How Much Does a Dental Assistant Make in Worcester, MA in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Assistants in Worcester, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Massachusetts.
BLS OES May 2025 · Worcester metro area
A typical Dental Assistant in Worcester, Massachusetts earns $24.39 per hour, or $50,720 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $4,227 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $40,580, and the top 10% of earners make over $61,810.
That pay is 13% below the Massachusetts figure of $57,980 and 6% above the national figure of $48,070. Worcester ranks 5th of 7 metro areas in Massachusetts for Dental Assistant pay. About 880 Dental Assistants work in the Worcester area.
Dental Assistant pay in Worcester at a glance
- Typical pay is $24.39 an hour, or $50,720 a year.
- That is 13% below the Massachusetts figure, ranking 5th of 7 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $40,580; the top 10% make over $61,810.
- Typical pay rose +15% from 2015 to 2025, against +38% for Massachusetts as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Assistant make in Worcester?
Pay in Worcester runs from entry-level positions at around $19.51 an hour to more than $29.72 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 Worcester
| Career stage | Worcester | Massachusetts | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $40,580$19.51 an hour | $47,270$22.73 an hour | $37,130$17.85 an hour |
| First years | $48,300$23.22 an hour | $48,600$23.36 an hour | $44,340$21.32 an hour |
| Typical Dental Assistant | $50,720$24.39 an hour | $57,980$27.88 an hour | $48,070$23.11 an hour |
| Experienced | $61,110$29.38 an hour | $60,720$29.19 an hour | $58,090$27.93 an hour |
| Top 10% | $61,810$29.72 an hour | $72,790$35.00 an hour | $62,250$29.93 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Worcester area as BLS defines it
Dental Assistant pay growth in Worcester
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Assistants in the Worcester area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Assistant pay in Worcester was $44,000 a year. By 2025 it had reached $50,720, a change of +15%, compared with +38% for Massachusetts over the same years.
How Worcester compares with other Massachusetts cities
Boston pays Dental Assistants the most in Massachusetts at $58,160 a year, $7,440 more than Worcester. The lowest-paying area in the state is Warwick at $49,460.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Worcester | Dental Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boston | $58,160 | $27.96 | +15% | 7,190 |
| 2 | Barnstable Town | $58,080 | $27.92 | +15% | 240 |
| 3 | Amherst Town metro incl. Northampton | $54,970 | $26.43 | +8% | 160 |
| 4 | Pittsfield | $51,470 | $24.75 | +1% | 130 |
| 5 | Worcester | $50,720 | $24.39 | this city | 880 |
| 6 | Springfield | $49,690 | $23.89 | -2% | 610 |
| 7 | Warwick | $49,460 | $23.78 | -2% | 1,650 |
Every metro area in Massachusetts with Dental Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Massachusetts typical pay $57,980
Is Worcester a good place to work as a Dental Assistant?
Dental Assistants in Worcester earn a strong wage by national standards: typical pay is $50,720 a year, 6% above the national figure. For every 1,000 jobs in the Worcester area, about 2.5 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 Worcester, MA?
- A typical Dental Assistant in Worcester earns $50,720 a year, or $24.39 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $40,580 and the top 10% earn over $61,810.
- How much does a Dental Assistant make an hour in Worcester?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Assistants in Worcester is $24.39. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $19.51, and the top 10% earn over $29.72 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Assistant in Worcester?
- Entry-level Dental Assistant positions in Worcester typically offer around $19.51 an hour, or $40,580 a year.
- Is Dental Assistant pay in Worcester higher than in the rest of Massachusetts?
- Worcester pay is 13% below the Massachusetts figure of $57,980 a year, ranking 5th of 7 metro areas in the state. Boston pays the most in Massachusetts at $58,160.