How Much Does a Dental Assistant Make in Great Falls, MT in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Assistants in Great Falls, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Montana.
BLS OES May 2025 · Great Falls metro area
A typical Dental Assistant in Great Falls, Montana earns $22.29 per hour, or $46,360 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $3,863 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $38,100, and the top 10% of earners make over $55,700.
That pay is 1% below the Montana figure of $46,680 and 4% below the national figure of $48,070. Great Falls ranks 5th of 5 metro areas in Montana for Dental Assistant pay. About 120 Dental Assistants work in the Great Falls area.
Dental Assistant pay in Great Falls at a glance
- Typical pay is $22.29 an hour, or $46,360 a year.
- That is 1% below the Montana figure, ranking 5th of 5 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $38,100; the top 10% make over $55,700.
- Typical pay rose +35% from 2015 to 2025, against +37% for Montana as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Assistant make in Great Falls?
Pay in Great Falls runs from entry-level positions at around $18.32 an hour to more than $26.78 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Montana and national figures.
Dental Assistant pay by career stage in Great Falls
| Career stage | Great Falls | Montana | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $38,100$18.32 an hour | $37,340$17.95 an hour | $37,130$17.85 an hour |
| First years | $43,820$21.07 an hour | $43,820$21.07 an hour | $44,340$21.32 an hour |
| Typical Dental Assistant | $46,360$22.29 an hour | $46,680$22.44 an hour | $48,070$23.11 an hour |
| Experienced | $47,420$22.80 an hour | $49,920$24.00 an hour | $58,090$27.93 an hour |
| Top 10% | $55,700$26.78 an hour | $57,900$27.84 an hour | $62,250$29.93 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Great Falls area as BLS defines it
Dental Assistant pay growth in Great Falls
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Assistants in the Great Falls area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Assistant pay in Great Falls was $34,440 a year. By 2025 it had reached $46,360, a change of +35%, compared with +37% for Montana over the same years.
How Great Falls compares with other Montana cities
Bozeman pays Dental Assistants the most in Montana at $49,160 a year, $2,800 more than Great Falls. The lowest-paying area in the state is Great Falls at $46,360.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Great Falls | Dental Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bozeman | $49,160 | $23.63 | +6% | 190 |
| 2 | Billings | $47,550 | $22.86 | +3% | 330 |
| 3 | Helena | $46,870 | $22.53 | +1% | 130 |
| 4 | Missoula | $46,550 | $22.38 | 0% | 210 |
| 5 | Great Falls | $46,360 | $22.29 | this city | 120 |
Every metro area in Montana with Dental Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Montana typical pay $46,680
Is Great Falls a good place to work as a Dental Assistant?
Dental Assistant pay in Great Falls sits close to the national figure: $46,360 a year, 4% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Great Falls area, about 3.3 are Dental Assistant positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 2.6. 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 Great Falls, MT?
- A typical Dental Assistant in Great Falls earns $46,360 a year, or $22.29 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $38,100 and the top 10% earn over $55,700.
- How much does a Dental Assistant make an hour in Great Falls?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Assistants in Great Falls is $22.29. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $18.32, and the top 10% earn over $26.78 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Assistant in Great Falls?
- Entry-level Dental Assistant positions in Great Falls typically offer around $18.32 an hour, or $38,100 a year.
- Is Dental Assistant pay in Great Falls higher than in the rest of Montana?
- Great Falls pay is 1% below the Montana figure of $46,680 a year, ranking 5th of 5 metro areas in the state. Bozeman pays the most in Montana at $49,160.