How Much Does a Dental Assistant Make in Boston, MA in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Assistants in Boston, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Massachusetts.
BLS OES May 2025 · Boston · Cambridge · Newton metro area
A typical Dental Assistant in Boston, Massachusetts earns $27.96 per hour, or $58,160 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $4,847 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $47,780, and the top 10% of earners make over $72,780.
That pay is right at the Massachusetts figure of $57,980 and 21% above the national figure of $48,070. Boston ranks 1st of 7 metro areas in Massachusetts for Dental Assistant pay. About 7,190 Dental Assistants work in the Boston · Cambridge · Newton area.
Dental Assistant pay in Boston at a glance
- Typical pay is $27.96 an hour, or $58,160 a year.
- That is right at the Massachusetts figure, ranking 1st of 7 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $47,780; the top 10% make over $72,780.
- Typical pay rose +38% from 2015 to 2025, against +38% for Massachusetts as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Assistant make in Boston?
Pay in Boston runs from entry-level positions at around $22.97 an hour to more than $34.99 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Massachusetts and national figures.
Dental Assistant pay by career stage in Boston
| Career stage | Boston | Massachusetts | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $47,780$22.97 an hour | $47,270$22.73 an hour | $37,130$17.85 an hour |
| First years | $48,770$23.45 an hour | $48,600$23.36 an hour | $44,340$21.32 an hour |
| Typical Dental Assistant | $58,160$27.96 an hour | $57,980$27.88 an hour | $48,070$23.11 an hour |
| Experienced | $61,050$29.35 an hour | $60,720$29.19 an hour | $58,090$27.93 an hour |
| Top 10% | $72,780$34.99 an hour | $72,790$35.00 an hour | $62,250$29.93 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Boston · Cambridge · Newton area as BLS defines it
Dental Assistant pay growth in Boston
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Assistants in the Boston · Cambridge · Newton area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Assistant pay in Boston was $42,220 a year. By 2025 it had reached $58,160, a change of +38%, compared with +38% for Massachusetts over the same years.
How Boston compares with other Massachusetts cities
Boston pays Dental Assistants the most of any metro area in Massachusetts. The lowest-paying area in the state is Warwick at $49,460.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Boston | Dental Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boston | $58,160 | $27.96 | this city | 7,190 |
| 2 | Barnstable Town | $58,080 | $27.92 | 0% | 240 |
| 3 | Amherst Town metro incl. Northampton | $54,970 | $26.43 | -5% | 160 |
| 4 | Pittsfield | $51,470 | $24.75 | -12% | 130 |
| 5 | Worcester | $50,720 | $24.39 | -13% | 880 |
| 6 | Springfield | $49,690 | $23.89 | -15% | 610 |
| 7 | Warwick | $49,460 | $23.78 | -15% | 1,650 |
Every metro area in Massachusetts with Dental Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Massachusetts typical pay $57,980
Is Boston a good place to work as a Dental Assistant?
Dental Assistants in Boston earn a strong wage by national standards: typical pay is $58,160 a year, 21% above the national figure. For every 1,000 jobs in the Boston · Cambridge · Newton area, about 2.7 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 Boston, MA?
- A typical Dental Assistant in Boston earns $58,160 a year, or $27.96 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $47,780 and the top 10% earn over $72,780.
- How much does a Dental Assistant make an hour in Boston?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Assistants in Boston is $27.96. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $22.97, and the top 10% earn over $34.99 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Assistant in Boston?
- Entry-level Dental Assistant positions in Boston typically offer around $22.97 an hour, or $47,780 a year.
- Is Dental Assistant pay in Boston higher than in the rest of Massachusetts?
- Boston pay is right at the Massachusetts figure of $57,980 a year, ranking 1st of 7 metro areas in the state.