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Dental Assistants: apprenticeship hours and pay
O*NET-SOC 31-9091.00 · Dental Assistant Programs
Approved titles
1
RAPIDS codes
Shortest term
2,000 h
minimum on the list
National median pay
$48,070
a year, BLS May 2025
Jobs nationally
387,790
BLS May 2025
Approved apprenticeship titles
- Training approaches
- competency-based, hybrid, time-based
- Shortest approved term
- 2,000 hours, DENTAL ASSISTANT (Alternate Title: Dental Specialist) (competency-based)
- State medians
- $65,270 in Minnesota to $35,910 in Puerto Rico (53 states publish one)
| Title | RAPIDS code | Approach and term |
|---|---|---|
| DENTAL ASSISTANT (Alternate Title: Dental Specialist) | 0101 | Competency-Based: 2,000 hours Hybrid: 2,000 to 2,500 hours Time-Based: 2,000 hours |
What dental assistants earn, by state
| State | Median pay | Hourly | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | $65,270 | $31.38 | 5,980 |
| District of Columbia | $60,580 | $29.13 | 630 |
| Maine | $60,070 | $28.88 | 1,550 |
| New Hampshire | $59,530 | $28.62 | 1,600 |
| Oregon | $59,490 | $28.60 | 5,930 |
| Washington | $58,090 | $27.93 | 13,050 |
| Massachusetts | $57,980 | $27.88 | 9,680 |
| North Dakota | $57,770 | $27.78 | 860 |
| Alaska | $57,710 | $27.74 | 1,140 |
| Connecticut | $56,850 | $27.33 | 3,840 |
| Vermont | $52,760 | $25.37 | 580 |
| North Carolina | $50,380 | $24.22 | 11,450 |
| Rhode Island | $50,150 | $24.11 | 1,050 |
| California | $50,110 | $24.09 | 56,220 |
| New Jersey | $49,390 | $23.74 | 9,990 |
| Arizona | $49,000 | $23.56 | 8,680 |
| Michigan | $48,820 | $23.47 | 11,990 |
| Indiana | $48,670 | $23.40 | 6,690 |
| Maryland | $48,620 | $23.38 | 6,560 |
| Illinois | $48,610 | $23.37 | 13,740 |
| Iowa | $48,430 | $23.28 | 3,210 |
| Colorado | $48,340 | $23.24 | 8,360 |
| New York | $48,110 | $23.13 | 19,800 |
| Ohio | $47,970 | $23.06 | 12,150 |
| Pennsylvania | $47,930 | $23.05 | 12,080 |
| South Dakota | $47,900 | $23.03 | 1,290 |
| Kentucky | $47,730 | $22.95 | 4,530 |
| Florida | $47,620 | $22.89 | 26,620 |
| Delaware | $47,600 | $22.89 | 990 |
| Wisconsin | $47,520 | $22.85 | 7,760 |
| South Carolina | $47,320 | $22.75 | 5,530 |
| Nevada | $47,110 | $22.65 | 4,230 |
| Georgia | $46,840 | $22.52 | 10,540 |
| Tennessee | $46,720 | $22.46 | 7,420 |
| Montana | $46,680 | $22.44 | 1,450 |
| Virginia | $46,670 | $22.44 | 10,760 |
| Nebraska | $46,660 | $22.43 | 2,520 |
| Missouri | $45,970 | $22.10 | 6,760 |
| Idaho | $45,880 | $22.06 | 2,680 |
| Oklahoma | $45,740 | $21.99 | 4,550 |
| Texas | $45,430 | $21.84 | 33,230 |
| Wyoming | $44,990 | $21.63 | 630 |
| Hawaii | $44,720 | $21.50 | 1,960 |
| New Mexico | $44,400 | $21.35 | 2,150 |
| Louisiana | $44,090 | $21.20 | 4,540 |
| Arkansas | $42,830 | $20.59 | 2,950 |
| Guam | $40,280 | $19.37 | 110 |
| Mississippi | $39,160 | $18.83 | 3,080 |
| Alabama | $39,080 | $18.79 | 3,740 |
| West Virginia | $37,960 | $18.25 | 1,290 |
| Utah | $37,760 | $18.16 | 6,640 |
| U.S. Virgin Islands | $36,540 | $17.57 | 70 |
| Puerto Rico | $35,910 | $17.27 | 3,210 |
Finding a program
How to find a sponsor that trains this title · Apprenticeship sponsors by state (25,633) · All approved occupations · Dental Assistant Programs at schools and training centers
- Approved titles and terms: apprenticeship.gov approved occupations list, Last-Modified October 8, 2026, read October 8, 2026.
- Pay and jobs: BLS OEWS, May 2025, all industries, read October 8, 2026.