How Much Does a Dental Assistant Make in Johnson City, TN in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Assistants in Johnson City, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Tennessee.
BLS OES May 2025 · Johnson City metro area
A typical Dental Assistant in Johnson City, Tennessee earns $21.89 per hour, or $45,540 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $3,795 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $35,840, and the top 10% of earners make over $59,900.
That pay is 3% below the Tennessee figure of $46,720 and 5% below the national figure of $48,070. Johnson City ranks 8th of 10 metro areas in Tennessee for Dental Assistant pay. About 220 Dental Assistants work in the Johnson City area.
Dental Assistant pay in Johnson City at a glance
- Typical pay is $21.89 an hour, or $45,540 a year.
- That is 3% below the Tennessee figure, ranking 8th of 10 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $35,840; the top 10% make over $59,900.
- Typical pay rose +30% from 2015 to 2025, against +34% for Tennessee as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Assistant make in Johnson City?
Pay in Johnson City runs from entry-level positions at around $17.23 an hour to more than $28.80 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 Johnson City
| Career stage | Johnson City | Tennessee | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $35,840$17.23 an hour | $37,810$18.18 an hour | $37,130$17.85 an hour |
| First years | $37,820$18.18 an hour | $44,440$21.37 an hour | $44,340$21.32 an hour |
| Typical Dental Assistant | $45,540$21.89 an hour | $46,720$22.46 an hour | $48,070$23.11 an hour |
| Experienced | $48,980$23.55 an hour | $59,270$28.50 an hour | $58,090$27.93 an hour |
| Top 10% | $59,900$28.80 an hour | $61,260$29.45 an hour | $62,250$29.93 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Johnson City area as BLS defines it
Dental Assistant pay growth in Johnson City
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Assistants in the Johnson City area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Assistant pay in Johnson City was $35,030 a year. By 2025 it had reached $45,540, a change of +30%, compared with +34% for Tennessee over the same years.
How Johnson City compares with other Tennessee cities
Franklin pays Dental Assistants the most in Tennessee at $48,540 a year, $3,000 more than Johnson City. The lowest-paying area in the state is Kingsport at $45,110.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Johnson City | Dental Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Franklin | $48,540 | $23.34 | +7% | 2,730 |
| 2 | Memphis | $48,200 | $23.17 | +6% | 1,200 |
| 3 | Knoxville | $46,790 | $22.49 | +3% | 1,030 |
| 4 | Jackson | $46,590 | $22.40 | +2% | 190 |
| 5 | Chattanooga | $46,360 | $22.29 | +2% | 670 |
| 6 | Clarksville | $46,050 | $22.14 | +1% | 320 |
| 7 | Morristown | $45,550 | $21.90 | 0% | 130 |
| 8 | Johnson City | $45,540 | $21.89 | this city | 220 |
| 9 | Cleveland | $45,230 | $21.75 | -1% | 140 |
| 10 | Bristol metro incl. Kingsport | $45,110 | $21.69 | -1% | 320 |
Every metro area in Tennessee with Dental Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Tennessee typical pay $46,720
Is Johnson City a good place to work as a Dental Assistant?
Dental Assistants in Johnson City earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $45,540 a year, 5% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Johnson City area, about 2.7 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 Johnson City, TN?
- A typical Dental Assistant in Johnson City earns $45,540 a year, or $21.89 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $35,840 and the top 10% earn over $59,900.
- How much does a Dental Assistant make an hour in Johnson City?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Assistants in Johnson City is $21.89. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $17.23, and the top 10% earn over $28.80 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Assistant in Johnson City?
- Entry-level Dental Assistant positions in Johnson City typically offer around $17.23 an hour, or $35,840 a year.
- Is Dental Assistant pay in Johnson City higher than in the rest of Tennessee?
- Johnson City pay is 3% below the Tennessee figure of $46,720 a year, ranking 8th of 10 metro areas in the state. Franklin pays the most in Tennessee at $48,540.