How Much Does a Dental Assistant Make in Missoula, MT in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Assistants in Missoula, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Montana.
BLS OES May 2025 · Missoula metro area
A typical Dental Assistant in Missoula, Montana earns $22.38 per hour, or $46,550 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $3,879 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $38,910, and the top 10% of earners make over $56,200.
That pay is right at the Montana figure of $46,680 and 3% below the national figure of $48,070. Missoula ranks 4th of 5 metro areas in Montana for Dental Assistant pay. About 210 Dental Assistants work in the Missoula area.
Dental Assistant pay in Missoula at a glance
- Typical pay is $22.38 an hour, or $46,550 a year.
- That is right at the Montana figure, ranking 4th of 5 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $38,910; the top 10% make over $56,200.
- Typical pay rose +48% from 2015 to 2025, against +37% for Montana as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Assistant make in Missoula?
Pay in Missoula runs from entry-level positions at around $18.71 an hour to more than $27.02 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 Missoula
| Career stage | Missoula | Montana | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $38,910$18.71 an hour | $37,340$17.95 an hour | $37,130$17.85 an hour |
| First years | $44,830$21.55 an hour | $43,820$21.07 an hour | $44,340$21.32 an hour |
| Typical Dental Assistant | $46,550$22.38 an hour | $46,680$22.44 an hour | $48,070$23.11 an hour |
| Experienced | $49,070$23.59 an hour | $49,920$24.00 an hour | $58,090$27.93 an hour |
| Top 10% | $56,200$27.02 an hour | $57,900$27.84 an hour | $62,250$29.93 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Missoula area as BLS defines it
Dental Assistant pay growth in Missoula
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Assistants in the Missoula area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Assistant pay in Missoula was $31,460 a year. By 2025 it had reached $46,550, a change of +48%, compared with +37% for Montana over the same years.
How Missoula compares with other Montana cities
Bozeman pays Dental Assistants the most in Montana at $49,160 a year, $2,610 more than Missoula. The lowest-paying area in the state is Great Falls at $46,360.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Missoula | Dental Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bozeman | $49,160 | $23.63 | +6% | 190 |
| 2 | Billings | $47,550 | $22.86 | +2% | 330 |
| 3 | Helena | $46,870 | $22.53 | +1% | 130 |
| 4 | Missoula | $46,550 | $22.38 | this city | 210 |
| 5 | Great Falls | $46,360 | $22.29 | 0% | 120 |
Every metro area in Montana with Dental Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Montana typical pay $46,680
Is Missoula a good place to work as a Dental Assistant?
Dental Assistant pay in Missoula sits close to the national figure: $46,550 a year, 3% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Missoula area, about 3.1 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 Missoula, MT?
- A typical Dental Assistant in Missoula earns $46,550 a year, or $22.38 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $38,910 and the top 10% earn over $56,200.
- How much does a Dental Assistant make an hour in Missoula?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Assistants in Missoula is $22.38. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $18.71, and the top 10% earn over $27.02 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Assistant in Missoula?
- Entry-level Dental Assistant positions in Missoula typically offer around $18.71 an hour, or $38,910 a year.
- Is Dental Assistant pay in Missoula higher than in the rest of Montana?
- Missoula pay is right at the Montana figure of $46,680 a year, ranking 4th of 5 metro areas in the state. Bozeman pays the most in Montana at $49,160.