How Much Does a Dental Assistant Make in Kingsport, TN in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Assistants in Kingsport, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Tennessee.
BLS OES May 2025 · Kingsport · Bristol metro area
A typical Dental Assistant in Kingsport, Tennessee earns $21.69 per hour, or $45,110 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $3,759 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $36,120, and the top 10% of earners make over $59,230.
That pay is 3% below the Tennessee figure of $46,720 and 6% below the national figure of $48,070. Kingsport ranks 10th of 10 metro areas in Tennessee for Dental Assistant pay. About 320 Dental Assistants work in the Kingsport · Bristol area. Kingsport is part of the Kingsport · Bristol metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Bristol share these figures.
Dental Assistant pay in Kingsport at a glance
- Typical pay is $21.69 an hour, or $45,110 a year.
- That is 3% below the Tennessee figure, ranking 10th of 10 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $36,120; the top 10% make over $59,230.
- Typical pay rose +45% from 2015 to 2025, against +34% for Tennessee as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Assistant make in Kingsport?
Pay in Kingsport runs from entry-level positions at around $17.37 an hour to more than $28.48 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 Kingsport
| Career stage | Kingsport | Tennessee | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $36,120$17.37 an hour | $37,810$18.18 an hour | $37,130$17.85 an hour |
| First years | $37,810$18.18 an hour | $44,440$21.37 an hour | $44,340$21.32 an hour |
| Typical Dental Assistant | $45,110$21.69 an hour | $46,720$22.46 an hour | $48,070$23.11 an hour |
| Experienced | $47,560$22.87 an hour | $59,270$28.50 an hour | $58,090$27.93 an hour |
| Top 10% | $59,230$28.48 an hour | $61,260$29.45 an hour | $62,250$29.93 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Kingsport · Bristol area as BLS defines it
Dental Assistant pay growth in Kingsport
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Assistants in the Kingsport · Bristol area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Assistant pay in Kingsport was $31,160 a year. By 2025 it had reached $45,110, a change of +45%, compared with +34% for Tennessee over the same years.
How Kingsport compares with other Tennessee cities
Franklin pays Dental Assistants the most in Tennessee at $48,540 a year, $3,430 more than Kingsport. The lowest-paying area in the state is Kingsport at $45,110.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Kingsport | Dental Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Franklin | $48,540 | $23.34 | +8% | 2,730 |
| 2 | Memphis | $48,200 | $23.17 | +7% | 1,200 |
| 3 | Knoxville | $46,790 | $22.49 | +4% | 1,030 |
| 4 | Jackson | $46,590 | $22.40 | +3% | 190 |
| 5 | Chattanooga | $46,360 | $22.29 | +3% | 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 | 0% | 140 |
| 10 | Kingsport metro incl. Bristol | $45,110 | $21.69 | this city | 320 |
Every metro area in Tennessee with Dental Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Tennessee typical pay $46,720
Is Kingsport a good place to work as a Dental Assistant?
Dental Assistants in Kingsport earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $45,110 a year, 6% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Kingsport · Bristol 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 Kingsport, TN?
- A typical Dental Assistant in Kingsport earns $45,110 a year, or $21.69 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $36,120 and the top 10% earn over $59,230.
- How much does a Dental Assistant make an hour in Kingsport?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Assistants in Kingsport is $21.69. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $17.37, and the top 10% earn over $28.48 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Assistant in Kingsport?
- Entry-level Dental Assistant positions in Kingsport typically offer around $17.37 an hour, or $36,120 a year.
- Is Dental Assistant pay in Kingsport higher than in the rest of Tennessee?
- Kingsport pay is 3% below the Tennessee figure of $46,720 a year, ranking 10th of 10 metro areas in the state. Franklin pays the most in Tennessee at $48,540.