Massachusetts · BLS SOC 31-9091
Dental Assistant salary in Massachusetts
Median $53,510 · Top 10% earn $72,060+ · Roughly 9,428 workers in Massachusetts. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2024.
- Massachusetts median
- $53,510
- $25.73/hr
- Top 10%
- $72,060
- 90th percentile
- Bottom 10%
- $37,410
- Entry-level range
- Real pay
- $48,382
- CoL-adjusted (RPP 110.6)
Massachusetts pays meaningfully above the U.S. median for dental assistants — $53,510 versus the national median of $47,350. After adjusting for Massachusetts's high cost of living, the pay edge narrows to about $1,032 above U.S. average buying power. The state employs roughly 9,428 dental assistants.
What drives dental assistant pay in Massachusetts
Massachusetts pays close to the U.S. median for dental assistants. The state's pay landscape reflects typical national patterns — hospital and academic medical center roles paying above private practice, specialty credentials adding meaningful premiums, and metropolitan areas paying above rural ones.
Top-paying metros in Massachusetts
Massachusetts-area metropolitan areas with the highest dental assistant medians.
Massachusetts metros
10 highest-paying metropolitan areas. Source: BLS OEWS metro tables, May 2024.
| Rank | Metro | Median |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $58,600 |
Massachusetts ranks #8 of 50 states
Where Massachusetts sits in the national distribution for dental assistant pay, and the closest comparable states above and below.
| Rank | State | Median | vs. Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|---|
| #7 | Oregon | $53,980 | +$470 |
| #6 | Minnesota | $54,450 | +$940 |
| #5 | Alaska | $54,930 | +$1,420 |
| #8 | Massachusetts (this page) | $53,510 | — |
| #11 | New Jersey | $53,030 | −$480 |
| #12 | New Hampshire | $53,030 | −$480 |
| #13 | Maryland | $52,090 | −$1,420 |
Find Dental Assistant programs near you
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Education path for Massachusetts
The typical path is a postsecondary nondegree certificate (8–12 mo); on-the-job in some states, taking about 10 months. Tuition ranges from $1,000 (community college) to $12,000 (private accelerated). On the Massachusetts median of $53,510, payback periods are typically 0.6 years or less from a starting income near minimum wage.
For full credentialing detail and the realistic career outlook, see the Dental Assistant salary overview. To run your own numbers, use the ROI calculator with Massachusetts selected.
Dental Assistant salary in Massachusetts — FAQ
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Methodology note
Massachusetts-level wage data sourced from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 release (SOC 31-9091: Dental Assistants), with state pay indexes from BLS area-comparison tables. Cost-of-living adjustments use BEA Regional Price Parities, 2023 release, where Massachusetts's RPP is 110.6 (U.S. = 100). Last reviewed: May 2026.