How Much Does a Dental Assistant Make in Bismarck, ND in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Assistants in Bismarck, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across North Dakota.
BLS OES May 2025 · Bismarck metro area
A typical Dental Assistant in Bismarck, North Dakota earns $28.35 per hour, or $58,960 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $4,913 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $46,130, and the top 10% of earners make over $74,680.
That pay is 2% above the North Dakota figure of $57,770 and 23% above the national figure of $48,070. Bismarck ranks 1st of 4 metro areas in North Dakota for Dental Assistant pay. About 210 Dental Assistants work in the Bismarck area.
Dental Assistant pay in Bismarck at a glance
- Typical pay is $28.35 an hour, or $58,960 a year.
- That is 2% above the North Dakota figure, ranking 1st of 4 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $46,130; the top 10% make over $74,680.
- Typical pay rose +34% from 2015 to 2025, against +45% for North Dakota as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Assistant make in Bismarck?
Pay in Bismarck runs from entry-level positions at around $22.18 an hour to more than $35.90 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the North Dakota and national figures.
Dental Assistant pay by career stage in Bismarck
| Career stage | Bismarck | North Dakota | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $46,130$22.18 an hour | $43,680$21.00 an hour | $37,130$17.85 an hour |
| First years | $55,680$26.77 an hour | $47,150$22.67 an hour | $44,340$21.32 an hour |
| Typical Dental Assistant | $58,960$28.35 an hour | $57,770$27.78 an hour | $48,070$23.11 an hour |
| Experienced | $60,110$28.90 an hour | $60,270$28.98 an hour | $58,090$27.93 an hour |
| Top 10% | $74,680$35.90 an hour | $72,710$34.96 an hour | $62,250$29.93 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Bismarck area as BLS defines it
Dental Assistant pay growth in Bismarck
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Assistants in the Bismarck area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Assistant pay in Bismarck was $43,960 a year. By 2025 it had reached $58,960, a change of +34%, compared with +45% for North Dakota over the same years.
How Bismarck compares with other North Dakota cities
Bismarck pays Dental Assistants the most of any metro area in North Dakota. The lowest-paying area in the state is Fargo at $56,940.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Bismarck | Dental Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bismarck | $58,960 | $28.35 | this city | 210 |
| 2 | Grand Forks | $57,770 | $27.78 | -2% | 110 |
| 3 | Minot | $57,770 | $27.78 | -2% | 70 |
| 4 | Fargo | $56,940 | $27.38 | -3% | 330 |
Every metro area in North Dakota with Dental Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · North Dakota typical pay $57,770
Is Bismarck a good place to work as a Dental Assistant?
Dental Assistants in Bismarck earn a strong wage by national standards: typical pay is $58,960 a year, 23% above the national figure. For every 1,000 jobs in the Bismarck area, about 2.9 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 Bismarck, ND?
- A typical Dental Assistant in Bismarck earns $58,960 a year, or $28.35 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $46,130 and the top 10% earn over $74,680.
- How much does a Dental Assistant make an hour in Bismarck?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Assistants in Bismarck is $28.35. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $22.18, and the top 10% earn over $35.90 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Assistant in Bismarck?
- Entry-level Dental Assistant positions in Bismarck typically offer around $22.18 an hour, or $46,130 a year.
- Is Dental Assistant pay in Bismarck higher than in the rest of North Dakota?
- Bismarck pay is 2% above the North Dakota figure of $57,770 a year, ranking 1st of 4 metro areas in the state.