How Much Does a Dental Assistant Make in Lincoln, NE in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Assistants in Lincoln, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Nebraska.
BLS OES May 2025 · Lincoln metro area
A typical Dental Assistant in Lincoln, Nebraska earns $23.29 per hour, or $48,440 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $4,037 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $38,970, and the top 10% of earners make over $57,560.
That pay is 4% above the Nebraska figure of $46,660 and 1% above the national figure of $48,070. Lincoln ranks 1st of 3 metro areas in Nebraska for Dental Assistant pay. About 580 Dental Assistants work in the Lincoln area.
Dental Assistant pay in Lincoln at a glance
- Typical pay is $23.29 an hour, or $48,440 a year.
- That is 4% above the Nebraska figure, ranking 1st of 3 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $38,970; the top 10% make over $57,560.
- Typical pay rose +34% from 2015 to 2025, against +39% for Nebraska as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Assistant make in Lincoln?
Pay in Lincoln runs from entry-level positions at around $18.74 an hour to more than $27.67 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Nebraska and national figures.
Dental Assistant pay by career stage in Lincoln
| Career stage | Lincoln | Nebraska | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $38,970$18.74 an hour | $37,810$18.18 an hour | $37,130$17.85 an hour |
| First years | $46,360$22.29 an hour | $43,590$20.96 an hour | $44,340$21.32 an hour |
| Typical Dental Assistant | $48,440$23.29 an hour | $46,660$22.43 an hour | $48,070$23.11 an hour |
| Experienced | $49,790$23.94 an hour | $49,370$23.74 an hour | $58,090$27.93 an hour |
| Top 10% | $57,560$27.67 an hour | $57,430$27.61 an hour | $62,250$29.93 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Lincoln area as BLS defines it
Dental Assistant pay growth in Lincoln
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Assistants in the Lincoln area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Assistant pay in Lincoln was $36,050 a year. By 2025 it had reached $48,440, a change of +34%, compared with +39% for Nebraska over the same years.
How Lincoln compares with other Nebraska cities
Lincoln pays Dental Assistants the most of any metro area in Nebraska. The lowest-paying area in the state is Grand Island at $46,910.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Lincoln | Dental Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lincoln | $48,440 | $23.29 | this city | 580 |
| 2 | Omaha | $48,020 | $23.09 | -1% | 1,150 |
| 3 | Grand Island | $46,910 | $22.55 | -3% | 100 |
Every metro area in Nebraska with Dental Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Nebraska typical pay $46,660
Is Lincoln a good place to work as a Dental Assistant?
Dental Assistant pay in Lincoln sits close to the national figure: $48,440 a year, 1% above the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Lincoln area, about 3.2 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 Lincoln, NE?
- A typical Dental Assistant in Lincoln earns $48,440 a year, or $23.29 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $38,970 and the top 10% earn over $57,560.
- How much does a Dental Assistant make an hour in Lincoln?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Assistants in Lincoln is $23.29. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $18.74, and the top 10% earn over $27.67 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Assistant in Lincoln?
- Entry-level Dental Assistant positions in Lincoln typically offer around $18.74 an hour, or $38,970 a year.
- Is Dental Assistant pay in Lincoln higher than in the rest of Nebraska?
- Lincoln pay is 4% above the Nebraska figure of $46,660 a year, ranking 1st of 3 metro areas in the state.