How Much Does a Dental Assistant Make in Lexington, KY in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Assistants in Lexington, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Kentucky.
BLS OES May 2025 · Lexington · Fayette metro area
A typical Dental Assistant in Lexington, Kentucky earns $23.41 per hour, or $48,690 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $4,058 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $30,400, and the top 10% of earners make over $62,200.
That pay is 2% above the Kentucky figure of $47,730 and 1% above the national figure of $48,070. Lexington ranks 2nd of 7 metro areas in Kentucky for Dental Assistant pay. About 750 Dental Assistants work in the Lexington · Fayette area. Lexington is part of the Lexington · Fayette metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Fayette share these figures.
Dental Assistant pay in Lexington at a glance
- Typical pay is $23.41 an hour, or $48,690 a year.
- That is 2% above the Kentucky figure, ranking 2nd of 7 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $30,400; the top 10% make over $62,200.
- Typical pay rose +48% from 2015 to 2025, against +43% for Kentucky as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Assistant make in Lexington?
Pay in Lexington runs from entry-level positions at around $14.61 an hour to more than $29.90 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 Lexington
| Career stage | Lexington | Kentucky | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $30,400$14.61 an hour | $35,600$17.11 an hour | $37,130$17.85 an hour |
| First years | $46,760$22.48 an hour | $42,400$20.38 an hour | $44,340$21.32 an hour |
| Typical Dental Assistant | $48,690$23.41 an hour | $47,730$22.95 an hour | $48,070$23.11 an hour |
| Experienced | $58,430$28.09 an hour | $56,760$27.29 an hour | $58,090$27.93 an hour |
| Top 10% | $62,200$29.90 an hour | $62,050$29.83 an hour | $62,250$29.93 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Lexington · Fayette area as BLS defines it
Dental Assistant pay growth in Lexington
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Assistants in the Lexington · Fayette area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Assistant pay in Lexington was $32,980 a year. By 2025 it had reached $48,690, a change of +48%, compared with +43% for Kentucky over the same years.
How Lexington compares with other Kentucky cities
Louisville pays Dental Assistants the most in Kentucky at $49,100 a year, $410 more than Lexington. The lowest-paying area in the state is Ashland at $42,660.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Lexington | Dental Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Louisville metro incl. Jefferson County | $49,100 | $23.61 | +1% | 1,500 |
| 2 | Lexington metro incl. Fayette | $48,690 | $23.41 | this city | 750 |
| 3 | Paducah | $46,750 | $22.48 | -4% | 190 |
| 4 | Elizabethtown | $46,410 | $22.31 | -5% | 140 |
| 5 | Bowling Green | $45,970 | $22.10 | -6% | 220 |
| 6 | Owensboro | $45,330 | $21.79 | -7% | 160 |
| 7 | Ashland | $42,660 | $20.51 | -12% | 240 |
Every metro area in Kentucky with Dental Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Kentucky typical pay $47,730
Is Lexington a good place to work as a Dental Assistant?
Dental Assistant pay in Lexington sits close to the national figure: $48,690 a year, 1% above the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Lexington · Fayette area, about 2.6 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 Lexington, KY?
- A typical Dental Assistant in Lexington earns $48,690 a year, or $23.41 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $30,400 and the top 10% earn over $62,200.
- How much does a Dental Assistant make an hour in Lexington?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Assistants in Lexington is $23.41. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $14.61, and the top 10% earn over $29.90 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Assistant in Lexington?
- Entry-level Dental Assistant positions in Lexington typically offer around $14.61 an hour, or $30,400 a year.
- Is Dental Assistant pay in Lexington higher than in the rest of Kentucky?
- Lexington pay is 2% above the Kentucky figure of $47,730 a year, ranking 2nd of 7 metro areas in the state. Louisville pays the most in Kentucky at $49,100.