How Much Does a Dental Assistant Make in Ann Arbor, MI in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Assistants in Ann Arbor, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Michigan.
BLS OES May 2025 · Ann Arbor metro area
A typical Dental Assistant in Ann Arbor, Michigan earns $25.66 per hour, or $53,370 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $4,448 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $38,770, and the top 10% of earners make over $58,720.
That pay is 9% above the Michigan figure of $48,820 and 11% above the national figure of $48,070. Ann Arbor ranks 2nd of 16 metro areas in Michigan for Dental Assistant pay. About 490 Dental Assistants work in the Ann Arbor area.
Dental Assistant pay in Ann Arbor at a glance
- Typical pay is $25.66 an hour, or $53,370 a year.
- That is 9% above the Michigan figure, ranking 2nd of 16 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $38,770; the top 10% make over $58,720.
- Typical pay rose +29% from 2015 to 2025, against +41% for Michigan as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Assistant make in Ann Arbor?
Pay in Ann Arbor runs from entry-level positions at around $18.64 an hour to more than $28.23 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Michigan and national figures.
Dental Assistant pay by career stage in Ann Arbor
| Career stage | Ann Arbor | Michigan | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $38,770$18.64 an hour | $37,110$17.84 an hour | $37,130$17.85 an hour |
| First years | $47,490$22.83 an hour | $45,390$21.82 an hour | $44,340$21.32 an hour |
| Typical Dental Assistant | $53,370$25.66 an hour | $48,820$23.47 an hour | $48,070$23.11 an hour |
| Experienced | $57,940$27.85 an hour | $56,940$27.37 an hour | $58,090$27.93 an hour |
| Top 10% | $58,720$28.23 an hour | $58,900$28.32 an hour | $62,250$29.93 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Ann Arbor area as BLS defines it
Dental Assistant pay growth in Ann Arbor
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Assistants in the Ann Arbor area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Assistant pay in Ann Arbor was $41,290 a year. By 2025 it had reached $53,370, a change of +29%, compared with +41% for Michigan over the same years.
How Ann Arbor compares with other Michigan cities
Lansing pays Dental Assistants the most in Michigan at $56,150 a year, $2,780 more than Ann Arbor. The lowest-paying area in the state is Battle Creek at $44,860.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Ann Arbor | Dental Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lansing metro incl. East Lansing | $56,150 | $26.99 | +5% | 550 |
| 2 | Ann Arbor | $53,370 | $25.66 | this city | 490 |
| 3 | Grand Rapids | $50,490 | $24.27 | -5% | 1,470 |
| 4 | Dearborn | $50,110 | $24.09 | -6% | 6,030 |
| 5 | Flint | $48,360 | $23.25 | -9% | 430 |
| 6 | Midland | $48,360 | $23.25 | -9% | 130 |
| 7 | Mishawaka | $47,770 | $22.96 | -10% | 360 |
| 8 | Portage metro incl. Kalamazoo | $46,920 | $22.56 | -12% | 280 |
| 9 | Traverse City | $46,910 | $22.55 | -12% | 290 |
| 10 | Muskegon metro incl. Norton Shores | $46,570 | $22.39 | -13% | 170 |
| 11 | Monroe | $46,320 | $22.27 | -13% | 70 |
| 12 | Niles | $46,170 | $22.20 | -13% | 130 |
| 13 | Saginaw | $46,050 | $22.14 | -14% | 170 |
| 14 | Jackson | $45,540 | $21.90 | -15% | 150 |
| 15 | Bay City | $45,070 | $21.67 | -16% | 90 |
| 16 | Battle Creek | $44,860 | $21.57 | -16% | 100 |
Every metro area in Michigan with Dental Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Michigan typical pay $48,820
Is Ann Arbor a good place to work as a Dental Assistant?
Dental Assistants in Ann Arbor earn a strong wage by national standards: typical pay is $53,370 a year, 11% above the national figure. For every 1,000 jobs in the Ann Arbor area, about 2.2 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 Ann Arbor, MI?
- A typical Dental Assistant in Ann Arbor earns $53,370 a year, or $25.66 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $38,770 and the top 10% earn over $58,720.
- How much does a Dental Assistant make an hour in Ann Arbor?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Assistants in Ann Arbor is $25.66. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $18.64, and the top 10% earn over $28.23 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Assistant in Ann Arbor?
- Entry-level Dental Assistant positions in Ann Arbor typically offer around $18.64 an hour, or $38,770 a year.
- Is Dental Assistant pay in Ann Arbor higher than in the rest of Michigan?
- Ann Arbor pay is 9% above the Michigan figure of $48,820 a year, ranking 2nd of 16 metro areas in the state. Lansing pays the most in Michigan at $56,150.