How Much Does a Dental Assistant Make in Ashland, KY in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Assistants in Ashland, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Kentucky.
BLS OES May 2025 · Huntington · Ashland metro area
A typical Dental Assistant in Ashland, Kentucky earns $20.51 per hour, or $42,660 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $3,555 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $32,120, and the top 10% of earners make over $56,760.
That pay is 11% below the Kentucky figure of $47,730 and 11% below the national figure of $48,070. Ashland ranks 7th of 7 metro areas in Kentucky for Dental Assistant pay. About 240 Dental Assistants work in the Huntington · Ashland area.
Dental Assistant pay in Ashland at a glance
- Typical pay is $20.51 an hour, or $42,660 a year.
- That is 11% below the Kentucky figure, ranking 7th of 7 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $32,120; the top 10% make over $56,760.
- Typical pay rose +39% from 2015 to 2025, against +43% for Kentucky as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Assistant make in Ashland?
Pay in Ashland runs from entry-level positions at around $15.44 an hour to more than $27.29 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Kentucky and national figures.
Dental Assistant pay by career stage in Ashland
| Career stage | Ashland | Kentucky | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $32,120$15.44 an hour | $35,600$17.11 an hour | $37,130$17.85 an hour |
| First years | $36,310$17.46 an hour | $42,400$20.38 an hour | $44,340$21.32 an hour |
| Typical Dental Assistant | $42,660$20.51 an hour | $47,730$22.95 an hour | $48,070$23.11 an hour |
| Experienced | $46,370$22.29 an hour | $56,760$27.29 an hour | $58,090$27.93 an hour |
| Top 10% | $56,760$27.29 an hour | $62,050$29.83 an hour | $62,250$29.93 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Huntington · Ashland area as BLS defines it
Dental Assistant pay growth in Ashland
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Assistants in the Huntington · Ashland area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Assistant pay in Ashland was $30,700 a year. By 2025 it had reached $42,660, a change of +39%, compared with +43% for Kentucky over the same years.
How Ashland compares with other Kentucky cities
Louisville pays Dental Assistants the most in Kentucky at $49,100 a year, $6,440 more than Ashland. The lowest-paying area in the state is Ashland at $42,660.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Ashland | Dental Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Louisville metro incl. Jefferson County | $49,100 | $23.61 | +15% | 1,500 |
| 2 | Lexington metro incl. Fayette | $48,690 | $23.41 | +14% | 750 |
| 3 | Paducah | $46,750 | $22.48 | +10% | 190 |
| 4 | Elizabethtown | $46,410 | $22.31 | +9% | 140 |
| 5 | Bowling Green | $45,970 | $22.10 | +8% | 220 |
| 6 | Owensboro | $45,330 | $21.79 | +6% | 160 |
| 7 | Ashland | $42,660 | $20.51 | this city | 240 |
Every metro area in Kentucky with Dental Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Kentucky typical pay $47,730
Is Ashland a good place to work as a Dental Assistant?
Dental Assistants in Ashland earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $42,660 a year, 11% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Huntington · Ashland area, about 1.7 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 Ashland, KY?
- A typical Dental Assistant in Ashland earns $42,660 a year, or $20.51 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $32,120 and the top 10% earn over $56,760.
- How much does a Dental Assistant make an hour in Ashland?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Assistants in Ashland is $20.51. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $15.44, and the top 10% earn over $27.29 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Assistant in Ashland?
- Entry-level Dental Assistant positions in Ashland typically offer around $15.44 an hour, or $32,120 a year.
- Is Dental Assistant pay in Ashland higher than in the rest of Kentucky?
- Ashland pay is 11% below the Kentucky figure of $47,730 a year, ranking 7th of 7 metro areas in the state. Louisville pays the most in Kentucky at $49,100.