How Much Does a Dental Assistant Make in Santa Fe, NM in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Assistants in Santa Fe, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across New Mexico.
BLS OES May 2025 · Santa Fe metro area
A typical Dental Assistant in Santa Fe, New Mexico earns $22.67 per hour, or $47,160 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $3,930 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $37,860, and the top 10% of earners make over $65,670.
That pay is 6% above the New Mexico figure of $44,400 and 2% below the national figure of $48,070. Santa Fe ranks 1st of 4 metro areas in New Mexico for Dental Assistant pay. About 210 Dental Assistants work in the Santa Fe area.
Dental Assistant pay in Santa Fe at a glance
- Typical pay is $22.67 an hour, or $47,160 a year.
- That is 6% above the New Mexico figure, ranking 1st of 4 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $37,860; the top 10% make over $65,670.
- Typical pay rose +24% from 2015 to 2025, against +38% for New Mexico as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Assistant make in Santa Fe?
Pay in Santa Fe runs from entry-level positions at around $18.20 an hour to more than $31.57 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the New Mexico and national figures.
Dental Assistant pay by career stage in Santa Fe
| Career stage | Santa Fe | New Mexico | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $37,860$18.20 an hour | $37,060$17.82 an hour | $37,130$17.85 an hour |
| First years | $44,400$21.35 an hour | $38,300$18.41 an hour | $44,340$21.32 an hour |
| Typical Dental Assistant | $47,160$22.67 an hour | $44,400$21.35 an hour | $48,070$23.11 an hour |
| Experienced | $50,660$24.36 an hour | $47,160$22.67 an hour | $58,090$27.93 an hour |
| Top 10% | $65,670$31.57 an hour | $55,950$26.90 an hour | $62,250$29.93 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Santa Fe area as BLS defines it
Dental Assistant pay growth in Santa Fe
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Assistants in the Santa Fe area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Assistant pay in Santa Fe was $37,900 a year. By 2025 it had reached $47,160, a change of +24%, compared with +38% for New Mexico over the same years.
How Santa Fe compares with other New Mexico cities
Santa Fe pays Dental Assistants the most of any metro area in New Mexico. The lowest-paying area in the state is Las Cruces at $38,400.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Santa Fe | Dental Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santa Fe | $47,160 | $22.67 | this city | 210 |
| 2 | Albuquerque | $44,810 | $21.54 | -5% | 1,000 |
| 3 | Farmington | $42,400 | $20.39 | -10% | 210 |
| 4 | Las Cruces | $38,400 | $18.46 | -19% | 200 |
Every metro area in New Mexico with Dental Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · New Mexico typical pay $44,400
Is Santa Fe a good place to work as a Dental Assistant?
Dental Assistant pay in Santa Fe sits close to the national figure: $47,160 a year, 2% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Santa Fe area, about 3.4 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 Santa Fe, NM?
- A typical Dental Assistant in Santa Fe earns $47,160 a year, or $22.67 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $37,860 and the top 10% earn over $65,670.
- How much does a Dental Assistant make an hour in Santa Fe?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Assistants in Santa Fe is $22.67. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $18.20, and the top 10% earn over $31.57 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Assistant in Santa Fe?
- Entry-level Dental Assistant positions in Santa Fe typically offer around $18.20 an hour, or $37,860 a year.
- Is Dental Assistant pay in Santa Fe higher than in the rest of New Mexico?
- Santa Fe pay is 6% above the New Mexico figure of $44,400 a year, ranking 1st of 4 metro areas in the state.