How Much Does a Dental Assistant Make in Ponce, PR in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Assistants in Ponce, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across PR.
BLS OES May 2025 · Ponce metro area
A typical Dental Assistant in Ponce, PR earns $14.55 per hour, or $30,260 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $2,522 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $22,880, and the top 10% of earners make over $55,040.
That pay is 16% below the PR figure of $35,910 and 37% below the national figure of $48,070. Ponce ranks 4th of 6 metro areas in PR for Dental Assistant pay. About 240 Dental Assistants work in the Ponce area.
Dental Assistant pay in Ponce at a glance
- Typical pay is $14.55 an hour, or $30,260 a year.
- That is 16% below the PR figure, ranking 4th of 6 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $22,880; the top 10% make over $55,040.
- Typical pay rose +67% from 2015 to 2025.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Assistant make in Ponce?
Pay in Ponce runs from entry-level positions at around $11.00 an hour to more than $26.46 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the PR and national figures.
Dental Assistant pay by career stage in Ponce
| Career stage | Ponce | PR | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $22,880$11.00 an hour | $23,310$11.21 an hour | $37,130$17.85 an hour |
| First years | $26,950$12.96 an hour | $27,620$13.28 an hour | $44,340$21.32 an hour |
| Typical Dental Assistant | $30,260$14.55 an hour | $35,910$17.27 an hour | $48,070$23.11 an hour |
| Experienced | $46,130$22.18 an hour | $46,850$22.53 an hour | $58,090$27.93 an hour |
| Top 10% | $55,040$26.46 an hour | $57,200$27.50 an hour | $62,250$29.93 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Ponce area as BLS defines it
Dental Assistant pay growth in Ponce
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Assistants in the Ponce area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Assistant pay in Ponce was $18,070 a year. By 2025 it had reached $30,260, a change of +67%.
How Ponce compares with other PR cities
San Juan pays Dental Assistants the most in PR at $36,130 a year, $5,870 more than Ponce. The lowest-paying area in the state is Guayama at $26,950.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Ponce | Dental Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Juan | $36,130 | $17.37 | +19% | 2,260 |
| 2 | Arecibo | $35,100 | $16.88 | +16% | 170 |
| 3 | Aguadilla | $35,030 | $16.84 | +16% | 180 |
| 4 | Ponce | $30,260 | $14.55 | this city | 240 |
| 5 | Mayaguez | $29,330 | $14.10 | -3% | 230 |
| 6 | Guayama | $26,950 | $12.96 | -11% | 60 |
Every metro area in PR with Dental Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · PR typical pay $35,910
Is Ponce a good place to work as a Dental Assistant?
Dental Assistants in Ponce earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $30,260 a year, 37% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Ponce area, about 3.8 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 Ponce, PR?
- A typical Dental Assistant in Ponce earns $30,260 a year, or $14.55 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $22,880 and the top 10% earn over $55,040.
- How much does a Dental Assistant make an hour in Ponce?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Assistants in Ponce is $14.55. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $11.00, and the top 10% earn over $26.46 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Assistant in Ponce?
- Entry-level Dental Assistant positions in Ponce typically offer around $11.00 an hour, or $22,880 a year.
- Is Dental Assistant pay in Ponce higher than in the rest of PR?
- Ponce pay is 16% below the PR figure of $35,910 a year, ranking 4th of 6 metro areas in the state. San Juan pays the most in PR at $36,130.