How Much Does a Dental Assistant Make in Detroit, MI in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Assistants in Detroit, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Michigan.
BLS OES May 2025 · Detroit · Warren · Dearborn metro area
A typical Dental Assistant in Detroit, Michigan earns $24.09 per hour, or $50,110 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $4,176 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $37,010, and the top 10% of earners make over $58,660.
That pay is 3% above the Michigan figure of $48,820 and 4% above the national figure of $48,070. Detroit ranks 4th of 16 metro areas in Michigan for Dental Assistant pay. About 6,030 Dental Assistants work in the Detroit · Warren · Dearborn area. Detroit is part of the Detroit · Warren · Dearborn metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Dearborn and Warren share these figures.
Dental Assistant pay in Detroit at a glance
- Typical pay is $24.09 an hour, or $50,110 a year.
- That is 3% above the Michigan figure, ranking 4th of 16 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $37,010; the top 10% make over $58,660.
- Typical pay rose +55% from 2015 to 2025, against +41% for Michigan as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Assistant make in Detroit?
Pay in Detroit runs from entry-level positions at around $17.79 an hour to more than $28.20 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 Detroit
| Career stage | Detroit | Michigan | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $37,010$17.79 an hour | $37,110$17.84 an hour | $37,130$17.85 an hour |
| First years | $46,110$22.17 an hour | $45,390$21.82 an hour | $44,340$21.32 an hour |
| Typical Dental Assistant | $50,110$24.09 an hour | $48,820$23.47 an hour | $48,070$23.11 an hour |
| Experienced | $57,230$27.52 an hour | $56,940$27.37 an hour | $58,090$27.93 an hour |
| Top 10% | $58,660$28.20 an hour | $58,900$28.32 an hour | $62,250$29.93 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Detroit · Warren · Dearborn area as BLS defines it
Dental Assistant pay growth in Detroit
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Assistants in the Detroit · Warren · Dearborn area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Assistant pay in Detroit was $32,370 a year. By 2025 it had reached $50,110, a change of +55%, compared with +41% for Michigan over the same years.
How Detroit compares with other Michigan cities
Lansing pays Dental Assistants the most in Michigan at $56,150 a year, $6,040 more than Detroit. The lowest-paying area in the state is Battle Creek at $44,860.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Detroit | Dental Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lansing metro incl. East Lansing | $56,150 | $26.99 | +12% | 550 |
| 2 | Ann Arbor | $53,370 | $25.66 | +7% | 490 |
| 3 | Grand Rapids | $50,490 | $24.27 | +1% | 1,470 |
| 4 | Detroit | $50,110 | $24.09 | this city | 6,030 |
| 5 | Flint | $48,360 | $23.25 | -3% | 430 |
| 6 | Midland | $48,360 | $23.25 | -3% | 130 |
| 7 | Mishawaka | $47,770 | $22.96 | -5% | 360 |
| 8 | Portage metro incl. Kalamazoo | $46,920 | $22.56 | -6% | 280 |
| 9 | Traverse City | $46,910 | $22.55 | -6% | 290 |
| 10 | Muskegon metro incl. Norton Shores | $46,570 | $22.39 | -7% | 170 |
| 11 | Monroe | $46,320 | $22.27 | -8% | 70 |
| 12 | Niles | $46,170 | $22.20 | -8% | 130 |
| 13 | Saginaw | $46,050 | $22.14 | -8% | 170 |
| 14 | Jackson | $45,540 | $21.90 | -9% | 150 |
| 15 | Bay City | $45,070 | $21.67 | -10% | 90 |
| 16 | Battle Creek | $44,860 | $21.57 | -10% | 100 |
Every metro area in Michigan with Dental Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Michigan typical pay $48,820
Is Detroit a good place to work as a Dental Assistant?
Dental Assistant pay in Detroit sits close to the national figure: $50,110 a year, 4% above the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Detroit · Warren · Dearborn area, about 3.2 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 Detroit, MI?
- A typical Dental Assistant in Detroit earns $50,110 a year, or $24.09 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $37,010 and the top 10% earn over $58,660.
- How much does a Dental Assistant make an hour in Detroit?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Assistants in Detroit is $24.09. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $17.79, and the top 10% earn over $28.20 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Assistant in Detroit?
- Entry-level Dental Assistant positions in Detroit typically offer around $17.79 an hour, or $37,010 a year.
- Is Dental Assistant pay in Detroit higher than in the rest of Michigan?
- Detroit pay is 3% above the Michigan figure of $48,820 a year, ranking 4th of 16 metro areas in the state. Lansing pays the most in Michigan at $56,150.