How Much Does a Dental Assistant Make in Memphis, TN in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Assistants in Memphis, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Tennessee.
BLS OES May 2025 · Memphis metro area
A typical Dental Assistant in Memphis, Tennessee earns $23.17 per hour, or $48,200 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $4,017 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $36,940, and the top 10% of earners make over $61,790.
That pay is 3% above the Tennessee figure of $46,720 and right at the national figure of $48,070. Memphis ranks 2nd of 10 metro areas in Tennessee for Dental Assistant pay. About 1,200 Dental Assistants work in the Memphis area.
Dental Assistant pay in Memphis at a glance
- Typical pay is $23.17 an hour, or $48,200 a year.
- That is 3% above the Tennessee figure, ranking 2nd of 10 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $36,940; the top 10% make over $61,790.
- Typical pay rose +40% from 2015 to 2025, against +34% for Tennessee as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Assistant make in Memphis?
Pay in Memphis runs from entry-level positions at around $17.76 an hour to more than $29.71 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 Memphis
| Career stage | Memphis | Tennessee | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $36,940$17.76 an hour | $37,810$18.18 an hour | $37,130$17.85 an hour |
| First years | $40,650$19.55 an hour | $44,440$21.37 an hour | $44,340$21.32 an hour |
| Typical Dental Assistant | $48,200$23.17 an hour | $46,720$22.46 an hour | $48,070$23.11 an hour |
| Experienced | $59,010$28.37 an hour | $59,270$28.50 an hour | $58,090$27.93 an hour |
| Top 10% | $61,790$29.71 an hour | $61,260$29.45 an hour | $62,250$29.93 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Memphis area as BLS defines it
Dental Assistant pay growth in Memphis
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Assistants in the Memphis area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Assistant pay in Memphis was $34,490 a year. By 2025 it had reached $48,200, a change of +40%, compared with +34% for Tennessee over the same years.
How Memphis compares with other Tennessee cities
Franklin pays Dental Assistants the most in Tennessee at $48,540 a year, $340 more than Memphis. The lowest-paying area in the state is Kingsport at $45,110.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Memphis | Dental Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Franklin | $48,540 | $23.34 | +1% | 2,730 |
| 2 | Memphis | $48,200 | $23.17 | this city | 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 | -4% | 670 |
| 6 | Clarksville | $46,050 | $22.14 | -4% | 320 |
| 7 | Morristown | $45,550 | $21.90 | -5% | 130 |
| 8 | Johnson City | $45,540 | $21.89 | -6% | 220 |
| 9 | Cleveland | $45,230 | $21.75 | -6% | 140 |
| 10 | Bristol metro incl. Kingsport | $45,110 | $21.69 | -6% | 320 |
Every metro area in Tennessee with Dental Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Tennessee typical pay $46,720
Is Memphis a good place to work as a Dental Assistant?
Dental Assistant pay in Memphis sits close to the national figure: $48,200 a year, right at the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Memphis area, about 2.0 are Dental Assistant positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 2.5. That makes Dental Assistants a smaller part of the local job market than usual, so employers draw from a smaller pool of qualified candidates.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Dental Assistant make in Memphis, TN?
- A typical Dental Assistant in Memphis earns $48,200 a year, or $23.17 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $36,940 and the top 10% earn over $61,790.
- How much does a Dental Assistant make an hour in Memphis?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Assistants in Memphis is $23.17. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $17.76, and the top 10% earn over $29.71 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Assistant in Memphis?
- Entry-level Dental Assistant positions in Memphis typically offer around $17.76 an hour, or $36,940 a year.
- Is Dental Assistant pay in Memphis higher than in the rest of Tennessee?
- Memphis pay is 3% above the Tennessee figure of $46,720 a year, ranking 2nd of 10 metro areas in the state. Franklin pays the most in Tennessee at $48,540.