How Much Does a Dental Assistant Make in Denver, CO in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Assistants in Denver, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Colorado.
BLS OES May 2025 · Denver · Aurora · Centennial metro area
A typical Dental Assistant in Denver, Colorado earns $23.79 per hour, or $49,490 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $4,124 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $38,870, and the top 10% of earners make over $60,780.
That pay is 2% above the Colorado figure of $48,340 and 3% above the national figure of $48,070. Denver ranks 2nd of 7 metro areas in Colorado for Dental Assistant pay. About 4,160 Dental Assistants work in the Denver · Aurora · Centennial area. Denver is part of the Denver · Aurora · Centennial metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Aurora and Centennial share these figures.
Dental Assistant pay in Denver at a glance
- Typical pay is $23.79 an hour, or $49,490 a year.
- That is 2% above the Colorado figure, ranking 2nd of 7 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $38,870; the top 10% make over $60,780.
- Typical pay rose +26% from 2015 to 2025, against +29% for Colorado as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Assistant make in Denver?
Pay in Denver runs from entry-level positions at around $18.69 an hour to more than $29.22 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Colorado and national figures.
Dental Assistant pay by career stage in Denver
| Career stage | Denver | Colorado | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $38,870$18.69 an hour | $38,500$18.51 an hour | $37,130$17.85 an hour |
| First years | $46,980$22.59 an hour | $45,520$21.89 an hour | $44,340$21.32 an hour |
| Typical Dental Assistant | $49,490$23.79 an hour | $48,340$23.24 an hour | $48,070$23.11 an hour |
| Experienced | $58,990$28.36 an hour | $58,340$28.05 an hour | $58,090$27.93 an hour |
| Top 10% | $60,780$29.22 an hour | $60,540$29.10 an hour | $62,250$29.93 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Denver · Aurora · Centennial area as BLS defines it
Dental Assistant pay growth in Denver
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Assistants in the Denver · Aurora · Centennial area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Assistant pay in Denver was $39,310 a year. By 2025 it had reached $49,490, a change of +26%, compared with +29% for Colorado over the same years.
How Denver compares with other Colorado cities
Boulder pays Dental Assistants the most in Colorado at $58,760 a year, $9,270 more than Denver. The lowest-paying area in the state is Pueblo at $45,710.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Denver | Dental Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boulder | $58,760 | $28.25 | +19% | 520 |
| 2 | Denver metro incl. Aurora · Centennial | $49,490 | $23.79 | this city | 4,160 |
| 3 | Colorado Springs | $48,290 | $23.22 | -2% | 1,360 |
| 4 | Fort Collins metro incl. Loveland | $48,080 | $23.11 | -3% | 510 |
| 5 | Greeley | $47,270 | $22.73 | -4% | 360 |
| 6 | Grand Junction | $46,350 | $22.28 | -6% | 300 |
| 7 | Pueblo | $45,710 | $21.97 | -8% | 260 |
Every metro area in Colorado with Dental Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Colorado typical pay $48,340
Is Denver a good place to work as a Dental Assistant?
Dental Assistant pay in Denver sits close to the national figure: $49,490 a year, 3% above the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Denver · Aurora · Centennial 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 Denver, CO?
- A typical Dental Assistant in Denver earns $49,490 a year, or $23.79 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $38,870 and the top 10% earn over $60,780.
- How much does a Dental Assistant make an hour in Denver?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Assistants in Denver is $23.79. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $18.69, and the top 10% earn over $29.22 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Assistant in Denver?
- Entry-level Dental Assistant positions in Denver typically offer around $18.69 an hour, or $38,870 a year.
- Is Dental Assistant pay in Denver higher than in the rest of Colorado?
- Denver pay is 2% above the Colorado figure of $48,340 a year, ranking 2nd of 7 metro areas in the state. Boulder pays the most in Colorado at $58,760.