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Dental assistant salary in New Jersey

Updated October 31, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$49,390median pay per year in New Jersey, or $23.74 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $38,660lowest 10% earn less
  2. $45,97025th percentile
  3. $49,390median
  4. $61,29075th percentile
  5. $64,200top 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 New Jersey was $49,390 a year in May 2025[1]. That was $1,320 higher than the US median[6].

Jobs in NJ
9,990[4]
Rank by median pay
15 of 50[5]
Compared with US median
+2.7%[6]

How much do dental assistants make in New Jersey?

The median wage for dental assistants in New Jersey was $49,390 a year, or $23.74 an hour[1]. That means half of these workers earned more and half earned less. The average was a bit higher at $52,940 a year[7].

Across the US, the median for dental assistants was $48,070 a year[3], so New Jersey sat $1,320 (2.7%) above it[6]. Next to all jobs in the state, dental assistants were behind. The median for all occupations in New Jersey was $58,570[8], and dental assistants were $9,180 lower[9].

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $38,660, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $64,200[2]. Among the six metro areas in or partly in New Jersey with published medians, Trenton-Princeton had the highest median at $57,400[10]. OEWS counts wage and salary workers, part-time and full-time. It leaves out self-employed people and owners. It also leaves out bonuses and the cost of benefits like health insurance[11].

New Jersey vs US pay

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

NJUS
Median per year$49,390[1]$48,070[3]
Median per hour$23.74[1]$23.11[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$38,660[2]$37,130[12]
Top 10% earn more than$64,200[2]$62,250[12]
Jobs9,990[4]387,790[3]

Pay by metro area in New Jersey

Metro areas in New Jersey with the most jobs for dental assistants, and the median pay in each[13]. A metro area that crosses state lines is counted as a whole.

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ[13]$48,43020,870
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD$49,5706,510
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ$47,590970
Trenton-Princeton, NJ$57,400470
Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ$48,810270
Vineland, NJ$48,790130

Pay in nearby states

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

StateMedian per yearJobs
New York[14]$48,11019,800
Pennsylvania$47,93012,080
Delaware$47,600990

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 New Jersey?
The median was $49,390 a year in May 2025[1]. The average was $52,940 a year[7].
How much does a dental assistant make an hour in New Jersey?
The median was $23.74 an hour[1]. The 10th percentile was $18.59 an hour and the 90th percentile was $30.87 an hour[17].
Which city in New Jersey pays dental assistants the most?
Trenton-Princeton had the highest median among the six metro areas with a published figure, at $57,400 a year[10].
Is New Jersey a good state for dental assistants?
New Jersey had the 15th highest median annual wage for dental assistants out of 49 states and DC with a published median[5]. Its median was $1,320 above the US median[6].
What do you need to become a dental assistant in New Jersey?
Across the US, the typical entry education is a postsecondary nondegree award, with no related work experience needed[16]. This is a US figure, not a New Jersey one.

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Dental Assistants in New Jersey was $49,390 per year and $23.74 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 New Jersey: 10th percentile $38,660, 25th percentile $45,970, 75th percentile $61,290, 90th percentile $64,200. 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 9,990 people worked as Dental Assistants in New Jersey (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: New Jersey had the 15th 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 New Jersey ($49,390) was $1,320 (2.7%) higher than the US median ($48,070). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Dental Assistants in New Jersey was $52,940 per year and $25.45 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in New Jersey was $58,570. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Dental Assistants in New Jersey was $9,180 lower than the median for all occupations in the state ($58,570). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 6 metro areas in or partly in New Jersey with a published median for Dental Assistants, Trenton-Princeton, NJ had the highest median annual wage, $57,400. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. 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
  12. 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
  13. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Dental Assistants in states that border New Jersey (highest first): New York $48,110; Pennsylvania $47,930; Delaware $47,600. 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 New Jersey: 10th percentile $18.59, 25th percentile $22.10, 75th percentile $29.47, 90th percentile $30.87. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only New Jersey. 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.