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Dental assistant salary in Florida

Updated October 30, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$47,620median pay per year in Florida, or $22.89 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $37,800lowest 10% earn less
  2. $45,12025th percentile
  3. $47,620median
  4. $54,69075th percentile
  5. $58,880top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $48,070[3]

The median pay for dental assistants in Florida was $47,620 a year in May 2025[1]. That was $450 lower than the US median[6].

Jobs in FL
26,620[4]
Rank by median pay
28 of 50[5]
Compared with US median
−0.9%[6]

How much do dental assistants make in Florida?

Half of dental assistants in Florida earned more than $47,620 a year, and half earned less[1]. That works out to $22.89 an hour[1]. The average was a little higher at $48,500 a year[7].

Across the US, the median was $48,070[3]. Florida's median was $450 (0.9%) lower[6]. Among all jobs in Florida, the median was $47,880, so dental assistants were $260 below that[8][9]. Florida ranked 28th of 49 states and DC for this median[5].

The lowest-paid 10% of dental assistants in Florida earned less than $37,800, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $58,880[2]. Pay was highest in Naples-Marco Island, where the median was $57,260[10]. Among the metros with the most dental assistant jobs, Jacksonville had a median of $50,270[11].

OEWS counts wage and salary workers, part time and full time. It leaves out the self-employed and owners. It also does not include bonuses or the cost of benefits such as health insurance[12].

Florida vs US pay

Pay for dental assistants in Florida next to the national figures[1][3].

FLUS
Median per year$47,620[1]$48,070[3]
Median per hour$22.89[1]$23.11[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$37,800[2]$37,130[13]
Top 10% earn more than$58,880[2]$62,250[13]
Jobs26,620[4]387,790[3]

Pay by metro area in Florida

Metro areas in Florida with the most jobs for dental assistants, and the median pay in each[11].

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL[11]$47,8609,180
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL$46,8903,560
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL$46,4803,260
Jacksonville, FL$50,2701,850
North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL$48,1901,170
Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL$46,370900
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL$47,400800
Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL$45,530670

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for dental assistants in the states that border Florida, highest first[14].

StateMedian per yearJobs
Georgia[14]$46,84010,540
Alabama$39,0803,740

Median pay for dental assistants in every state

Job outlook and training

Across the US, jobs for dental assistants are projected to grow 7.4% from 2025 to 2035[15]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: postsecondary nondegree award[16].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does a dental assistant make in Florida?
The median was $47,620 a year in May 2025[1]. The average was $48,500 a year[7].
How much does a dental assistant make an hour in Florida?
The median was $22.89 an hour[1]. The 10th percentile was $18.17 an hour and the 90th percentile was $28.31[17].
Which city in Florida pays dental assistants the most?
Naples-Marco Island had the highest median of the 22 Florida metros with a published figure, at $57,260 a year[10].
Is Florida a good state for dental assistants?
Florida ranked 28th of 49 states and DC for the median wage for this job[5]. Its median was $450 lower than the US median[6].
What do you need to become a dental assistant in Florida?
Across the US, the typical entry education is a postsecondary nondegree award, with no related work experience and no on-the-job training typically needed[16]. This is a US figure, not a Florida one.

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Dental Assistants in Florida was $47,620 per year and $22.89 per hour. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Dental Assistants in Florida: 10th percentile $37,800, 25th percentile $45,120, 75th percentile $54,690, 90th percentile $58,880. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less, the 90th means 10% earned more. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Dental Assistants in the US as a whole was $48,070 per year and $23.11 per hour, with about 387,790 jobs nationwide. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 26,620 people worked as Dental Assistants in Florida (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: Florida had the 28th highest median annual wage for Dental Assistants out of the 49 states and DC with a published median. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Dental Assistants in Florida ($47,620) was $450 (0.9%) lower than the US median ($48,070). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Dental Assistants in Florida was $48,500 per year and $23.32 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in Florida was $47,880. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Dental Assistants in Florida was $260 lower than the median for all occupations in the state ($47,880). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 22 metro areas in or partly in Florida with a published median for Dental Assistants, Naples-Marco Island, FL had the highest median annual wage, $57,260. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Dental Assistants in the US: 10th percentile $37,130, 25th percentile $44,340, 75th percentile $58,090, 90th percentile $62,250. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Dental Assistants in states that border Florida (highest first): Georgia $46,840; Alabama $39,080. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state): employment of Dental Assistants is projected to grow 7.4% nationwide from 2025 to 2035, with about 53,000 openings a year on average. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%. BLS Employment Projections
  16. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state), typical path into Dental Assistants: education needed for entry: Postsecondary nondegree award; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  17. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Dental Assistants in Florida: 10th percentile $18.17, 25th percentile $21.69, 75th percentile $26.29, 90th percentile $28.31. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only Florida. Job outlook and entry requirements are national (US) figures: BLS does not publish them by state in our sources. Figures labelled “CareerFacts calculation” are simple differences between the BLS numbers shown.