Dental Assistant salary in Charlotte
Charlotte–Concord–Gastonia, NC-SC
The verified BLS median dental assistant in the Charlotte metro earns $50,060 ($24.07/hr). Charlotte pays roughly 4% above the national median of $48,070.
Dental Assistant pay in Charlotte: the analysis
At a verified median of $50,060, dental assistants in Charlotte earn modestly above the U.S. median of $48,070 — a gap of about 4%. Among the 377 metro areas where the BLS reports dental assistant pay, Charlotte ranks 62nd.
Compared with North Carolina as a whole (median $50,380), Charlotte 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 $39,010, while the top tenth earn $59,820 or more — a spread of about $20,810. 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 3,540 dental assistants employed in Charlotte — a measure of how deep the local job market is for the role.
Within Charlotte, a dental assistant earns about 3.8× less than a general dentist and about 2.0× less than a dental hygienist ($189,220, $98,390 respectively) — a quick way to see where the role sits in the local dental pay ladder.
Dental Assistant pay distribution — Charlotte (verified)
Inner percentiles marked “est.” are interpolated between published anchors.
| Percentile | Annual pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentilei | $39,010 | $18.75/hr |
| 25th percentilei | $48,110 | $23.13/hr |
| Median (50th)i | $50,060 | $24.07/hr |
| 75th percentilei | $57,740 | $27.76/hr |
| 90th percentilei | $59,820 | $28.76/hr |
| Mean (average)i | $51,800 | $24.90/hr |
North Carolina context
North Carolina verified median: $50,380.
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Submit your salary →Frequently asked questions
How much does a dental assistant make in Charlotte?
The verified BLS OEWS median dental assistant in the Charlotte metro earns about $50,060 ($24.07/hr), from the official May 2025 metropolitan wage survey.
How does Charlotte dental assistant pay compare to North Carolina overall?
The verified BLS OEWS Charlotte metro median is about $50,060, versus the verified BLS OEWS North Carolina statewide median of about $50,380.
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