How Much Does a Dental Assistant Make in Trenton, NJ in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Assistants in Trenton, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across New Jersey.
BLS OES May 2025 · Trenton · Princeton metro area
A typical Dental Assistant in Trenton, New Jersey earns $27.60 per hour, or $57,400 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $4,783 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $38,520, and the top 10% of earners make over $63,010.
That pay is 16% above the New Jersey figure of $49,390 and 19% above the national figure of $48,070. Trenton ranks 1st of 6 metro areas in New Jersey for Dental Assistant pay. About 470 Dental Assistants work in the Trenton · Princeton area. Trenton is part of the Trenton · Princeton metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Princeton share these figures.
Dental Assistant pay in Trenton at a glance
- Typical pay is $27.60 an hour, or $57,400 a year.
- That is 16% above the New Jersey figure, ranking 1st of 6 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $38,520; the top 10% make over $63,010.
- Typical pay rose +84% from 2015 to 2025, against +25% for New Jersey as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Assistant make in Trenton?
Pay in Trenton runs from entry-level positions at around $18.52 an hour to more than $30.29 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the New Jersey and national figures.
Dental Assistant pay by career stage in Trenton
| Career stage | Trenton | New Jersey | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $38,520$18.52 an hour | $38,660$18.59 an hour | $37,130$17.85 an hour |
| First years | $46,160$22.19 an hour | $45,970$22.10 an hour | $44,340$21.32 an hour |
| Typical Dental Assistant | $57,400$27.60 an hour | $49,390$23.74 an hour | $48,070$23.11 an hour |
| Experienced | $60,730$29.20 an hour | $61,290$29.47 an hour | $58,090$27.93 an hour |
| Top 10% | $63,010$30.29 an hour | $64,200$30.87 an hour | $62,250$29.93 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Trenton · Princeton area as BLS defines it
Dental Assistant pay growth in Trenton
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Assistants in the Trenton · Princeton area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Assistant pay in Trenton was $31,120 a year. By 2025 it had reached $57,400, a change of +84%, compared with +25% for New Jersey over the same years.
How Trenton compares with other New Jersey cities
Trenton pays Dental Assistants the most of any metro area in New Jersey. The lowest-paying area in the state is Easton at $47,590.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Trenton | Dental Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trenton metro incl. Princeton | $57,400 | $27.60 | this city | 470 |
| 2 | Camden | $49,570 | $23.83 | -14% | 6,510 |
| 3 | Hammonton metro incl. Atlantic City | $48,810 | $23.46 | -15% | 270 |
| 4 | Vineland | $48,790 | $23.46 | -15% | 130 |
| 5 | Newark metro incl. Jersey City | $48,430 | $23.29 | -16% | 20,870 |
| 6 | Bethlehem metro incl. Easton | $47,590 | $22.88 | -17% | 970 |
Every metro area in New Jersey with Dental Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · New Jersey typical pay $49,390
Is Trenton a good place to work as a Dental Assistant?
Dental Assistants in Trenton earn a strong wage by national standards: typical pay is $57,400 a year, 19% above the national figure. For every 1,000 jobs in the Trenton · Princeton area, about 2.0 are Dental Assistant positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 2.5. That makes Dental Assistants a smaller part of the local job market than usual, so employers draw from a smaller pool of qualified candidates.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Dental Assistant make in Trenton, NJ?
- A typical Dental Assistant in Trenton earns $57,400 a year, or $27.60 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $38,520 and the top 10% earn over $63,010.
- How much does a Dental Assistant make an hour in Trenton?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Assistants in Trenton is $27.60. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $18.52, and the top 10% earn over $30.29 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Assistant in Trenton?
- Entry-level Dental Assistant positions in Trenton typically offer around $18.52 an hour, or $38,520 a year.
- Is Dental Assistant pay in Trenton higher than in the rest of New Jersey?
- Trenton pay is 16% above the New Jersey figure of $49,390 a year, ranking 1st of 6 metro areas in the state.