How Much Does a Dental Assistant Make in Lansing, MI in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Assistants in Lansing, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Michigan.
BLS OES May 2025 · Lansing · East Lansing metro area
A typical Dental Assistant in Lansing, Michigan earns $26.99 per hour, or $56,150 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $4,679 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $36,350, and the top 10% of earners make over $57,520.
That pay is 15% above the Michigan figure of $48,820 and 17% above the national figure of $48,070. Lansing ranks 1st of 16 metro areas in Michigan for Dental Assistant pay. About 550 Dental Assistants work in the Lansing · East Lansing area. Lansing is part of the Lansing · East Lansing metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so East Lansing share these figures.
Dental Assistant pay in Lansing at a glance
- Typical pay is $26.99 an hour, or $56,150 a year.
- That is 15% above the Michigan figure, ranking 1st of 16 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $36,350; the top 10% make over $57,520.
- Typical pay rose +50% from 2015 to 2025, against +41% for Michigan as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Assistant make in Lansing?
Pay in Lansing runs from entry-level positions at around $17.47 an hour to more than $27.66 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 Lansing
| Career stage | Lansing | Michigan | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $36,350$17.47 an hour | $37,110$17.84 an hour | $37,130$17.85 an hour |
| First years | $45,510$21.88 an hour | $45,390$21.82 an hour | $44,340$21.32 an hour |
| Typical Dental Assistant | $56,150$26.99 an hour | $48,820$23.47 an hour | $48,070$23.11 an hour |
| Experienced | $57,040$27.42 an hour | $56,940$27.37 an hour | $58,090$27.93 an hour |
| Top 10% | $57,520$27.66 an hour | $58,900$28.32 an hour | $62,250$29.93 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Lansing · East Lansing area as BLS defines it
Dental Assistant pay growth in Lansing
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Assistants in the Lansing · East Lansing area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Assistant pay in Lansing was $37,360 a year. By 2025 it had reached $56,150, a change of +50%, compared with +41% for Michigan over the same years.
How Lansing compares with other Michigan cities
Lansing pays Dental Assistants the most of any metro area in Michigan. The lowest-paying area in the state is Battle Creek at $44,860.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Lansing | Dental Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lansing metro incl. East Lansing | $56,150 | $26.99 | this city | 550 |
| 2 | Ann Arbor | $53,370 | $25.66 | -5% | 490 |
| 3 | Grand Rapids | $50,490 | $24.27 | -10% | 1,470 |
| 4 | Dearborn | $50,110 | $24.09 | -11% | 6,030 |
| 5 | Flint | $48,360 | $23.25 | -14% | 430 |
| 6 | Midland | $48,360 | $23.25 | -14% | 130 |
| 7 | Mishawaka | $47,770 | $22.96 | -15% | 360 |
| 8 | Portage metro incl. Kalamazoo | $46,920 | $22.56 | -16% | 280 |
| 9 | Traverse City | $46,910 | $22.55 | -16% | 290 |
| 10 | Muskegon metro incl. Norton Shores | $46,570 | $22.39 | -17% | 170 |
| 11 | Monroe | $46,320 | $22.27 | -18% | 70 |
| 12 | Niles | $46,170 | $22.20 | -18% | 130 |
| 13 | Saginaw | $46,050 | $22.14 | -18% | 170 |
| 14 | Jackson | $45,540 | $21.90 | -19% | 150 |
| 15 | Bay City | $45,070 | $21.67 | -20% | 90 |
| 16 | Battle Creek | $44,860 | $21.57 | -20% | 100 |
Every metro area in Michigan with Dental Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Michigan typical pay $48,820
Is Lansing a good place to work as a Dental Assistant?
Dental Assistants in Lansing earn a strong wage by national standards: typical pay is $56,150 a year, 17% above the national figure. For every 1,000 jobs in the Lansing · East Lansing 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 Lansing, MI?
- A typical Dental Assistant in Lansing earns $56,150 a year, or $26.99 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $36,350 and the top 10% earn over $57,520.
- How much does a Dental Assistant make an hour in Lansing?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Assistants in Lansing is $26.99. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $17.47, and the top 10% earn over $27.66 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Assistant in Lansing?
- Entry-level Dental Assistant positions in Lansing typically offer around $17.47 an hour, or $36,350 a year.
- Is Dental Assistant pay in Lansing higher than in the rest of Michigan?
- Lansing pay is 15% above the Michigan figure of $48,820 a year, ranking 1st of 16 metro areas in the state.