How Much Does a Dental Assistant Make in Decatur, IL in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Assistants in Decatur, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Illinois.
BLS OES May 2025 · Decatur metro area
A typical Dental Assistant in Decatur, Illinois earns $22.97 per hour, or $47,770 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $3,981 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $37,670, and the top 10% of earners make over $59,290.
That pay is 2% below the Illinois figure of $48,610 and 1% below the national figure of $48,070. Decatur ranks 2nd of 9 metro areas in Illinois for Dental Assistant pay. About 60 Dental Assistants work in the Decatur area.
Dental Assistant pay in Decatur at a glance
- Typical pay is $22.97 an hour, or $47,770 a year.
- That is 2% below the Illinois figure, ranking 2nd of 9 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $37,670; the top 10% make over $59,290.
- Typical pay rose +45% from 2015 to 2025, against +33% for Illinois as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Assistant make in Decatur?
Pay in Decatur runs from entry-level positions at around $18.11 an hour to more than $28.51 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 Decatur
| Career stage | Decatur | Illinois | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $37,670$18.11 an hour | $37,360$17.96 an hour | $37,130$17.85 an hour |
| First years | $43,630$20.97 an hour | $40,390$19.42 an hour | $44,340$21.32 an hour |
| Typical Dental Assistant | $47,770$22.97 an hour | $48,610$23.37 an hour | $48,070$23.11 an hour |
| Experienced | $55,680$26.77 an hour | $56,860$27.34 an hour | $58,090$27.93 an hour |
| Top 10% | $59,290$28.51 an hour | $59,910$28.80 an hour | $62,250$29.93 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Decatur area as BLS defines it
Dental Assistant pay growth in Decatur
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Assistants in the Decatur area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Assistant pay in Decatur was $32,850 a year. By 2025 it had reached $47,770, a change of +45%, compared with +33% for Illinois over the same years.
How Decatur compares with other Illinois cities
Chicago pays Dental Assistants the most in Illinois at $48,950 a year, $1,180 more than Decatur. The lowest-paying area in the state is Springfield at $45,390.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Decatur | Dental Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicago | $48,950 | $23.53 | +2% | 10,490 |
| 2 | Decatur | $47,770 | $22.97 | this city | 60 |
| 3 | Moline metro incl. Rock Island | $47,410 | $22.79 | -1% | 380 |
| 4 | Peoria | $47,280 | $22.73 | -1% | 300 |
| 5 | Champaign metro incl. Urbana | $47,120 | $22.65 | -1% | 180 |
| 6 | Bloomington | $46,390 | $22.30 | -3% | 140 |
| 7 | Rockford | $45,970 | $22.10 | -4% | 530 |
| 8 | Kankakee | $45,610 | $21.93 | -5% | 60 |
| 9 | Springfield | $45,390 | $21.82 | -5% | 360 |
Every metro area in Illinois with Dental Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Illinois typical pay $48,610
Is Decatur a good place to work as a Dental Assistant?
Dental Assistant pay in Decatur sits close to the national figure: $47,770 a year, 1% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Decatur area, about 1.3 are Dental Assistant positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 2.4. That makes Dental Assistants a smaller part of the local job market than usual, so employers draw from a smaller pool of qualified candidates.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Dental Assistant make in Decatur, IL?
- A typical Dental Assistant in Decatur earns $47,770 a year, or $22.97 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $37,670 and the top 10% earn over $59,290.
- How much does a Dental Assistant make an hour in Decatur?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Assistants in Decatur is $22.97. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $18.11, and the top 10% earn over $28.51 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Assistant in Decatur?
- Entry-level Dental Assistant positions in Decatur typically offer around $18.11 an hour, or $37,670 a year.
- Is Dental Assistant pay in Decatur higher than in the rest of Illinois?
- Decatur pay is 2% below the Illinois figure of $48,610 a year, ranking 2nd of 9 metro areas in the state. Chicago pays the most in Illinois at $48,950.