How Much Does a Dental Assistant Make in Atlanta, GA in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Assistants in Atlanta, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Georgia.
BLS OES May 2025 · Atlanta · Sandy Springs · Roswell metro area
A typical Dental Assistant in Atlanta, Georgia earns $22.70 per hour, or $47,210 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $3,934 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $37,800, and the top 10% of earners make over $57,780.
That pay is 1% above the Georgia figure of $46,840 and 2% below the national figure of $48,070. Atlanta ranks 1st of 14 metro areas in Georgia for Dental Assistant pay. About 6,700 Dental Assistants work in the Atlanta · Sandy Springs · Roswell area. Atlanta is part of the Atlanta · Sandy Springs · Roswell metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Roswell and Sandy Springs share these figures.
Dental Assistant pay in Atlanta at a glance
- Typical pay is $22.70 an hour, or $47,210 a year.
- That is 1% above the Georgia figure, ranking 1st of 14 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $37,800; the top 10% make over $57,780.
- Typical pay rose +26% from 2015 to 2025, against +31% for Georgia as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Assistant make in Atlanta?
Pay in Atlanta runs from entry-level positions at around $18.17 an hour to more than $27.78 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Georgia and national figures.
Dental Assistant pay by career stage in Atlanta
| Career stage | Atlanta | Georgia | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $37,800$18.17 an hour | $36,410$17.51 an hour | $37,130$17.85 an hour |
| First years | $45,690$21.97 an hour | $40,270$19.36 an hour | $44,340$21.32 an hour |
| Typical Dental Assistant | $47,210$22.70 an hour | $46,840$22.52 an hour | $48,070$23.11 an hour |
| Experienced | $56,080$26.96 an hour | $48,960$23.54 an hour | $58,090$27.93 an hour |
| Top 10% | $57,780$27.78 an hour | $57,710$27.75 an hour | $62,250$29.93 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Atlanta · Sandy Springs · Roswell area as BLS defines it
Dental Assistant pay growth in Atlanta
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Assistants in the Atlanta · Sandy Springs · Roswell area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Assistant pay in Atlanta was $37,610 a year. By 2025 it had reached $47,210, a change of +26%, compared with +31% for Georgia over the same years.
How Atlanta compares with other Georgia cities
Atlanta pays Dental Assistants the most of any metro area in Georgia. The lowest-paying area in the state is Dalton at $37,530.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Atlanta | Dental Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Atlanta metro incl. Roswell · Sandy Springs | $47,210 | $22.70 | this city | 6,700 |
| 2 | Rome | $45,870 | $22.05 | -3% | 110 |
| 3 | Gainesville | $45,850 | $22.04 | -3% | 220 |
| 4 | Savannah | $45,710 | $21.98 | -3% | 380 |
| 5 | Hinesville | $44,150 | $21.23 | -6% | 70 |
| 6 | Warner Robins | $44,030 | $21.17 | -7% | 180 |
| 7 | Athens metro incl. Clarke County | $43,970 | $21.14 | -7% | 160 |
| 8 | Macon metro incl. Bibb County | $43,920 | $21.11 | -7% | 200 |
| 9 | Brunswick metro incl. St. Simons | $43,820 | $21.07 | -7% | 140 |
| 10 | Augusta metro incl. Richmond County | $43,790 | $21.05 | -7% | 670 |
| 11 | Valdosta | $43,380 | $20.86 | -8% | 120 |
| 12 | Albany | $42,820 | $20.59 | -9% | 110 |
| 13 | Columbus | $42,050 | $20.22 | -11% | 260 |
| 14 | Dalton | $37,530 | $18.04 | -21% | 180 |
Every metro area in Georgia with Dental Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Georgia typical pay $46,840
Is Atlanta a good place to work as a Dental Assistant?
Dental Assistant pay in Atlanta sits close to the national figure: $47,210 a year, 2% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Atlanta · Sandy Springs · Roswell area, about 2.3 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 Atlanta, GA?
- A typical Dental Assistant in Atlanta earns $47,210 a year, or $22.70 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $37,800 and the top 10% earn over $57,780.
- How much does a Dental Assistant make an hour in Atlanta?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Assistants in Atlanta is $22.70. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $18.17, and the top 10% earn over $27.78 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Assistant in Atlanta?
- Entry-level Dental Assistant positions in Atlanta typically offer around $18.17 an hour, or $37,800 a year.
- Is Dental Assistant pay in Atlanta higher than in the rest of Georgia?
- Atlanta pay is 1% above the Georgia figure of $46,840 a year, ranking 1st of 14 metro areas in the state.