How Much Does a Dental Assistant Make in Phoenix, AZ in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Assistants in Phoenix, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Arizona.
BLS OES May 2025 · Phoenix · Mesa · Chandler metro area
A typical Dental Assistant in Phoenix, Arizona earns $23.92 per hour, or $49,760 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $4,147 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $40,420, and the top 10% of earners make over $59,380.
That pay is 2% above the Arizona figure of $49,000 and 4% above the national figure of $48,070. Phoenix ranks 1st of 7 metro areas in Arizona for Dental Assistant pay. About 6,270 Dental Assistants work in the Phoenix · Mesa · Chandler area. Phoenix is part of the Phoenix · Mesa · Chandler metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Mesa and Chandler share these figures.
Dental Assistant pay in Phoenix at a glance
- Typical pay is $23.92 an hour, or $49,760 a year.
- That is 2% above the Arizona figure, ranking 1st of 7 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $40,420; the top 10% make over $59,380.
- Typical pay rose +36% from 2015 to 2025, against +36% for Arizona as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Assistant make in Phoenix?
Pay in Phoenix runs from entry-level positions at around $19.43 an hour to more than $28.55 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Arizona and national figures.
Dental Assistant pay by career stage in Phoenix
| Career stage | Phoenix | Arizona | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $40,420$19.43 an hour | $38,500$18.51 an hour | $37,130$17.85 an hour |
| First years | $46,860$22.53 an hour | $46,050$22.14 an hour | $44,340$21.32 an hour |
| Typical Dental Assistant | $49,760$23.92 an hour | $49,000$23.56 an hour | $48,070$23.11 an hour |
| Experienced | $58,620$28.18 an hour | $57,880$27.83 an hour | $58,090$27.93 an hour |
| Top 10% | $59,380$28.55 an hour | $59,380$28.55 an hour | $62,250$29.93 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Phoenix · Mesa · Chandler area as BLS defines it
Dental Assistant pay growth in Phoenix
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Assistants in the Phoenix · Mesa · Chandler area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Assistant pay in Phoenix was $36,630 a year. By 2025 it had reached $49,760, a change of +36%, compared with +36% for Arizona over the same years.
How Phoenix compares with other Arizona cities
Phoenix pays Dental Assistants the most of any metro area in Arizona. The lowest-paying area in the state is Yuma at $45,350.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Phoenix | Dental Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Phoenix | $49,760 | $23.92 | this city | 6,270 |
| 2 | Flagstaff | $48,900 | $23.51 | -2% | 150 |
| 3 | Prescott Valley metro incl. Prescott | $47,520 | $22.85 | -5% | 300 |
| 4 | Tucson | $47,510 | $22.84 | -5% | 970 |
| 5 | Lake Havasu City metro incl. Kingman | $47,070 | $22.63 | -5% | 370 |
| 6 | Sierra Vista metro incl. Douglas | $45,620 | $21.93 | -8% | 80 |
| 7 | Yuma | $45,350 | $21.81 | -9% | 130 |
Every metro area in Arizona with Dental Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Arizona typical pay $49,000
Is Phoenix a good place to work as a Dental Assistant?
Dental Assistant pay in Phoenix sits close to the national figure: $49,760 a year, 4% above the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Phoenix · Mesa · Chandler area, about 2.6 are Dental Assistant positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 2.5. Dental Assistant jobs make up about the same share of the job market as they do across the country.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Dental Assistant make in Phoenix, AZ?
- A typical Dental Assistant in Phoenix earns $49,760 a year, or $23.92 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $40,420 and the top 10% earn over $59,380.
- How much does a Dental Assistant make an hour in Phoenix?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Assistants in Phoenix is $23.92. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $19.43, and the top 10% earn over $28.55 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Assistant in Phoenix?
- Entry-level Dental Assistant positions in Phoenix typically offer around $19.43 an hour, or $40,420 a year.
- Is Dental Assistant pay in Phoenix higher than in the rest of Arizona?
- Phoenix pay is 2% above the Arizona figure of $49,000 a year, ranking 1st of 7 metro areas in the state.