How Much Does a Dental Assistant Make in Baton Rouge, LA in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Assistants in Baton Rouge, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Louisiana.
BLS OES May 2025 · Baton Rouge metro area
A typical Dental Assistant in Baton Rouge, Louisiana earns $21.54 per hour, or $44,800 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $3,733 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $36,040, and the top 10% of earners make over $48,540.
That pay is 2% above the Louisiana figure of $44,090 and 7% below the national figure of $48,070. Baton Rouge ranks 5th of 10 metro areas in Louisiana for Dental Assistant pay. About 950 Dental Assistants work in the Baton Rouge area.
Dental Assistant pay in Baton Rouge at a glance
- Typical pay is $21.54 an hour, or $44,800 a year.
- That is 2% above the Louisiana figure, ranking 5th of 10 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $36,040; the top 10% make over $48,540.
- Typical pay rose +43% from 2015 to 2025, against +54% for Louisiana as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Assistant make in Baton Rouge?
Pay in Baton Rouge runs from entry-level positions at around $17.33 an hour to more than $23.34 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Louisiana and national figures.
Dental Assistant pay by career stage in Baton Rouge
| Career stage | Baton Rouge | Louisiana | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $36,040$17.33 an hour | $31,050$14.93 an hour | $37,130$17.85 an hour |
| First years | $36,760$17.67 an hour | $36,590$17.59 an hour | $44,340$21.32 an hour |
| Typical Dental Assistant | $44,800$21.54 an hour | $44,090$21.20 an hour | $48,070$23.11 an hour |
| Experienced | $46,280$22.25 an hour | $46,630$22.42 an hour | $58,090$27.93 an hour |
| Top 10% | $48,540$23.34 an hour | $49,640$23.87 an hour | $62,250$29.93 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Baton Rouge area as BLS defines it
Dental Assistant pay growth in Baton Rouge
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Assistants in the Baton Rouge area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Assistant pay in Baton Rouge was $31,370 a year. By 2025 it had reached $44,800, a change of +43%, compared with +54% for Louisiana over the same years.
How Baton Rouge compares with other Louisiana cities
Hammond pays Dental Assistants the most in Louisiana at $45,950 a year, $1,150 more than Baton Rouge. The lowest-paying area in the state is Monroe at $37,020.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Baton Rouge | Dental Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hammond | $45,950 | $22.09 | +3% | 100 |
| 2 | New Orleans metro incl. Metairie | $45,920 | $22.08 | +3% | 760 |
| 3 | Covington metro incl. Mandeville · Slidell | $45,020 | $21.65 | 0% | 370 |
| 4 | Lafayette | $44,940 | $21.60 | 0% | 620 |
| 5 | Baton Rouge | $44,800 | $21.54 | this city | 950 |
| 6 | Alexandria | $43,270 | $20.80 | -3% | 120 |
| 7 | Lake Charles | $40,200 | $19.33 | -10% | 220 |
| 8 | Shreveport metro incl. Bossier City | $38,950 | $18.73 | -13% | 410 |
| 9 | Thibodaux metro incl. Bayou Cane · Houma | $37,870 | $18.21 | -15% | 210 |
| 10 | Monroe | $37,020 | $17.80 | -17% | 310 |
Every metro area in Louisiana with Dental Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Louisiana typical pay $44,090
Is Baton Rouge a good place to work as a Dental Assistant?
Dental Assistants in Baton Rouge earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $44,800 a year, 7% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Baton Rouge area, about 2.3 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 Baton Rouge, LA?
- A typical Dental Assistant in Baton Rouge earns $44,800 a year, or $21.54 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $36,040 and the top 10% earn over $48,540.
- How much does a Dental Assistant make an hour in Baton Rouge?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Assistants in Baton Rouge is $21.54. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $17.33, and the top 10% earn over $23.34 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Assistant in Baton Rouge?
- Entry-level Dental Assistant positions in Baton Rouge typically offer around $17.33 an hour, or $36,040 a year.
- Is Dental Assistant pay in Baton Rouge higher than in the rest of Louisiana?
- Baton Rouge pay is 2% above the Louisiana figure of $44,090 a year, ranking 5th of 10 metro areas in the state. Hammond pays the most in Louisiana at $45,950.