How Much Does a Dental Assistant Make in Dubuque, IA in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Assistants in Dubuque, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Iowa.
BLS OES May 2025 · Dubuque metro area
A typical Dental Assistant in Dubuque, Iowa earns $23.00 per hour, or $47,850 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $3,988 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $38,660, and the top 10% of earners make over $58,560.
That pay is 1% below the Iowa figure of $48,430 and right at the national figure of $48,070. Dubuque ranks 7th of 8 metro areas in Iowa for Dental Assistant pay. About 160 Dental Assistants work in the Dubuque area.
Dental Assistant pay in Dubuque at a glance
- Typical pay is $23.00 an hour, or $47,850 a year.
- That is 1% below the Iowa figure, ranking 7th of 8 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $38,660; the top 10% make over $58,560.
- Typical pay rose +38% from 2015 to 2025, against +29% for Iowa as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Assistant make in Dubuque?
Pay in Dubuque runs from entry-level positions at around $18.59 an hour to more than $28.15 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Iowa and national figures.
Dental Assistant pay by career stage in Dubuque
| Career stage | Dubuque | Iowa | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $38,660$18.59 an hour | $39,360$18.92 an hour | $37,130$17.85 an hour |
| First years | $46,350$22.29 an hour | $45,990$22.11 an hour | $44,340$21.32 an hour |
| Typical Dental Assistant | $47,850$23.00 an hour | $48,430$23.28 an hour | $48,070$23.11 an hour |
| Experienced | $52,180$25.09 an hour | $57,620$27.70 an hour | $58,090$27.93 an hour |
| Top 10% | $58,560$28.15 an hour | $59,580$28.65 an hour | $62,250$29.93 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Dubuque area as BLS defines it
Dental Assistant pay growth in Dubuque
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Assistants in the Dubuque area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Assistant pay in Dubuque was $34,580 a year. By 2025 it had reached $47,850, a change of +38%, compared with +29% for Iowa over the same years.
How Dubuque compares with other Iowa cities
Des Moines pays Dental Assistants the most in Iowa at $50,020 a year, $2,170 more than Dubuque. The lowest-paying area in the state is Davenport at $47,410.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Dubuque | Dental Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Des Moines metro incl. West Des Moines | $50,020 | $24.05 | +5% | 660 |
| 2 | Iowa City | $49,230 | $23.67 | +3% | 280 |
| 3 | Ames | $49,140 | $23.63 | +3% | 110 |
| 4 | Sioux City | $48,590 | $23.36 | +2% | 190 |
| 5 | Cedar Rapids | $48,310 | $23.23 | +1% | 370 |
| 6 | Cedar Falls metro incl. Waterloo | $47,970 | $23.06 | 0% | 170 |
| 7 | Dubuque | $47,850 | $23.00 | this city | 160 |
| 8 | Davenport | $47,410 | $22.79 | -1% | 380 |
Every metro area in Iowa with Dental Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Iowa typical pay $48,430
Is Dubuque a good place to work as a Dental Assistant?
Dental Assistant pay in Dubuque sits close to the national figure: $47,850 a year, right at the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Dubuque area, about 2.7 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 Dubuque, IA?
- A typical Dental Assistant in Dubuque earns $47,850 a year, or $23.00 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $38,660 and the top 10% earn over $58,560.
- How much does a Dental Assistant make an hour in Dubuque?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Assistants in Dubuque is $23.00. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $18.59, and the top 10% earn over $28.15 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Assistant in Dubuque?
- Entry-level Dental Assistant positions in Dubuque typically offer around $18.59 an hour, or $38,660 a year.
- Is Dental Assistant pay in Dubuque higher than in the rest of Iowa?
- Dubuque pay is 1% below the Iowa figure of $48,430 a year, ranking 7th of 8 metro areas in the state. Des Moines pays the most in Iowa at $50,020.