How Much Does a Dental Assistant Make in Traverse City, MI in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Assistants in Traverse City, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Michigan.
BLS OES May 2025 · Traverse City metro area
A typical Dental Assistant in Traverse City, Michigan earns $22.55 per hour, or $46,910 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $3,909 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $37,110, and the top 10% of earners make over $57,620.
That pay is 4% below the Michigan figure of $48,820 and 2% below the national figure of $48,070. Traverse City ranks 9th of 16 metro areas in Michigan for Dental Assistant pay. About 290 Dental Assistants work in the Traverse City area.
Dental Assistant pay in Traverse City at a glance
- Typical pay is $22.55 an hour, or $46,910 a year.
- That is 4% below the Michigan figure, ranking 9th of 16 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $37,110; the top 10% make over $57,620.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Assistant make in Traverse City?
Pay in Traverse City runs from entry-level positions at around $17.84 an hour to more than $27.70 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 Traverse City
| Career stage | Traverse City | Michigan | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $37,110$17.84 an hour | $37,110$17.84 an hour | $37,130$17.85 an hour |
| First years | $45,830$22.04 an hour | $45,390$21.82 an hour | $44,340$21.32 an hour |
| Typical Dental Assistant | $46,910$22.55 an hour | $48,820$23.47 an hour | $48,070$23.11 an hour |
| Experienced | $56,630$27.23 an hour | $56,940$27.37 an hour | $58,090$27.93 an hour |
| Top 10% | $57,620$27.70 an hour | $58,900$28.32 an hour | $62,250$29.93 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Traverse City area as BLS defines it
How Traverse City compares with other Michigan cities
Lansing pays Dental Assistants the most in Michigan at $56,150 a year, $9,240 more than Traverse City. The lowest-paying area in the state is Battle Creek at $44,860.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Traverse City | 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 | 0% | 280 |
| 9 | Traverse City | $46,910 | $22.55 | this city | 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 Traverse City a good place to work as a Dental Assistant?
Dental Assistant pay in Traverse City sits close to the national figure: $46,910 a year, 2% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Traverse City area, about 4.2 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 Traverse City, MI?
- A typical Dental Assistant in Traverse City earns $46,910 a year, or $22.55 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $37,110 and the top 10% earn over $57,620.
- How much does a Dental Assistant make an hour in Traverse City?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Assistants in Traverse City is $22.55. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $17.84, and the top 10% earn over $27.70 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Assistant in Traverse City?
- Entry-level Dental Assistant positions in Traverse City typically offer around $17.84 an hour, or $37,110 a year.
- Is Dental Assistant pay in Traverse City higher than in the rest of Michigan?
- Traverse City pay is 4% below the Michigan figure of $48,820 a year, ranking 9th of 16 metro areas in the state. Lansing pays the most in Michigan at $56,150.