
| Mean (average)i | $52,940 | $25.45/hr |
Dental Assistant pay by metro in New Jersey
All 3 New Jersey metros where BLS publishes a dental assistant wage — highest first. State median: $49,390.
Verified BLS OEWS metropolitan wage estimates (May 2025). Percentages compare each metro median with the New Jersey 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 New Jersey?
The verified BLS OEWS median dental assistant in New Jersey earns about $49,390 ($23.74/hr), from the official May 2025 state wage survey.
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