Dental Assistant salary in Rochester
Rochester, NY
The verified BLS median dental assistant in the Rochester metro earns $48,780 ($23.45/hr). Rochester is about the national median ($48,070).
Dental Assistant pay in Rochester: the analysis
At a verified median of $48,780, dental assistants in Rochester earn in line with the U.S. median of $48,070 . Among the 377 metro areas where the BLS reports dental assistant pay, Rochester ranks 102nd.
Compared with New York as a whole (median $48,110), Rochester tracks the statewide median closely. 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 $39,170, while the top tenth earn $59,870 or more — a spread of about $20,700. 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 1,020 dental assistants employed in Rochester — a measure of how deep the local job market is for the role.
Within Rochester, a dental assistant earns about 3.4× less than a general dentist and about 1.9× less than a dental hygienist ($167,480, $93,650 respectively) — a quick way to see where the role sits in the local dental pay ladder.
Dental Assistant pay distribution — Rochester (verified)
Inner percentiles marked “est.” are interpolated between published anchors.
| Percentile | Annual pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentilei | $39,170 | $18.83/hr |
| 25th percentilei | $46,130 | $22.18/hr |
| Median (50th)i | $48,780 | $23.45/hr |
| 75th percentilei | $55,970 | $26.91/hr |
| 90th percentilei | $59,870 | $28.78/hr |
| Mean (average)i | $49,200 | $23.65/hr |
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Submit your salary →Frequently asked questions
How much does a dental assistant make in Rochester?
The verified BLS OEWS median dental assistant in the Rochester metro earns about $48,780 ($23.45/hr), from the official May 2025 metropolitan wage survey.
How does Rochester dental assistant pay compare to New York overall?
The verified BLS OEWS Rochester metro median is about $48,780, versus the verified BLS OEWS New York statewide median of about $48,110.
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