How Much Does a Dental Assistant Make in Bluffton, SC in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Assistants in Bluffton, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across South Carolina.
BLS OES May 2025 · Hilton Head Island · Bluffton · Port Royal metro area
A typical Dental Assistant in Bluffton, South Carolina earns $22.66 per hour, or $47,120 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $3,927 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $36,990, and the top 10% of earners make over $58,590.
That pay is right at the South Carolina figure of $47,320 and 2% below the national figure of $48,070. Bluffton ranks 4th of 10 metro areas in South Carolina for Dental Assistant pay. About 270 Dental Assistants work in the Hilton Head Island · Bluffton · Port Royal area. Bluffton is part of the Hilton Head Island · Bluffton · Port Royal metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Port Royal and Hilton Head Island share these figures.
Dental Assistant pay in Bluffton at a glance
- Typical pay is $22.66 an hour, or $47,120 a year.
- That is right at the South Carolina figure, ranking 4th of 10 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $36,990; the top 10% make over $58,590.
- Typical pay rose +34% from 2015 to 2025, against +37% for South Carolina as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Assistant make in Bluffton?
Pay in Bluffton runs from entry-level positions at around $17.78 an hour to more than $28.17 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the South Carolina and national figures.
Dental Assistant pay by career stage in Bluffton
| Career stage | Bluffton | South Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $36,990$17.78 an hour | $37,070$17.82 an hour | $37,130$17.85 an hour |
| First years | $43,590$20.96 an hour | $43,000$20.68 an hour | $44,340$21.32 an hour |
| Typical Dental Assistant | $47,120$22.66 an hour | $47,320$22.75 an hour | $48,070$23.11 an hour |
| Experienced | $52,420$25.20 an hour | $50,780$24.41 an hour | $58,090$27.93 an hour |
| Top 10% | $58,590$28.17 an hour | $58,480$28.12 an hour | $62,250$29.93 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Hilton Head Island · Bluffton · Port Royal area as BLS defines it
Dental Assistant pay growth in Bluffton
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Assistants in the Hilton Head Island · Bluffton · Port Royal area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Assistant pay in Bluffton was $35,100 a year. By 2025 it had reached $47,120, a change of +34%, compared with +37% for South Carolina over the same years.
How Bluffton compares with other South Carolina cities
Concord pays Dental Assistants the most in South Carolina at $50,060 a year, $2,940 more than Bluffton. The lowest-paying area in the state is Florence at $42,220.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Bluffton | Dental Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Concord metro incl. Gastonia | $50,060 | $24.07 | +6% | 3,540 |
| 2 | Charleston metro incl. North Charleston | $49,040 | $23.58 | +4% | 1,050 |
| 3 | Greenville | $47,730 | $22.95 | +1% | 1,140 |
| 4 | Bluffton metro incl. Port Royal · Hilton Head Island | $47,120 | $22.66 | this city | 270 |
| 5 | Spartanburg | $46,840 | $22.52 | -1% | 310 |
| 6 | Columbia | $46,800 | $22.50 | -1% | 860 |
| 7 | Conway metro incl. North Myrtle Beach · Myrtle Beach | $45,750 | $21.99 | -3% | 390 |
| 8 | Sumter | $45,500 | $21.88 | -3% | 120 |
| 9 | Richmond County | $43,790 | $21.05 | -7% | 670 |
| 10 | Florence | $42,220 | $20.30 | -10% | 240 |
Every metro area in South Carolina with Dental Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · South Carolina typical pay $47,320
Is Bluffton a good place to work as a Dental Assistant?
Dental Assistant pay in Bluffton sits close to the national figure: $47,120 a year, 2% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Hilton Head Island · Bluffton · Port Royal area, about 3.3 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 Bluffton, SC?
- A typical Dental Assistant in Bluffton earns $47,120 a year, or $22.66 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $36,990 and the top 10% earn over $58,590.
- How much does a Dental Assistant make an hour in Bluffton?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Assistants in Bluffton is $22.66. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $17.78, and the top 10% earn over $28.17 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Assistant in Bluffton?
- Entry-level Dental Assistant positions in Bluffton typically offer around $17.78 an hour, or $36,990 a year.
- Is Dental Assistant pay in Bluffton higher than in the rest of South Carolina?
- Bluffton pay is right at the South Carolina figure of $47,320 a year, ranking 4th of 10 metro areas in the state. Concord pays the most in South Carolina at $50,060.