How Much Does a Dental Assistant Make in Portland, ME in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Assistants in Portland, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Maine.
BLS OES May 2025 · Portland · South Portland metro area
A typical Dental Assistant in Portland, Maine earns $29.44 per hour, or $61,240 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $5,103 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $49,160, and the top 10% of earners make over $62,660.
That pay is 2% above the Maine figure of $60,070 and 27% above the national figure of $48,070. Portland ranks 1st of 3 metro areas in Maine for Dental Assistant pay. About 830 Dental Assistants work in the Portland · South Portland area. Portland is part of the Portland · South Portland metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so South Portland share these figures.
Dental Assistant pay in Portland at a glance
- Typical pay is $29.44 an hour, or $61,240 a year.
- That is 2% above the Maine figure, ranking 1st of 3 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $49,160; the top 10% make over $62,660.
- Typical pay rose +52% from 2015 to 2025, against +65% for Maine as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Assistant make in Portland?
Pay in Portland runs from entry-level positions at around $23.63 an hour to more than $30.13 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Maine and national figures.
Dental Assistant pay by career stage in Portland
| Career stage | Portland | Maine | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $49,160$23.63 an hour | $47,290$22.74 an hour | $37,130$17.85 an hour |
| First years | $54,170$26.05 an hour | $49,250$23.68 an hour | $44,340$21.32 an hour |
| Typical Dental Assistant | $61,240$29.44 an hour | $60,070$28.88 an hour | $48,070$23.11 an hour |
| Experienced | $61,520$29.58 an hour | $61,510$29.57 an hour | $58,090$27.93 an hour |
| Top 10% | $62,660$30.13 an hour | $62,660$30.13 an hour | $62,250$29.93 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Portland · South Portland area as BLS defines it
Dental Assistant pay growth in Portland
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Assistants in the Portland · South Portland area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Assistant pay in Portland was $40,200 a year. By 2025 it had reached $61,240, a change of +52%, compared with +65% for Maine over the same years.
How Portland compares with other Maine cities
Portland pays Dental Assistants the most of any metro area in Maine. The lowest-paying area in the state is Bangor at $49,160.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Portland | Dental Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Portland metro incl. South Portland | $61,240 | $29.44 | this city | 830 |
| 2 | Lewiston metro incl. Auburn | $57,650 | $27.72 | -6% | 100 |
| 3 | Bangor | $49,160 | $23.64 | -20% | 190 |
Every metro area in Maine with Dental Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Maine typical pay $60,070
Is Portland a good place to work as a Dental Assistant?
Dental Assistants in Portland earn a strong wage by national standards: typical pay is $61,240 a year, 27% above the national figure. For every 1,000 jobs in the Portland · South Portland area, about 2.9 are Dental Assistant positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 2.5. That makes the local economy more reliant on Dental Assistants than most places, and turnover keeps positions opening through the year.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Dental Assistant make in Portland, ME?
- A typical Dental Assistant in Portland earns $61,240 a year, or $29.44 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $49,160 and the top 10% earn over $62,660.
- How much does a Dental Assistant make an hour in Portland?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Assistants in Portland is $29.44. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $23.63, and the top 10% earn over $30.13 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Assistant in Portland?
- Entry-level Dental Assistant positions in Portland typically offer around $23.63 an hour, or $49,160 a year.
- Is Dental Assistant pay in Portland higher than in the rest of Maine?
- Portland pay is 2% above the Maine figure of $60,070 a year, ranking 1st of 3 metro areas in the state.