How Much Does a Dental Assistant Make in Rockford, IL in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Assistants in Rockford, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Illinois.
BLS OES May 2025 · Rockford metro area
A typical Dental Assistant in Rockford, Illinois earns $22.10 per hour, or $45,970 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $3,831 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $36,460, and the top 10% of earners make over $58,560.
That pay is 5% below the Illinois figure of $48,610 and 4% below the national figure of $48,070. Rockford ranks 7th of 9 metro areas in Illinois for Dental Assistant pay. About 530 Dental Assistants work in the Rockford area.
Dental Assistant pay in Rockford at a glance
- Typical pay is $22.10 an hour, or $45,970 a year.
- That is 5% below the Illinois figure, ranking 7th of 9 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $36,460; the top 10% make over $58,560.
- Typical pay rose +30% from 2015 to 2025, against +33% for Illinois as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Assistant make in Rockford?
Pay in Rockford runs from entry-level positions at around $17.53 an hour to more than $28.15 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 Rockford
| Career stage | Rockford | Illinois | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $36,460$17.53 an hour | $37,360$17.96 an hour | $37,130$17.85 an hour |
| First years | $37,710$18.13 an hour | $40,390$19.42 an hour | $44,340$21.32 an hour |
| Typical Dental Assistant | $45,970$22.10 an hour | $48,610$23.37 an hour | $48,070$23.11 an hour |
| Experienced | $47,320$22.75 an hour | $56,860$27.34 an hour | $58,090$27.93 an hour |
| Top 10% | $58,560$28.15 an hour | $59,910$28.80 an hour | $62,250$29.93 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Rockford area as BLS defines it
Dental Assistant pay growth in Rockford
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Assistants in the Rockford area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Assistant pay in Rockford was $35,300 a year. By 2025 it had reached $45,970, a change of +30%, compared with +33% for Illinois over the same years.
How Rockford compares with other Illinois cities
Chicago pays Dental Assistants the most in Illinois at $48,950 a year, $2,980 more than Rockford. The lowest-paying area in the state is Springfield at $45,390.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Rockford | Dental Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicago | $48,950 | $23.53 | +6% | 10,490 |
| 2 | Decatur | $47,770 | $22.97 | +4% | 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 | +3% | 180 |
| 6 | Bloomington | $46,390 | $22.30 | +1% | 140 |
| 7 | Rockford | $45,970 | $22.10 | this city | 530 |
| 8 | Kankakee | $45,610 | $21.93 | -1% | 60 |
| 9 | Springfield | $45,390 | $21.82 | -1% | 360 |
Every metro area in Illinois with Dental Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Illinois typical pay $48,610
Is Rockford a good place to work as a Dental Assistant?
Dental Assistant pay in Rockford sits close to the national figure: $45,970 a year, 4% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Rockford area, about 3.9 are Dental Assistant positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 2.5. That makes the local economy more reliant on Dental Assistants than most places, and turnover keeps positions opening through the year.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Dental Assistant make in Rockford, IL?
- A typical Dental Assistant in Rockford earns $45,970 a year, or $22.10 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $36,460 and the top 10% earn over $58,560.
- How much does a Dental Assistant make an hour in Rockford?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Assistants in Rockford is $22.10. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $17.53, and the top 10% earn over $28.15 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Assistant in Rockford?
- Entry-level Dental Assistant positions in Rockford typically offer around $17.53 an hour, or $36,460 a year.
- Is Dental Assistant pay in Rockford higher than in the rest of Illinois?
- Rockford pay is 5% below the Illinois figure of $48,610 a year, ranking 7th of 9 metro areas in the state. Chicago pays the most in Illinois at $48,950.