How Much Does a Dental Assistant Make in Chattanooga, TN in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Assistants in Chattanooga, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Tennessee.
BLS OES May 2025 · Chattanooga metro area
A typical Dental Assistant in Chattanooga, Tennessee earns $22.29 per hour, or $46,360 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $3,863 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $37,560, and the top 10% of earners make over $60,040.
That pay is 1% below the Tennessee figure of $46,720 and 4% below the national figure of $48,070. Chattanooga ranks 5th of 10 metro areas in Tennessee for Dental Assistant pay. About 670 Dental Assistants work in the Chattanooga area.
Dental Assistant pay in Chattanooga at a glance
- Typical pay is $22.29 an hour, or $46,360 a year.
- That is 1% below the Tennessee figure, ranking 5th of 10 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $37,560; the top 10% make over $60,040.
- Typical pay rose +41% from 2015 to 2025, against +34% for Tennessee as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Assistant make in Chattanooga?
Pay in Chattanooga runs from entry-level positions at around $18.06 an hour to more than $28.86 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Tennessee and national figures.
Dental Assistant pay by career stage in Chattanooga
| Career stage | Chattanooga | Tennessee | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $37,560$18.06 an hour | $37,810$18.18 an hour | $37,130$17.85 an hour |
| First years | $39,390$18.94 an hour | $44,440$21.37 an hour | $44,340$21.32 an hour |
| Typical Dental Assistant | $46,360$22.29 an hour | $46,720$22.46 an hour | $48,070$23.11 an hour |
| Experienced | $56,590$27.21 an hour | $59,270$28.50 an hour | $58,090$27.93 an hour |
| Top 10% | $60,040$28.86 an hour | $61,260$29.45 an hour | $62,250$29.93 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Chattanooga area as BLS defines it
Dental Assistant pay growth in Chattanooga
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Assistants in the Chattanooga area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Assistant pay in Chattanooga was $32,990 a year. By 2025 it had reached $46,360, a change of +41%, compared with +34% for Tennessee over the same years.
How Chattanooga compares with other Tennessee cities
Franklin pays Dental Assistants the most in Tennessee at $48,540 a year, $2,180 more than Chattanooga. The lowest-paying area in the state is Kingsport at $45,110.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Chattanooga | Dental Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Franklin | $48,540 | $23.34 | +5% | 2,730 |
| 2 | Memphis | $48,200 | $23.17 | +4% | 1,200 |
| 3 | Knoxville | $46,790 | $22.49 | +1% | 1,030 |
| 4 | Jackson | $46,590 | $22.40 | 0% | 190 |
| 5 | Chattanooga | $46,360 | $22.29 | this city | 670 |
| 6 | Clarksville | $46,050 | $22.14 | -1% | 320 |
| 7 | Morristown | $45,550 | $21.90 | -2% | 130 |
| 8 | Johnson City | $45,540 | $21.89 | -2% | 220 |
| 9 | Cleveland | $45,230 | $21.75 | -2% | 140 |
| 10 | Bristol metro incl. Kingsport | $45,110 | $21.69 | -3% | 320 |
Every metro area in Tennessee with Dental Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Tennessee typical pay $46,720
Is Chattanooga a good place to work as a Dental Assistant?
Dental Assistant pay in Chattanooga sits close to the national figure: $46,360 a year, 4% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Chattanooga area, about 2.5 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 Chattanooga, TN?
- A typical Dental Assistant in Chattanooga earns $46,360 a year, or $22.29 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $37,560 and the top 10% earn over $60,040.
- How much does a Dental Assistant make an hour in Chattanooga?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Assistants in Chattanooga is $22.29. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $18.06, and the top 10% earn over $28.86 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Assistant in Chattanooga?
- Entry-level Dental Assistant positions in Chattanooga typically offer around $18.06 an hour, or $37,560 a year.
- Is Dental Assistant pay in Chattanooga higher than in the rest of Tennessee?
- Chattanooga pay is 1% below the Tennessee figure of $46,720 a year, ranking 5th of 10 metro areas in the state. Franklin pays the most in Tennessee at $48,540.