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Dental assistant salary in Washington

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

$58,090median pay per year in Washington, or $27.93 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $46,280lowest 10% earn less
  2. $48,78025th percentile
  3. $58,090median
  4. $62,34075th percentile
  5. $68,230top 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 Washington was $58,090 a year in May 2025[1]. That was $10,020 above the US median[6].

Jobs in WA
13,050[4]
Rank by median pay
6 of 50[5]
Compared with US median
+20.8%[6]

How much do dental assistants make in Washington?

The median is the middle point. Half of dental assistants in Washington earned more than $58,090 a year, or $27.93 an hour, and half earned less[1]. The average was a bit lower at $56,680 a year[7]. Across the US, the median for dental assistants was $48,070[3], so Washington sits 20.8% higher[6]. Against all jobs in the state, the median of $62,990[8] was $4,900 higher than what dental assistants earned[9].

At the low end, the lowest-paid 10% earned less than $46,280 a year[2]. At the high end, the top-paid 10% earned more than $68,230[2]. The hourly figures run from $22.25 at the 10th percentile to $32.80 at the 90th[10]. Washington ranked 6th for the median wage for this job among the 49 states and DC with a published median[5].

Within the state, the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue area had the highest median at $62,040 a year[11]. Spokane-Spokane Valley had a median of $50,980[12]. OEWS includes people on a wage or salary, whether they work part time or full time. It leaves out the self-employed and business owners. It also does not add in bonuses or the cost of benefits like health insurance[13].

Washington vs US pay

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

WAUS
Median per year$58,090[1]$48,070[3]
Median per hour$27.93[1]$23.11[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$46,280[2]$37,130[14]
Top 10% earn more than$68,230[2]$62,250[14]
Jobs13,050[4]387,790[3]

Pay by metro area in Washington

Metro areas in Washington 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 areaMedian per yearJobs
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA[12]$62,0407,100
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA$59,8904,120
Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA$50,9801,000
Kennewick-Richland, WA$49,540520
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA$48,890480
Yakima, WA$46,670480
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$49,800470
Bellingham, WA$49,830410

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for dental assistants in the states that border Washington, highest first[15].

StateMedian per yearJobs
Oregon[15]$59,4905,930
Idaho$45,8802,680

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[16]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: postsecondary nondegree award[17].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does a dental assistant make in Washington?
The median pay for dental assistants in Washington was $58,090 a year in May 2025[1]. The average was $56,680[7].
How much does a dental assistant make an hour in Washington?
The median hourly wage was $27.93[1]. The hourly range runs from $22.25 at the 10th percentile to $32.80 at the 90th[10].
Which city in Washington pays dental assistants the most?
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue had the highest median annual wage among the metro areas with a published figure, at $62,040[11].
Is Washington a good state for dental assistants?
Washington had the 6th highest median annual wage for this job among the 49 states and DC with a published median[5]. Its median was 20.8% above the US median[6].
What do you need to become a dental assistant in Washington?
This is a US figure and not specific to Washington. Across the US, the typical entry path is a postsecondary nondegree award, with no related work experience and no on-the-job training listed[17].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Dental Assistants in Washington was $58,090 per year and $27.93 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 Washington: 10th percentile $46,280, 25th percentile $48,780, 75th percentile $62,340, 90th percentile $68,230. 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 13,050 people worked as Dental Assistants in Washington (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: Washington had the 6th 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 Washington ($58,090) was $10,020 (20.8%) higher than the US median ($48,070). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Dental Assistants in Washington was $56,680 per year and $27.25 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in Washington was $62,990. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Dental Assistants in Washington was $4,900 lower than the median for all occupations in the state ($62,990). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Dental Assistants in Washington: 10th percentile $22.25, 25th percentile $23.45, 75th percentile $29.97, 90th percentile $32.80. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 13 metro areas in or partly in Washington with a published median for Dental Assistants, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA had the highest median annual wage, $62,040. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. 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
  14. 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
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Dental Assistants in states that border Washington (highest first): Oregon $59,490; Idaho $45,880. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. 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
  17. 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

State figures cover only Washington. 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.