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Dental assistant salary in Texas

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

$45,430median pay per year in Texas, or $21.84 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $35,400lowest 10% earn less
  2. $37,36025th percentile
  3. $45,430median
  4. $48,28075th percentile
  5. $57,640top 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 Texas was $45,430 a year in May 2025[1]. That was $2,640 lower than the US median[6].

Jobs in TX
33,230[4]
Rank by median pay
41 of 50[5]
Compared with US median
−5.5%[6]

How much do dental assistants make in Texas?

Half of the dental assistants in Texas earned more than $45,430 a year, and half earned less[1]. That works out to $21.84 an hour[1]. The average was a little lower, at $44,830 a year[7].

Across the US, the median for dental assistants was $48,070 a year[3]. Texas came in $2,640, or 5.5%, below that[6]. Texas had the 41st highest median out of the 49 states and DC with a published median[5]. Compared with all jobs in Texas, where the median was $48,620[8], dental assistants earned $3,190 less[9].

The lowest-paid 10% of dental assistants in Texas earned less than $35,400, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $57,640[2]. Among metro areas, Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos had the highest median at $48,500[10]. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington was next among the largest metros at $47,570[11]. OEWS counts workers on a wage or salary, whether they work part time or full time. It leaves out the self-employed and does not include bonuses or the cost of benefits[12].

Texas vs US pay

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

TXUS
Median per year$45,430[1]$48,070[3]
Median per hour$21.84[1]$23.11[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$35,400[2]$37,130[13]
Top 10% earn more than$57,640[2]$62,250[13]
Jobs33,230[4]387,790[3]

Pay by metro area in Texas

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

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX[11]$47,5709,010
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX$43,7308,150
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX$45,9203,820
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX$48,5003,010
El Paso, TX$39,090840
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX$37,230670
Killeen-Temple, TX$44,450470
Lubbock, TX$39,900440

Pay in nearby states

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

StateMedian per yearJobs
Oklahoma[14]$45,7404,550
New Mexico$44,4002,150
Louisiana$44,0904,540
Arkansas$42,8302,950

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 Texas?
The median was $45,430 a year in May 2025[1]. The average was $44,830 a year[7].
How much does a dental assistant make an hour in Texas?
The median was $21.84 an hour[1]. The 10th percentile was $17.02 an hour and the 90th percentile was $27.71[17].
Which city in Texas pays dental assistants the most?
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos had the highest median among metro areas with a published figure, at $48,500 a year[10].
Is Texas a good state for dental assistants?
Texas had the 41st highest median for dental assistants out of the 49 states and DC with a published median[5]. The Texas median was 5.5% lower than the US median[6].
What do you need to become a dental assistant in Texas?
Across the US, the typical education for entry is a postsecondary nondegree award, with no work experience in a related occupation needed[16]. This is a US figure, not a Texas one.

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Dental Assistants in Texas was $45,430 per year and $21.84 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 Texas: 10th percentile $35,400, 25th percentile $37,360, 75th percentile $48,280, 90th percentile $57,640. 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 33,230 people worked as Dental Assistants in Texas (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: Texas had the 41st 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 Texas ($45,430) was $2,640 (5.5%) lower than the US median ($48,070). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Dental Assistants in Texas was $44,830 per year and $21.55 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in Texas was $48,620. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Dental Assistants in Texas was $3,190 lower than the median for all occupations in the state ($48,620). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 25 metro areas in or partly in Texas with a published median for Dental Assistants, Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX had the highest median annual wage, $48,500. 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 Texas (highest first): Oklahoma $45,740; New Mexico $44,400; Louisiana $44,090; Arkansas $42,830. 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 Texas: 10th percentile $17.02, 25th percentile $17.96, 75th percentile $23.21, 90th percentile $27.71. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only Texas. 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.