How Much Does a Dental Assistant Make in Portage, MI in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Assistants in Portage, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Michigan.
BLS OES May 2025 · Kalamazoo · Portage metro area
A typical Dental Assistant in Portage, Michigan earns $22.56 per hour, or $46,920 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $3,910 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $35,890, and the top 10% of earners make over $57,570.
That pay is 4% below the Michigan figure of $48,820 and 2% below the national figure of $48,070. Portage ranks 8th of 16 metro areas in Michigan for Dental Assistant pay. About 280 Dental Assistants work in the Kalamazoo · Portage area. Portage is part of the Kalamazoo · Portage metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Kalamazoo share these figures.
Dental Assistant pay in Portage at a glance
- Typical pay is $22.56 an hour, or $46,920 a year.
- That is 4% below the Michigan figure, ranking 8th of 16 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $35,890; the top 10% make over $57,570.
- Typical pay rose +31% from 2015 to 2025, against +41% for Michigan as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Assistant make in Portage?
Pay in Portage runs from entry-level positions at around $17.26 an hour to more than $27.68 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 Portage
| Career stage | Portage | Michigan | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $35,890$17.26 an hour | $37,110$17.84 an hour | $37,130$17.85 an hour |
| First years | $44,800$21.54 an hour | $45,390$21.82 an hour | $44,340$21.32 an hour |
| Typical Dental Assistant | $46,920$22.56 an hour | $48,820$23.47 an hour | $48,070$23.11 an hour |
| Experienced | $48,920$23.52 an hour | $56,940$27.37 an hour | $58,090$27.93 an hour |
| Top 10% | $57,570$27.68 an hour | $58,900$28.32 an hour | $62,250$29.93 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Kalamazoo · Portage area as BLS defines it
Dental Assistant pay growth in Portage
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Assistants in the Kalamazoo · Portage area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Assistant pay in Portage was $35,860 a year. By 2025 it had reached $46,920, a change of +31%, compared with +41% for Michigan over the same years.
How Portage compares with other Michigan cities
Lansing pays Dental Assistants the most in Michigan at $56,150 a year, $9,230 more than Portage. The lowest-paying area in the state is Battle Creek at $44,860.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Portage | Dental Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lansing metro incl. East Lansing | $56,150 | $26.99 | +20% | 550 |
| 2 | Ann Arbor | $53,370 | $25.66 | +14% | 490 |
| 3 | Grand Rapids | $50,490 | $24.27 | +8% | 1,470 |
| 4 | Dearborn | $50,110 | $24.09 | +7% | 6,030 |
| 5 | Flint | $48,360 | $23.25 | +3% | 430 |
| 6 | Midland | $48,360 | $23.25 | +3% | 130 |
| 7 | Mishawaka | $47,770 | $22.96 | +2% | 360 |
| 8 | Portage metro incl. Kalamazoo | $46,920 | $22.56 | this city | 280 |
| 9 | Traverse City | $46,910 | $22.55 | 0% | 290 |
| 10 | Muskegon metro incl. Norton Shores | $46,570 | $22.39 | -1% | 170 |
| 11 | Monroe | $46,320 | $22.27 | -1% | 70 |
| 12 | Niles | $46,170 | $22.20 | -2% | 130 |
| 13 | Saginaw | $46,050 | $22.14 | -2% | 170 |
| 14 | Jackson | $45,540 | $21.90 | -3% | 150 |
| 15 | Bay City | $45,070 | $21.67 | -4% | 90 |
| 16 | Battle Creek | $44,860 | $21.57 | -4% | 100 |
Every metro area in Michigan with Dental Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Michigan typical pay $48,820
Is Portage a good place to work as a Dental Assistant?
Dental Assistant pay in Portage sits close to the national figure: $46,920 a year, 2% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Kalamazoo · Portage area, about 2.3 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 Portage, MI?
- A typical Dental Assistant in Portage earns $46,920 a year, or $22.56 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $35,890 and the top 10% earn over $57,570.
- How much does a Dental Assistant make an hour in Portage?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Assistants in Portage is $22.56. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $17.26, and the top 10% earn over $27.68 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Assistant in Portage?
- Entry-level Dental Assistant positions in Portage typically offer around $17.26 an hour, or $35,890 a year.
- Is Dental Assistant pay in Portage higher than in the rest of Michigan?
- Portage pay is 4% below the Michigan figure of $48,820 a year, ranking 8th of 16 metro areas in the state. Lansing pays the most in Michigan at $56,150.