Dental Assistant salary in Parkersburg
Parkersburg–Vienna, WV
The verified BLS median dental assistant in the Parkersburg metro earns $36,820 ($17.70/hr). Parkersburg pays roughly 23% below the national median of $48,070.
Dental Assistant pay in Parkersburg: the analysis
At a verified median of $36,820, dental assistants in Parkersburg earn notably below the U.S. median of $48,070 — a gap of about 23%. Among the 377 metro areas where the BLS reports dental assistant pay, Parkersburg ranks 372nd.
Compared with West Virginia as a whole (median $37,960), Parkersburg pays dental assistants about 3% less than the statewide median. 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 $32,410, while the top tenth earn $49,270 or more — a spread of about $16,860. 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 70 dental assistants employed in Parkersburg — a measure of how deep the local job market is for the role.
Within Parkersburg, a dental assistant earns about 3.5× less than a general dentist and about 2.0× less than a dental hygienist ($130,090, $74,190 respectively) — a quick way to see where the role sits in the local dental pay ladder.
Dental Assistant pay distribution — Parkersburg (verified)
Inner percentiles marked “est.” are interpolated between published anchors.
| Percentile | Annual pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentilei | $32,410 | $15.58/hr |
| 25th percentilei | $36,360 | $17.48/hr |
| Median (50th)i | $36,820 | $17.70/hr |
| 75th percentilei | $42,990 | $20.67/hr |
| 90th percentilei | $49,270 | $23.69/hr |
| Mean (average)i | $40,100 | $19.28/hr |
West Virginia context
West Virginia verified median: $37,960.
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Submit your salary →Frequently asked questions
How much does a dental assistant make in Parkersburg?
The verified BLS OEWS median dental assistant in the Parkersburg metro earns about $36,820 ($17.70/hr), from the official May 2025 metropolitan wage survey.
How does Parkersburg dental assistant pay compare to West Virginia overall?
The verified BLS OEWS Parkersburg metro median is about $36,820, versus the verified BLS OEWS West Virginia statewide median of about $37,960.
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