How Much Does a Dental Assistant Make in Salem, OR in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Assistants in Salem, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Oregon.
BLS OES May 2025 · Salem metro area
A typical Dental Assistant in Salem, Oregon earns $28.47 per hour, or $59,210 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $4,934 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $49,040, and the top 10% of earners make over $71,750.
That pay is right at the Oregon figure of $59,490 and 23% above the national figure of $48,070. Salem ranks 3rd of 8 metro areas in Oregon for Dental Assistant pay. About 570 Dental Assistants work in the Salem area.
Dental Assistant pay in Salem at a glance
- Typical pay is $28.47 an hour, or $59,210 a year.
- That is right at the Oregon figure, ranking 3rd of 8 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $49,040; the top 10% make over $71,750.
- Typical pay rose +61% from 2015 to 2025, against +43% for Oregon as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Assistant make in Salem?
Pay in Salem runs from entry-level positions at around $23.58 an hour to more than $34.49 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Oregon and national figures.
Dental Assistant pay by career stage in Salem
| Career stage | Salem | Oregon | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $49,040$23.58 an hour | $49,010$23.56 an hour | $37,130$17.85 an hour |
| First years | $57,810$27.79 an hour | $56,600$27.21 an hour | $44,340$21.32 an hour |
| Typical Dental Assistant | $59,210$28.47 an hour | $59,490$28.60 an hour | $48,070$23.11 an hour |
| Experienced | $62,190$29.90 an hour | $63,520$30.54 an hour | $58,090$27.93 an hour |
| Top 10% | $71,750$34.49 an hour | $75,570$36.33 an hour | $62,250$29.93 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Salem area as BLS defines it
Dental Assistant pay growth in Salem
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Assistants in the Salem area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Assistant pay in Salem was $36,690 a year. By 2025 it had reached $59,210, a change of +61%, compared with +43% for Oregon over the same years.
How Salem compares with other Oregon cities
Portland pays Dental Assistants the most in Oregon at $59,890 a year, $680 more than Salem. The lowest-paying area in the state is Corvallis at $57,080.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Salem | Dental Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Portland | $59,890 | $28.79 | +1% | 4,120 |
| 2 | Bend | $59,590 | $28.65 | +1% | 420 |
| 3 | Salem | $59,210 | $28.47 | this city | 570 |
| 4 | Springfield metro incl. Eugene | $58,500 | $28.13 | -1% | 470 |
| 5 | Grants Pass | $58,180 | $27.97 | -2% | 90 |
| 6 | Medford | $57,300 | $27.55 | -3% | 310 |
| 7 | Albany | $57,180 | $27.49 | -3% | 130 |
| 8 | Corvallis | $57,080 | $27.44 | -4% | 100 |
Every metro area in Oregon with Dental Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Oregon typical pay $59,490
Is Salem a good place to work as a Dental Assistant?
Dental Assistants in Salem earn a strong wage by national standards: typical pay is $59,210 a year, 23% above the national figure. For every 1,000 jobs in the Salem area, about 3.0 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 Salem, OR?
- A typical Dental Assistant in Salem earns $59,210 a year, or $28.47 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $49,040 and the top 10% earn over $71,750.
- How much does a Dental Assistant make an hour in Salem?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Assistants in Salem is $28.47. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $23.58, and the top 10% earn over $34.49 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Assistant in Salem?
- Entry-level Dental Assistant positions in Salem typically offer around $23.58 an hour, or $49,040 a year.
- Is Dental Assistant pay in Salem higher than in the rest of Oregon?
- Salem pay is right at the Oregon figure of $59,490 a year, ranking 3rd of 8 metro areas in the state. Portland pays the most in Oregon at $59,890.