How Much Does a Dental Assistant Make in Gastonia, SC in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Assistants in Gastonia, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across South Carolina.
BLS OES May 2025 · Charlotte · Concord · Gastonia metro area
A typical Dental Assistant in Gastonia, South Carolina earns $24.07 per hour, or $50,060 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $4,172 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $39,010, and the top 10% of earners make over $59,820.
That pay is 6% above the South Carolina figure of $47,320 and 4% above the national figure of $48,070. Gastonia ranks 1st of 10 metro areas in South Carolina for Dental Assistant pay. About 3,540 Dental Assistants work in the Charlotte · Concord · Gastonia area. Gastonia is part of the Charlotte · Concord · Gastonia metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Concord share these figures.
Dental Assistant pay in Gastonia at a glance
- Typical pay is $24.07 an hour, or $50,060 a year.
- That is 6% above the South Carolina figure, ranking 1st of 10 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $39,010; the top 10% make over $59,820.
- Typical pay rose +30% from 2015 to 2025, against +37% for South Carolina as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Assistant make in Gastonia?
Pay in Gastonia runs from entry-level positions at around $18.76 an hour to more than $28.76 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 Gastonia
| Career stage | Gastonia | South Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $39,010$18.76 an hour | $37,070$17.82 an hour | $37,130$17.85 an hour |
| First years | $48,110$23.13 an hour | $43,000$20.68 an hour | $44,340$21.32 an hour |
| Typical Dental Assistant | $50,060$24.07 an hour | $47,320$22.75 an hour | $48,070$23.11 an hour |
| Experienced | $57,740$27.76 an hour | $50,780$24.41 an hour | $58,090$27.93 an hour |
| Top 10% | $59,820$28.76 an hour | $58,480$28.12 an hour | $62,250$29.93 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Charlotte · Concord · Gastonia area as BLS defines it
Dental Assistant pay growth in Gastonia
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Assistants in the Charlotte · Concord · Gastonia area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Assistant pay in Gastonia was $38,420 a year. By 2025 it had reached $50,060, a change of +30%, compared with +37% for South Carolina over the same years.
How Gastonia compares with other South Carolina cities
Gastonia pays Dental Assistants the most of any metro area in South Carolina. The lowest-paying area in the state is Florence at $42,220.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Gastonia | Dental Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gastonia metro incl. Concord | $50,060 | $24.07 | this city | 3,540 |
| 2 | Charleston metro incl. North Charleston | $49,040 | $23.58 | -2% | 1,050 |
| 3 | Greenville | $47,730 | $22.95 | -5% | 1,140 |
| 4 | Port Royal metro incl. Hilton Head Island · Bluffton | $47,120 | $22.66 | -6% | 270 |
| 5 | Spartanburg | $46,840 | $22.52 | -6% | 310 |
| 6 | Columbia | $46,800 | $22.50 | -7% | 860 |
| 7 | Conway metro incl. North Myrtle Beach · Myrtle Beach | $45,750 | $21.99 | -9% | 390 |
| 8 | Sumter | $45,500 | $21.88 | -9% | 120 |
| 9 | Richmond County | $43,790 | $21.05 | -13% | 670 |
| 10 | Florence | $42,220 | $20.30 | -16% | 240 |
Every metro area in South Carolina with Dental Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · South Carolina typical pay $47,320
Is Gastonia a good place to work as a Dental Assistant?
Dental Assistant pay in Gastonia sits close to the national figure: $50,060 a year, 4% above the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Charlotte · Concord · Gastonia area, about 2.6 are Dental Assistant positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 2.5. Dental Assistant jobs make up about the same share of the job market as they do across the country.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Dental Assistant make in Gastonia, SC?
- A typical Dental Assistant in Gastonia earns $50,060 a year, or $24.07 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $39,010 and the top 10% earn over $59,820.
- How much does a Dental Assistant make an hour in Gastonia?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Assistants in Gastonia is $24.07. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $18.76, and the top 10% earn over $28.76 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Assistant in Gastonia?
- Entry-level Dental Assistant positions in Gastonia typically offer around $18.76 an hour, or $39,010 a year.
- Is Dental Assistant pay in Gastonia higher than in the rest of South Carolina?
- Gastonia pay is 6% above the South Carolina figure of $47,320 a year, ranking 1st of 10 metro areas in the state.