How Much Does a Dental Assistant Make in Norfolk, NC in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Assistants in Norfolk, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across North Carolina.
BLS OES May 2025 · Virginia Beach · Chesapeake · Norfolk metro area
A typical Dental Assistant in Norfolk, North Carolina earns $22.44 per hour, or $46,670 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $3,889 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $37,260, and the top 10% of earners make over $58,500.
That pay is 7% below the North Carolina figure of $50,380 and 3% below the national figure of $48,070. Norfolk ranks 15th of 15 metro areas in North Carolina for Dental Assistant pay. About 1,860 Dental Assistants work in the Virginia Beach · Chesapeake · Norfolk area. Norfolk is part of the Virginia Beach · Chesapeake · Norfolk metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Chesapeake share these figures.
Dental Assistant pay in Norfolk at a glance
- Typical pay is $22.44 an hour, or $46,670 a year.
- That is 7% below the North Carolina figure, ranking 15th of 15 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $37,260; the top 10% make over $58,500.
- Typical pay rose +49% from 2015 to 2025, against +33% for North Carolina as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Assistant make in Norfolk?
Pay in Norfolk runs from entry-level positions at around $17.91 an hour to more than $28.12 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the North Carolina and national figures.
Dental Assistant pay by career stage in Norfolk
| Career stage | Norfolk | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $37,260$17.91 an hour | $38,240$18.38 an hour | $37,130$17.85 an hour |
| First years | $39,020$18.76 an hour | $47,680$22.93 an hour | $44,340$21.32 an hour |
| Typical Dental Assistant | $46,670$22.44 an hour | $50,380$24.22 an hour | $48,070$23.11 an hour |
| Experienced | $54,980$26.43 an hour | $57,720$27.75 an hour | $58,090$27.93 an hour |
| Top 10% | $58,500$28.12 an hour | $60,200$28.94 an hour | $62,250$29.93 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Virginia Beach · Chesapeake · Norfolk area as BLS defines it
Dental Assistant pay growth in Norfolk
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Assistants in the Virginia Beach · Chesapeake · Norfolk area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Assistant pay in Norfolk was $31,240 a year. By 2025 it had reached $46,670, a change of +49%, compared with +33% for North Carolina over the same years.
How Norfolk compares with other North Carolina cities
Cary pays Dental Assistants the most in North Carolina at $58,750 a year, $12,080 more than Norfolk. The lowest-paying area in the state is Norfolk at $46,670.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Norfolk | Dental Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cary metro incl. Raleigh | $58,750 | $28.25 | +26% | 1,850 |
| 2 | Asheville | $56,680 | $27.25 | +21% | 560 |
| 3 | Durham metro incl. Chapel Hill | $51,670 | $24.84 | +11% | 640 |
| 4 | Wilmington | $51,110 | $24.57 | +10% | 600 |
| 5 | Burlington | $50,140 | $24.10 | +7% | 150 |
| 6 | Winston metro incl. Salem | $50,060 | $24.07 | +7% | 480 |
| 7 | Charlotte | $50,060 | $24.07 | +7% | 3,540 |
| 8 | High Point metro incl. Greensboro | $49,800 | $23.94 | +7% | 800 |
| 9 | Fayetteville | $49,520 | $23.81 | +6% | 460 |
| 10 | Greenville | $49,420 | $23.76 | +6% | 230 |
| 11 | Lenoir | $48,720 | $23.43 | +4% | 320 |
| 12 | Rocky Mount | $48,490 | $23.31 | +4% | 80 |
| 13 | Goldsboro | $48,210 | $23.18 | +3% | 120 |
| 14 | Jacksonville | $47,970 | $23.06 | +3% | 170 |
| 15 | Norfolk metro incl. Chesapeake | $46,670 | $22.44 | this city | 1,860 |
Every metro area in North Carolina with Dental Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · North Carolina typical pay $50,380
Is Norfolk a good place to work as a Dental Assistant?
Dental Assistant pay in Norfolk sits close to the national figure: $46,670 a year, 3% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Virginia Beach · Chesapeake · Norfolk area, about 2.4 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 Norfolk, NC?
- A typical Dental Assistant in Norfolk earns $46,670 a year, or $22.44 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $37,260 and the top 10% earn over $58,500.
- How much does a Dental Assistant make an hour in Norfolk?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Assistants in Norfolk is $22.44. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $17.91, and the top 10% earn over $28.12 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Assistant in Norfolk?
- Entry-level Dental Assistant positions in Norfolk typically offer around $17.91 an hour, or $37,260 a year.
- Is Dental Assistant pay in Norfolk higher than in the rest of North Carolina?
- Norfolk pay is 7% below the North Carolina figure of $50,380 a year, ranking 15th of 15 metro areas in the state. Cary pays the most in North Carolina at $58,750.