Dental Assistant salary in Tennessee
The verified BLS median dental assistant in Tennessee earns $46,720 ($22.46/hr). Tennessee pays roughly 3% below the national median of $48,070.
Dental Assistant pay in Tennessee: the analysis
At a verified median of $46,720, dental assistants in Tennessee earn slightly below the U.S. median of $48,070 — a gap of about 3%. Among the 51 states where the BLS reports dental assistant pay, Tennessee ranks 34th.
The pay range is wide: the lowest-paid tenth of dental assistants in this state earn around $37,810, while the top tenth earn $61,260 or more — a spread of about $23,450. 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 7,420 dental assistants employed in Tennessee — a measure of how deep the local job market is for the role.
Within Tennessee, a dental assistant earns about 4.6× less than a general dentist and about 1.8× less than a dental hygienist ($215,290, $84,640 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 Nashville at about $48,540 and lowest in Kingsport at about $45,110. Metro-level demand and cost of living explain most of the in-state variation — see the metro breakdown below.
Dental Assistant pay distribution — Tennessee (verified)
Inner percentiles marked “est.” are interpolated between published anchors.
| Percentile | Annual pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentilei | $37,810 | $18.18/hr |
| 25th percentilei | $44,440 | $21.37/hr |
| Median (50th)i | $46,720 | $22.46/hr |
| 75th percentilei | $59,270 | $28.50/hr |
| 90th percentilei | $61,260 | $29.45/hr |
| Mean (average)i | $49,670 | $23.88/hr |
Dental Assistant pay by metro in Tennessee
All 10 Tennessee metros where BLS publishes a dental assistant wage — highest first. State median: $46,720.
- Nashville$48,540+4%
- Memphis$48,200+3%
- Knoxville$46,790
- Jackson$46,590
- Chattanooga$46,360-1%
- Clarksville$46,050-1%
- Morristown$45,550-3%
- Johnson City$45,540-3%
- Cleveland$45,230-3%
- Kingsport$45,110-3%
Verified BLS OEWS metropolitan wage estimates (May 2025). Percentages compare each metro median with the Tennessee 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 Tennessee?
The verified BLS OEWS median dental assistant in Tennessee earns about $46,720 ($22.46/hr), from the official May 2025 state wage survey.
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