How Much Does a Dental Assistant Make in Tucson, AZ in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Assistants in Tucson, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Arizona.
BLS OES May 2025 · Tucson metro area
A typical Dental Assistant in Tucson, Arizona earns $22.84 per hour, or $47,510 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $3,959 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $37,580, and the top 10% of earners make over $56,580.
That pay is 3% below the Arizona figure of $49,000 and 1% below the national figure of $48,070. Tucson ranks 4th of 7 metro areas in Arizona for Dental Assistant pay. About 970 Dental Assistants work in the Tucson area.
Dental Assistant pay in Tucson at a glance
- Typical pay is $22.84 an hour, or $47,510 a year.
- That is 3% below the Arizona figure, ranking 4th of 7 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $37,580; the top 10% make over $56,580.
- Typical pay rose +40% from 2015 to 2025, against +36% for Arizona as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Assistant make in Tucson?
Pay in Tucson runs from entry-level positions at around $18.07 an hour to more than $27.20 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 Tucson
| Career stage | Tucson | Arizona | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $37,580$18.07 an hour | $38,500$18.51 an hour | $37,130$17.85 an hour |
| First years | $38,940$18.72 an hour | $46,050$22.14 an hour | $44,340$21.32 an hour |
| Typical Dental Assistant | $47,510$22.84 an hour | $49,000$23.56 an hour | $48,070$23.11 an hour |
| Experienced | $49,540$23.82 an hour | $57,880$27.83 an hour | $58,090$27.93 an hour |
| Top 10% | $56,580$27.20 an hour | $59,380$28.55 an hour | $62,250$29.93 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Tucson area as BLS defines it
Dental Assistant pay growth in Tucson
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Assistants in the Tucson area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Assistant pay in Tucson was $33,960 a year. By 2025 it had reached $47,510, a change of +40%, compared with +36% for Arizona over the same years.
How Tucson compares with other Arizona cities
Mesa pays Dental Assistants the most in Arizona at $49,760 a year, $2,250 more than Tucson. The lowest-paying area in the state is Yuma at $45,350.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Tucson | Dental Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mesa | $49,760 | $23.92 | +5% | 6,270 |
| 2 | Flagstaff | $48,900 | $23.51 | +3% | 150 |
| 3 | Prescott Valley metro incl. Prescott | $47,520 | $22.85 | 0% | 300 |
| 4 | Tucson | $47,510 | $22.84 | this city | 970 |
| 5 | Lake Havasu City metro incl. Kingman | $47,070 | $22.63 | -1% | 370 |
| 6 | Sierra Vista metro incl. Douglas | $45,620 | $21.93 | -4% | 80 |
| 7 | Yuma | $45,350 | $21.81 | -5% | 130 |
Every metro area in Arizona with Dental Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Arizona typical pay $49,000
Is Tucson a good place to work as a Dental Assistant?
Dental Assistant pay in Tucson sits close to the national figure: $47,510 a year, 1% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Tucson area, about 2.5 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 Tucson, AZ?
- A typical Dental Assistant in Tucson earns $47,510 a year, or $22.84 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $37,580 and the top 10% earn over $56,580.
- How much does a Dental Assistant make an hour in Tucson?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Assistants in Tucson is $22.84. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $18.07, and the top 10% earn over $27.20 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Assistant in Tucson?
- Entry-level Dental Assistant positions in Tucson typically offer around $18.07 an hour, or $37,580 a year.
- Is Dental Assistant pay in Tucson higher than in the rest of Arizona?
- Tucson pay is 3% below the Arizona figure of $49,000 a year, ranking 4th of 7 metro areas in the state. Mesa pays the most in Arizona at $49,760.