How Much Does a Dental Assistant Make in Chicago, IL in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Assistants in Chicago, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Illinois.
BLS OES May 2025 · Chicago · Naperville · Elgin metro area
A typical Dental Assistant in Chicago, Illinois earns $23.53 per hour, or $48,950 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $4,079 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $38,950, and the top 10% of earners make over $61,150.
That pay is 1% above the Illinois figure of $48,610 and 2% above the national figure of $48,070. Chicago ranks 1st of 9 metro areas in Illinois for Dental Assistant pay. About 10,490 Dental Assistants work in the Chicago · Naperville · Elgin area.
Dental Assistant pay in Chicago at a glance
- Typical pay is $23.53 an hour, or $48,950 a year.
- That is 1% above the Illinois figure, ranking 1st of 9 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $38,950; the top 10% make over $61,150.
- Typical pay rose +31% from 2015 to 2025, against +33% for Illinois as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Assistant make in Chicago?
Pay in Chicago runs from entry-level positions at around $18.72 an hour to more than $29.40 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Illinois and national figures.
Dental Assistant pay by career stage in Chicago
| Career stage | Chicago | Illinois | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $38,950$18.72 an hour | $37,360$17.96 an hour | $37,130$17.85 an hour |
| First years | $46,420$22.32 an hour | $40,390$19.42 an hour | $44,340$21.32 an hour |
| Typical Dental Assistant | $48,950$23.53 an hour | $48,610$23.37 an hour | $48,070$23.11 an hour |
| Experienced | $58,210$27.98 an hour | $56,860$27.34 an hour | $58,090$27.93 an hour |
| Top 10% | $61,150$29.40 an hour | $59,910$28.80 an hour | $62,250$29.93 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Chicago · Naperville · Elgin area as BLS defines it
Dental Assistant pay growth in Chicago
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Assistants in the Chicago · Naperville · Elgin area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Assistant pay in Chicago was $37,440 a year. By 2025 it had reached $48,950, a change of +31%, compared with +33% for Illinois over the same years.
How Chicago compares with other Illinois cities
Chicago pays Dental Assistants the most of any metro area in Illinois. The lowest-paying area in the state is Springfield at $45,390.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Chicago | Dental Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicago | $48,950 | $23.53 | this city | 10,490 |
| 2 | Decatur | $47,770 | $22.97 | -2% | 60 |
| 3 | Moline metro incl. Rock Island | $47,410 | $22.79 | -3% | 380 |
| 4 | Peoria | $47,280 | $22.73 | -3% | 300 |
| 5 | Champaign metro incl. Urbana | $47,120 | $22.65 | -4% | 180 |
| 6 | Bloomington | $46,390 | $22.30 | -5% | 140 |
| 7 | Rockford | $45,970 | $22.10 | -6% | 530 |
| 8 | Kankakee | $45,610 | $21.93 | -7% | 60 |
| 9 | Springfield | $45,390 | $21.82 | -7% | 360 |
Every metro area in Illinois with Dental Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Illinois typical pay $48,610
Is Chicago a good place to work as a Dental Assistant?
Dental Assistant pay in Chicago sits close to the national figure: $48,950 a year, 2% above the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Chicago · Naperville · Elgin 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 Chicago, IL?
- A typical Dental Assistant in Chicago earns $48,950 a year, or $23.53 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $38,950 and the top 10% earn over $61,150.
- How much does a Dental Assistant make an hour in Chicago?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Assistants in Chicago is $23.53. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $18.72, and the top 10% earn over $29.40 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Assistant in Chicago?
- Entry-level Dental Assistant positions in Chicago typically offer around $18.72 an hour, or $38,950 a year.
- Is Dental Assistant pay in Chicago higher than in the rest of Illinois?
- Chicago pay is 1% above the Illinois figure of $48,610 a year, ranking 1st of 9 metro areas in the state.