How Much Does a Dental Assistant Make in St. Joseph, MO in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Assistants in St. Joseph, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Missouri.
BLS OES May 2025 · St. Joseph metro area
A typical Dental Assistant in St. Joseph, Missouri earns $20.91 per hour, or $43,500 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $3,625 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $36,120, and the top 10% of earners make over $56,230.
That pay is 5% below the Missouri figure of $45,970 and 10% below the national figure of $48,070. St. Joseph ranks 7th of 8 metro areas in Missouri for Dental Assistant pay. About 140 Dental Assistants work in the St. Joseph area.
Dental Assistant pay in St. Joseph at a glance
- Typical pay is $20.91 an hour, or $43,500 a year.
- That is 5% below the Missouri figure, ranking 7th of 8 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $36,120; the top 10% make over $56,230.
- Typical pay rose +33% from 2015 to 2025, against +39% for Missouri as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Assistant make in St. Joseph?
Pay in St. Joseph runs from entry-level positions at around $17.37 an hour to more than $27.03 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Missouri and national figures.
Dental Assistant pay by career stage in St. Joseph
| Career stage | St. Joseph | Missouri | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $36,120$17.37 an hour | $36,580$17.59 an hour | $37,130$17.85 an hour |
| First years | $38,670$18.59 an hour | $38,990$18.75 an hour | $44,340$21.32 an hour |
| Typical Dental Assistant | $43,500$20.91 an hour | $45,970$22.10 an hour | $48,070$23.11 an hour |
| Experienced | $47,390$22.78 an hour | $50,150$24.11 an hour | $58,090$27.93 an hour |
| Top 10% | $56,230$27.03 an hour | $59,410$28.56 an hour | $62,250$29.93 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the St. Joseph area as BLS defines it
Dental Assistant pay growth in St. Joseph
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Assistants in the St. Joseph area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Assistant pay in St. Joseph was $32,750 a year. By 2025 it had reached $43,500, a change of +33%, compared with +39% for Missouri over the same years.
How St. Joseph compares with other Missouri cities
Kansas City pays Dental Assistants the most in Missouri at $48,190 a year, $4,690 more than St. Joseph. The lowest-paying area in the state is Joplin at $43,010.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs St. Joseph | Dental Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kansas City | $48,190 | $23.17 | +11% | 2,470 |
| 2 | St. Louis | $48,120 | $23.13 | +11% | 2,990 |
| 3 | Columbia | $46,920 | $22.56 | +8% | 220 |
| 4 | Springfield | $45,500 | $21.88 | +5% | 850 |
| 5 | Cape Girardeau | $44,370 | $21.33 | +2% | 150 |
| 6 | Jefferson City | $44,090 | $21.20 | +1% | 150 |
| 7 | St. Joseph | $43,500 | $20.91 | this city | 140 |
| 8 | Joplin | $43,010 | $20.68 | -1% | 210 |
Every metro area in Missouri with Dental Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Missouri typical pay $45,970
Is St. Joseph a good place to work as a Dental Assistant?
Dental Assistants in St. Joseph earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $43,500 a year, 10% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the St. Joseph 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 St. Joseph, MO?
- A typical Dental Assistant in St. Joseph earns $43,500 a year, or $20.91 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $36,120 and the top 10% earn over $56,230.
- How much does a Dental Assistant make an hour in St. Joseph?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Assistants in St. Joseph is $20.91. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $17.37, and the top 10% earn over $27.03 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Assistant in St. Joseph?
- Entry-level Dental Assistant positions in St. Joseph typically offer around $17.37 an hour, or $36,120 a year.
- Is Dental Assistant pay in St. Joseph higher than in the rest of Missouri?
- St. Joseph pay is 5% below the Missouri figure of $45,970 a year, ranking 7th of 8 metro areas in the state. Kansas City pays the most in Missouri at $48,190.