How Much Does a Dental Assistant Make in Bay City, MI in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Assistants in Bay City, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Michigan.
BLS OES May 2025 · Bay City metro area
A typical Dental Assistant in Bay City, Michigan earns $21.67 per hour, or $45,070 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $3,756 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $37,500, and the top 10% of earners make over $56,210.
That pay is 8% below the Michigan figure of $48,820 and 6% below the national figure of $48,070. Bay City ranks 15th of 16 metro areas in Michigan for Dental Assistant pay. About 90 Dental Assistants work in the Bay City area.
Dental Assistant pay in Bay City at a glance
- Typical pay is $21.67 an hour, or $45,070 a year.
- That is 8% below the Michigan figure, ranking 15th of 16 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $37,500; the top 10% make over $56,210.
- Typical pay rose +25% from 2015 to 2025, against +41% for Michigan as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Assistant make in Bay City?
Pay in Bay City runs from entry-level positions at around $18.03 an hour to more than $27.03 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 Bay City
| Career stage | Bay City | Michigan | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $37,500$18.03 an hour | $37,110$17.84 an hour | $37,130$17.85 an hour |
| First years | $44,280$21.29 an hour | $45,390$21.82 an hour | $44,340$21.32 an hour |
| Typical Dental Assistant | $45,070$21.67 an hour | $48,820$23.47 an hour | $48,070$23.11 an hour |
| Experienced | $52,990$25.48 an hour | $56,940$27.37 an hour | $58,090$27.93 an hour |
| Top 10% | $56,210$27.03 an hour | $58,900$28.32 an hour | $62,250$29.93 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Bay City area as BLS defines it
Dental Assistant pay growth in Bay City
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Assistants in the Bay City area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Assistant pay in Bay City was $36,100 a year. By 2025 it had reached $45,070, a change of +25%, compared with +41% for Michigan over the same years.
How Bay City compares with other Michigan cities
Lansing pays Dental Assistants the most in Michigan at $56,150 a year, $11,080 more than Bay City. The lowest-paying area in the state is Battle Creek at $44,860.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Bay City | Dental Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lansing metro incl. East Lansing | $56,150 | $26.99 | +25% | 550 |
| 2 | Ann Arbor | $53,370 | $25.66 | +18% | 490 |
| 3 | Grand Rapids | $50,490 | $24.27 | +12% | 1,470 |
| 4 | Dearborn | $50,110 | $24.09 | +11% | 6,030 |
| 5 | Flint | $48,360 | $23.25 | +7% | 430 |
| 6 | Midland | $48,360 | $23.25 | +7% | 130 |
| 7 | Mishawaka | $47,770 | $22.96 | +6% | 360 |
| 8 | Portage metro incl. Kalamazoo | $46,920 | $22.56 | +4% | 280 |
| 9 | Traverse City | $46,910 | $22.55 | +4% | 290 |
| 10 | Muskegon metro incl. Norton Shores | $46,570 | $22.39 | +3% | 170 |
| 11 | Monroe | $46,320 | $22.27 | +3% | 70 |
| 12 | Niles | $46,170 | $22.20 | +2% | 130 |
| 13 | Saginaw | $46,050 | $22.14 | +2% | 170 |
| 14 | Jackson | $45,540 | $21.90 | +1% | 150 |
| 15 | Bay City | $45,070 | $21.67 | this city | 90 |
| 16 | Battle Creek | $44,860 | $21.57 | 0% | 100 |
Every metro area in Michigan with Dental Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Michigan typical pay $48,820
Is Bay City a good place to work as a Dental Assistant?
Dental Assistants in Bay City earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $45,070 a year, 6% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Bay City area, about 2.7 are Dental Assistant positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 2.6. 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 Bay City, MI?
- A typical Dental Assistant in Bay City earns $45,070 a year, or $21.67 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $37,500 and the top 10% earn over $56,210.
- How much does a Dental Assistant make an hour in Bay City?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Assistants in Bay City is $21.67. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $18.03, and the top 10% earn over $27.03 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Assistant in Bay City?
- Entry-level Dental Assistant positions in Bay City typically offer around $18.03 an hour, or $37,500 a year.
- Is Dental Assistant pay in Bay City higher than in the rest of Michigan?
- Bay City pay is 8% below the Michigan figure of $48,820 a year, ranking 15th of 16 metro areas in the state. Lansing pays the most in Michigan at $56,150.