How Much Does a Dental Assistant Make in Cleveland, TN in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Assistants in Cleveland, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Tennessee.
BLS OES May 2025 · Cleveland metro area
A typical Dental Assistant in Cleveland, Tennessee earns $21.75 per hour, or $45,230 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $3,769 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $36,240, and the top 10% of earners make over $59,120.
That pay is 3% below the Tennessee figure of $46,720 and 6% below the national figure of $48,070. Cleveland ranks 9th of 10 metro areas in Tennessee for Dental Assistant pay. About 140 Dental Assistants work in the Cleveland area.
Dental Assistant pay in Cleveland at a glance
- Typical pay is $21.75 an hour, or $45,230 a year.
- That is 3% below the Tennessee figure, ranking 9th of 10 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $36,240; the top 10% make over $59,120.
- Typical pay rose +36% from 2015 to 2025, against +34% for Tennessee as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Assistant make in Cleveland?
Pay in Cleveland runs from entry-level positions at around $17.42 an hour to more than $28.43 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 Cleveland
| Career stage | Cleveland | Tennessee | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $36,240$17.42 an hour | $37,810$18.18 an hour | $37,130$17.85 an hour |
| First years | $38,240$18.38 an hour | $44,440$21.37 an hour | $44,340$21.32 an hour |
| Typical Dental Assistant | $45,230$21.75 an hour | $46,720$22.46 an hour | $48,070$23.11 an hour |
| Experienced | $47,530$22.85 an hour | $59,270$28.50 an hour | $58,090$27.93 an hour |
| Top 10% | $59,120$28.43 an hour | $61,260$29.45 an hour | $62,250$29.93 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Cleveland area as BLS defines it
Dental Assistant pay growth in Cleveland
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Assistants in the Cleveland area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Assistant pay in Cleveland was $33,280 a year. By 2025 it had reached $45,230, a change of +36%, compared with +34% for Tennessee over the same years.
How Cleveland compares with other Tennessee cities
Franklin pays Dental Assistants the most in Tennessee at $48,540 a year, $3,310 more than Cleveland. The lowest-paying area in the state is Kingsport at $45,110.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Cleveland | Dental Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Franklin | $48,540 | $23.34 | +7% | 2,730 |
| 2 | Memphis | $48,200 | $23.17 | +7% | 1,200 |
| 3 | Knoxville | $46,790 | $22.49 | +3% | 1,030 |
| 4 | Jackson | $46,590 | $22.40 | +3% | 190 |
| 5 | Chattanooga | $46,360 | $22.29 | +2% | 670 |
| 6 | Clarksville | $46,050 | $22.14 | +2% | 320 |
| 7 | Morristown | $45,550 | $21.90 | +1% | 130 |
| 8 | Johnson City | $45,540 | $21.89 | +1% | 220 |
| 9 | Cleveland | $45,230 | $21.75 | this city | 140 |
| 10 | Bristol metro incl. Kingsport | $45,110 | $21.69 | 0% | 320 |
Every metro area in Tennessee with Dental Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Tennessee typical pay $46,720
Is Cleveland a good place to work as a Dental Assistant?
Dental Assistants in Cleveland earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $45,230 a year, 6% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Cleveland area, about 3.3 are Dental Assistant positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 2.4. 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 Cleveland, TN?
- A typical Dental Assistant in Cleveland earns $45,230 a year, or $21.75 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $36,240 and the top 10% earn over $59,120.
- How much does a Dental Assistant make an hour in Cleveland?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Assistants in Cleveland is $21.75. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $17.42, and the top 10% earn over $28.43 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Assistant in Cleveland?
- Entry-level Dental Assistant positions in Cleveland typically offer around $17.42 an hour, or $36,240 a year.
- Is Dental Assistant pay in Cleveland higher than in the rest of Tennessee?
- Cleveland pay is 3% below the Tennessee figure of $46,720 a year, ranking 9th of 10 metro areas in the state. Franklin pays the most in Tennessee at $48,540.