How Much Does a Dental Assistant Make in San Marcos, TX in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Assistants in San Marcos, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Texas.
BLS OES May 2025 · Austin · Round Rock · San Marcos metro area
A typical Dental Assistant in San Marcos, Texas earns $23.32 per hour, or $48,500 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $4,042 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $36,630, and the top 10% of earners make over $64,440.
That pay is 7% above the Texas figure of $45,430 and 1% above the national figure of $48,070. San Marcos ranks 1st of 25 metro areas in Texas for Dental Assistant pay. About 3,010 Dental Assistants work in the Austin · Round Rock · San Marcos area. San Marcos is part of the Austin · Round Rock · San Marcos metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Austin and Round Rock share these figures.
Dental Assistant pay in San Marcos at a glance
- Typical pay is $23.32 an hour, or $48,500 a year.
- That is 7% above the Texas figure, ranking 1st of 25 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $36,630; the top 10% make over $64,440.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Assistant make in San Marcos?
Pay in San Marcos runs from entry-level positions at around $17.61 an hour to more than $30.98 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Texas and national figures.
Dental Assistant pay by career stage in San Marcos
| Career stage | San Marcos | Texas | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $36,630$17.61 an hour | $35,400$17.02 an hour | $37,130$17.85 an hour |
| First years | $39,530$19.01 an hour | $37,360$17.96 an hour | $44,340$21.32 an hour |
| Typical Dental Assistant | $48,500$23.32 an hour | $45,430$21.84 an hour | $48,070$23.11 an hour |
| Experienced | $58,420$28.09 an hour | $48,280$23.21 an hour | $58,090$27.93 an hour |
| Top 10% | $64,440$30.98 an hour | $57,640$27.71 an hour | $62,250$29.93 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Austin · Round Rock · San Marcos area as BLS defines it
How San Marcos compares with other Texas cities
San Marcos pays Dental Assistants the most of any metro area in Texas. The lowest-paying area in the state is Edinburg at $37,230.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs San Marcos | Dental Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Marcos metro incl. Austin · Round Rock | $48,500 | $23.32 | this city | 3,010 |
| 2 | Dallas metro incl. Arlington · Fort Worth | $47,570 | $22.87 | -2% | 9,010 |
| 3 | Denison metro incl. Sherman | $46,040 | $22.14 | -5% | 240 |
| 4 | New Braunfels metro incl. San Antonio | $45,920 | $22.08 | -5% | 3,820 |
| 5 | Midland | $45,820 | $22.03 | -6% | 190 |
| 6 | Beaumont metro incl. Port Arthur | $44,820 | $21.55 | -8% | 350 |
| 7 | Killeen metro incl. Temple | $44,450 | $21.37 | -8% | 470 |
| 8 | Odessa | $44,300 | $21.30 | -9% | 150 |
| 9 | Amarillo | $44,010 | $21.16 | -9% | 280 |
| 10 | Waco | $43,980 | $21.14 | -9% | 250 |
| 11 | Victoria | $43,980 | $21.15 | -9% | 90 |
| 12 | The Woodlands | $43,730 | $21.02 | -10% | 8,150 |
| 13 | Bryan metro incl. College Station | $43,630 | $20.98 | -10% | 270 |
| 14 | Longview | $43,300 | $20.82 | -11% | 280 |
| 15 | Wichita Falls | $40,280 | $19.37 | -17% | 120 |
| 16 | Lubbock | $39,900 | $19.18 | -18% | 440 |
| 17 | Abilene | $39,510 | $19.00 | -19% | 170 |
| 18 | El Paso | $39,090 | $18.79 | -19% | 840 |
| 19 | Corpus Christi | $38,730 | $18.62 | -20% | 380 |
| 20 | San Angelo | $38,710 | $18.61 | -20% | 110 |
| 21 | Tyler | $38,390 | $18.46 | -21% | 370 |
| 22 | Texarkana | $38,180 | $18.36 | -21% | 120 |
| 23 | Laredo | $37,900 | $18.22 | -22% | 190 |
| 24 | Harlingen metro incl. Brownsville | $37,560 | $18.06 | -23% | 330 |
| 25 | Mission | $37,230 | $17.90 | -23% | 670 |
Every metro area in Texas with Dental Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Texas typical pay $45,430
Is San Marcos a good place to work as a Dental Assistant?
Dental Assistant pay in San Marcos sits close to the national figure: $48,500 a year, 1% above the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Austin · Round Rock · San Marcos area, about 2.3 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 San Marcos, TX?
- A typical Dental Assistant in San Marcos earns $48,500 a year, or $23.32 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $36,630 and the top 10% earn over $64,440.
- How much does a Dental Assistant make an hour in San Marcos?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Assistants in San Marcos is $23.32. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $17.61, and the top 10% earn over $30.98 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Assistant in San Marcos?
- Entry-level Dental Assistant positions in San Marcos typically offer around $17.61 an hour, or $36,630 a year.
- Is Dental Assistant pay in San Marcos higher than in the rest of Texas?
- San Marcos pay is 7% above the Texas figure of $45,430 a year, ranking 1st of 25 metro areas in the state.