How Much Does a Dental Assistant Make in Indianapolis, IN in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Assistants in Indianapolis, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Indiana.
BLS OES May 2025 · Indianapolis · Carmel · Greenwood metro area
A typical Dental Assistant in Indianapolis, Indiana earns $23.54 per hour, or $48,970 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $4,081 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $37,650, and the top 10% of earners make over $59,550.
That pay is 1% above the Indiana figure of $48,670 and 2% above the national figure of $48,070. Indianapolis ranks 3rd of 14 metro areas in Indiana for Dental Assistant pay. About 2,200 Dental Assistants work in the Indianapolis · Carmel · Greenwood area. Indianapolis is part of the Indianapolis · Carmel · Greenwood metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Carmel and Greenwood share these figures.
Dental Assistant pay in Indianapolis at a glance
- Typical pay is $23.54 an hour, or $48,970 a year.
- That is 1% above the Indiana figure, ranking 3rd of 14 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $37,650; the top 10% make over $59,550.
- Typical pay rose +33% from 2015 to 2025, against +37% for Indiana as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Assistant make in Indianapolis?
Pay in Indianapolis runs from entry-level positions at around $18.10 an hour to more than $28.63 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Indiana and national figures.
Dental Assistant pay by career stage in Indianapolis
| Career stage | Indianapolis | Indiana | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $37,650$18.10 an hour | $36,880$17.73 an hour | $37,130$17.85 an hour |
| First years | $47,490$22.83 an hour | $45,860$22.05 an hour | $44,340$21.32 an hour |
| Typical Dental Assistant | $48,970$23.54 an hour | $48,670$23.40 an hour | $48,070$23.11 an hour |
| Experienced | $58,030$27.90 an hour | $57,720$27.75 an hour | $58,090$27.93 an hour |
| Top 10% | $59,550$28.63 an hour | $60,590$29.13 an hour | $62,250$29.93 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Indianapolis · Carmel · Greenwood area as BLS defines it
Dental Assistant pay growth in Indianapolis
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Assistants in the Indianapolis · Carmel · Greenwood area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Assistant pay in Indianapolis was $36,930 a year. By 2025 it had reached $48,970, a change of +33%, compared with +37% for Indiana over the same years.
How Indianapolis compares with other Indiana cities
Goshen pays Dental Assistants the most in Indiana at $52,830 a year, $3,860 more than Indianapolis. The lowest-paying area in the state is Muncie at $45,500.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Indianapolis | Dental Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Goshen metro incl. Elkhart | $52,830 | $25.40 | +8% | 160 |
| 2 | Jefferson County | $49,100 | $23.61 | 0% | 1,500 |
| 3 | Indianapolis | $48,970 | $23.54 | this city | 2,200 |
| 4 | Naperville metro incl. Elgin | $48,950 | $23.53 | 0% | 10,490 |
| 5 | La Porte metro incl. Michigan City | $48,920 | $23.52 | 0% | 80 |
| 6 | Lafayette metro incl. West Lafayette | $48,730 | $23.43 | 0% | 190 |
| 7 | Fort Wayne | $48,670 | $23.40 | -1% | 630 |
| 8 | Kokomo | $48,360 | $23.25 | -1% | 140 |
| 9 | Bloomington | $48,170 | $23.16 | -2% | 130 |
| 10 | Evansville | $48,000 | $23.08 | -2% | 300 |
| 11 | Mishawaka metro incl. South Bend | $47,770 | $22.96 | -2% | 360 |
| 12 | Columbus | $47,260 | $22.72 | -3% | 120 |
| 13 | Terre Haute | $46,450 | $22.33 | -5% | 110 |
| 14 | Muncie | $45,500 | $21.88 | -7% | 140 |
Every metro area in Indiana with Dental Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Indiana typical pay $48,670
Is Indianapolis a good place to work as a Dental Assistant?
Dental Assistant pay in Indianapolis sits close to the national figure: $48,970 a year, 2% above the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Indianapolis · Carmel · Greenwood area, about 2.0 are Dental Assistant positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 2.5. 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 Indianapolis, IN?
- A typical Dental Assistant in Indianapolis earns $48,970 a year, or $23.54 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $37,650 and the top 10% earn over $59,550.
- How much does a Dental Assistant make an hour in Indianapolis?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Assistants in Indianapolis is $23.54. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $18.10, and the top 10% earn over $28.63 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Assistant in Indianapolis?
- Entry-level Dental Assistant positions in Indianapolis typically offer around $18.10 an hour, or $37,650 a year.
- Is Dental Assistant pay in Indianapolis higher than in the rest of Indiana?
- Indianapolis pay is 1% above the Indiana figure of $48,670 a year, ranking 3rd of 14 metro areas in the state. Goshen pays the most in Indiana at $52,830.