Dental Assistant salary in North Carolina
The verified BLS median dental assistant in North Carolina earns $50,380 ($24.22/hr). North Carolina pays roughly 5% above the national median of $48,070.
Dental Assistant pay in North Carolina: the analysis
At a verified median of $50,380, dental assistants in North Carolina earn modestly above the U.S. median of $48,070 — a gap of about 5%. Among the 51 states where the BLS reports dental assistant pay, North Carolina ranks 12th.
The pay range is wide: the lowest-paid tenth of dental assistants in this state earn around $38,240, while the top tenth earn $60,200 or more — a spread of about $21,960. 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 11,450 dental assistants employed in North Carolina — a measure of how deep the local job market is for the role.
Within North Carolina, a dental assistant earns about 4.1× less than a general dentist and about 1.9× less than a dental hygienist ($207,000, $97,850 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 Raleigh at about $58,750 and lowest in Jacksonville at about $47,970. Metro-level demand and cost of living explain most of the in-state variation — see the metro breakdown below.
Dental Assistant pay distribution — North Carolina (verified)
Inner percentiles marked “est.” are interpolated between published anchors.
| Percentile | Annual pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentilei | $38,240 | $18.38/hr |
| 25th percentilei | $47,680 | $22.92/hr |
| Median (50th)i | $50,380 | $24.22/hr |
| 75th percentilei | $57,720 | $27.75/hr |
| 90th percentilei | $60,200 | $28.94/hr |
| Mean (average)i | $51,510 | $24.76/hr |
Dental Assistant pay by metro in North Carolina
All 14 North Carolina metros where BLS publishes a dental assistant wage — highest first. State median: $50,380.
- Raleigh$58,750+17%
- Asheville$56,680+13%
- Durham$51,670+3%
- Wilmington$51,110+1%
- Burlington$50,140
- Charlotte$50,060-1%
- Winston$50,060-1%
- Greensboro$49,800-1%
- Fayetteville$49,520-2%
- Greenville$49,420-2%
- Hickory$48,720-3%
- Rocky Mount$48,490-4%
- Goldsboro$48,210-4%
- Jacksonville$47,970-5%
Verified BLS OEWS metropolitan wage estimates (May 2025). Percentages compare each metro median with the North Carolina 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 North Carolina?
The verified BLS OEWS median dental assistant in North Carolina earns about $50,380 ($24.22/hr), from the official May 2025 state wage survey.
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