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Dental assistant salary in Georgia
- $36,410lowest 10% earn less
- $40,27025th percentile
- $46,840median
- $48,96075th percentile
- $57,710top 10% earn more
The median pay for dental assistants in Georgia was $46,840 a year[1]. That was lower than the US median of $48,070[3].
How much do dental assistants make in Georgia?
Half of the dental assistants in Georgia earned more than $46,840 a year and half earned less[1]. The average was close, at $46,870[7]. Across the US as a whole, the median was $48,070[3], so Georgia sat 2.6% lower[6]. Georgia had the 33rd highest median out of the 49 states and DC with a published median[5]. Compared with all jobs in the state, the median for dental assistants was $1,330 lower than the $48,170 median for all occupations[8][9].
The lowest-paid 10% of dental assistants in Georgia earned less than $36,410[2]. The 25th percentile was $40,270 and the 75th percentile was $48,960[2]. The highest-paid 10% earned more than $57,710[2]. In hourly terms, the 10th percentile was $17.51 and the 90th percentile was $27.75[10].
Among Georgia metro areas with a published median, Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell had the highest median at $47,210[11]. It also had the largest count of dental assistant jobs, about 6,700[12]. Dalton, GA had a median of $37,530 and about 180 jobs[12]. These figures cover wage and salary workers only. OEWS leaves out the self-employed and business owners, and it does not count bonuses or the cost of benefits such as health insurance[13].
Georgia vs US pay
Pay for dental assistants in Georgia next to the national figures[1][3].
Pay by metro area in Georgia
Metro areas in Georgia with the most jobs for dental assistants, and the median pay in each[12]. A metro area that crosses state lines is counted as a whole.
| Metro area | Median per year | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA[12] | $47,210 | 6,700 |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $43,790 | 670 |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | $46,360 | 670 |
| Savannah, GA | $45,710 | 380 |
| Columbus, GA-AL | $42,050 | 260 |
| Gainesville, GA | $45,850 | 220 |
| Macon-Bibb County, GA | $43,920 | 200 |
| Dalton, GA | $37,530 | 180 |
Pay in nearby states
Median pay for dental assistants in the states that border Georgia, highest first[15].
| State | Median per year | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| North Carolina[15] | $50,380 | 11,450 |
| Florida | $47,620 | 26,620 |
| South Carolina | $47,320 | 5,530 |
| Tennessee | $46,720 | 7,420 |
| Alabama | $39,080 | 3,740 |
Job outlook and training
Across the US, jobs for dental assistants are projected to grow 7.4% from 2025 to 2035[16]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: postsecondary nondegree award[17].
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a dental assistant make in Georgia?
- The median pay for dental assistants in Georgia was $46,840 a year[1]. The average was $46,870[7].
- How much does a dental assistant make an hour in Georgia?
- The median hourly wage was $22.52[1]. The 10th percentile was $17.51 an hour and the 90th percentile was $27.75[10].
- Which city in Georgia pays dental assistants the most?
- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell had the highest median among Georgia metro areas with a published figure, at $47,210 a year[11].
- Is Georgia a good state for dental assistants?
- Georgia had the 33rd highest median for dental assistants out of the 49 states and DC with a published median[5]. Its median was $1,230 lower than the US median[6].
- What do you need to become a dental assistant in Georgia?
- This is a US figure and not a Georgia one. Across the US, the typical education needed for entry is a postsecondary nondegree award, with no work experience or on-the-job training listed[17].
Facts and sources
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Dental Assistants in Georgia was $46,840 per year and $22.52 per hour. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Dental Assistants in Georgia: 10th percentile $36,410, 25th percentile $40,270, 75th percentile $48,960, 90th percentile $57,710. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less, the 90th means 10% earned more. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- 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
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 10,540 people worked as Dental Assistants in Georgia (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: Georgia had the 33rd highest median annual wage for Dental Assistants out of the 49 states and DC with a published median. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Dental Assistants in Georgia ($46,840) was $1,230 (2.6%) lower than the US median ($48,070). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Dental Assistants in Georgia was $46,870 per year and $22.53 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Dental Assistants in Georgia was $1,330 lower than the median for all occupations in the state ($48,170). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in Georgia was $48,170. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Dental Assistants in Georgia: 10th percentile $17.51, 25th percentile $19.36, 75th percentile $23.54, 90th percentile $27.75. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 15 metro areas in or partly in Georgia with a published median for Dental Assistants, Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA had the highest median annual wage, $47,210. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- 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
- 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
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Dental Assistants in states that border Georgia (highest first): North Carolina $50,380; Florida $47,620; South Carolina $47,320; Tennessee $46,720; Alabama $39,080. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- 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
- 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