How Much Does a Dental Assistant Make in PR in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Assistants in PR, from federal wage data (May 2025), with pay by city, the ten-year trend, and how the state compares.
BLS OES May 2025 · PR · typical annual pay from the lowest-paid tenth to the highest-paid tenth
How much does a Dental Assistant make in PR?
A typical Dental Assistant in PR earns $35,910 a year, or $17.27 an hour, 25% below the national figure of $48,070 (BLS, May 2025).
Dental Assistant pay by career stage in PR
| Career stage | PR | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $23,310$11.21 an hour | $37,130$17.85 an hour |
| First years | $27,620$13.28 an hour | $44,340$21.32 an hour |
| Typical Dental Assistant | $35,910$17.27 an hour | $48,070$23.11 an hour |
| Experienced | $46,850$22.53 an hour | $58,090$27.93 an hour |
| Top 10% | $57,200$27.50 an hour | $62,250$29.93 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · starting out is the 10th percentile, first years the 25th, typical the median, experienced the 75th, top 10% the 90th
Dental Assistant salary by city in PR
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs PR | Dental Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Juan | $36,130 | $17.37 | +1% | 2,260 |
| 2 | Arecibo | $35,100 | $16.88 | -2% | 170 |
| 3 | Aguadilla | $35,030 | $16.84 | -2% | 180 |
| 4 | Ponce | $30,260 | $14.55 | -16% | 240 |
| 5 | Mayaguez | $29,330 | $14.10 | -18% | 230 |
| 6 | Guayama | $26,950 | $12.96 | -25% | 60 |
Each row is one BLS metro area; cities that share a metro share its figures · BLS OES May 2025 · PR typical pay $35,910
Is PR a good state for Dental Assistants?
Dental Assistants in PR earn less than in most states: typical pay is $35,910 a year, 25% below the national figure, ranking 51st of 50. For every 1,000 jobs in PR, 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. Pay trails the national figure here, but demand does not: Dental Assistants make up a larger share of PR's workforce than in most states.