How Much Does a Dental Assistant Make in Rochester, MN in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Assistants in Rochester, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Minnesota.
BLS OES May 2025 · Rochester metro area
A typical Dental Assistant in Rochester, Minnesota earns $30.50 per hour, or $63,450 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $5,288 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $46,090, and the top 10% of earners make over $74,510.
That pay is 3% below the Minnesota figure of $65,270 and 32% above the national figure of $48,070. Rochester ranks 2nd of 6 metro areas in Minnesota for Dental Assistant pay. About 320 Dental Assistants work in the Rochester area.
Dental Assistant pay in Rochester at a glance
- Typical pay is $30.50 an hour, or $63,450 a year.
- That is 3% below the Minnesota figure, ranking 2nd of 6 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $46,090; the top 10% make over $74,510.
- Typical pay rose +39% from 2015 to 2025, against +48% for Minnesota as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Assistant make in Rochester?
Pay in Rochester runs from entry-level positions at around $22.16 an hour to more than $35.82 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Minnesota and national figures.
Dental Assistant pay by career stage in Rochester
| Career stage | Rochester | Minnesota | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $46,090$22.16 an hour | $46,960$22.58 an hour | $37,130$17.85 an hour |
| First years | $59,820$28.76 an hour | $59,940$28.82 an hour | $44,340$21.32 an hour |
| Typical Dental Assistant | $63,450$30.50 an hour | $65,270$31.38 an hour | $48,070$23.11 an hour |
| Experienced | $72,700$34.95 an hour | $74,410$35.78 an hour | $58,090$27.93 an hour |
| Top 10% | $74,510$35.82 an hour | $76,110$36.59 an hour | $62,250$29.93 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Rochester area as BLS defines it
Dental Assistant pay growth in Rochester
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Assistants in the Rochester area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Assistant pay in Rochester was $45,750 a year. By 2025 it had reached $63,450, a change of +39%, compared with +48% for Minnesota over the same years.
How Rochester compares with other Minnesota cities
Minneapolis pays Dental Assistants the most in Minnesota at $72,370 a year, $8,920 more than Rochester. The lowest-paying area in the state is Onalaska at $47,180.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Rochester | Dental Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minneapolis | $72,370 | $34.79 | +14% | 3,910 |
| 2 | Rochester | $63,450 | $30.50 | this city | 320 |
| 3 | Mankato | $61,010 | $29.33 | -4% | 120 |
| 4 | St. Cloud | $61,000 | $29.33 | -4% | 270 |
| 5 | Duluth | $59,390 | $28.55 | -6% | 310 |
| 6 | Onalaska | $47,180 | $22.68 | -26% | 230 |
Every metro area in Minnesota with Dental Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Minnesota typical pay $65,270
Is Rochester a good place to work as a Dental Assistant?
Dental Assistants in Rochester earn a strong wage by national standards: typical pay is $63,450 a year, 32% above the national figure. For every 1,000 jobs in the Rochester area, about 2.6 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 Rochester, MN?
- A typical Dental Assistant in Rochester earns $63,450 a year, or $30.50 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $46,090 and the top 10% earn over $74,510.
- How much does a Dental Assistant make an hour in Rochester?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Assistants in Rochester is $30.50. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $22.16, and the top 10% earn over $35.82 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Assistant in Rochester?
- Entry-level Dental Assistant positions in Rochester typically offer around $22.16 an hour, or $46,090 a year.
- Is Dental Assistant pay in Rochester higher than in the rest of Minnesota?
- Rochester pay is 3% below the Minnesota figure of $65,270 a year, ranking 2nd of 6 metro areas in the state. Minneapolis pays the most in Minnesota at $72,370.