How Much Does a Dental Assistant Make in Salt Lake City, UT in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Assistants in Salt Lake City, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Utah.
BLS OES May 2025 · Salt Lake City · Murray metro area
A typical Dental Assistant in Salt Lake City, Utah earns $18.43 per hour, or $38,330 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $3,194 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $36,620, and the top 10% of earners make over $48,440.
That pay is 2% above the Utah figure of $37,760 and 20% below the national figure of $48,070. Salt Lake City ranks 1st of 5 metro areas in Utah for Dental Assistant pay. About 2,470 Dental Assistants work in the Salt Lake City · Murray area. Salt Lake City is part of the Salt Lake City · Murray metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Murray share these figures.
Dental Assistant pay in Salt Lake City at a glance
- Typical pay is $18.43 an hour, or $38,330 a year.
- That is 2% above the Utah figure, ranking 1st of 5 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $36,620; the top 10% make over $48,440.
- Typical pay rose +29% from 2015 to 2025, against +31% for Utah as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Assistant make in Salt Lake City?
Pay in Salt Lake City runs from entry-level positions at around $17.60 an hour to more than $23.29 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Utah and national figures.
Dental Assistant pay by career stage in Salt Lake City
| Career stage | Salt Lake City | Utah | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $36,620$17.60 an hour | $35,380$17.01 an hour | $37,130$17.85 an hour |
| First years | $37,340$17.95 an hour | $36,400$17.50 an hour | $44,340$21.32 an hour |
| Typical Dental Assistant | $38,330$18.43 an hour | $37,760$18.16 an hour | $48,070$23.11 an hour |
| Experienced | $47,450$22.81 an hour | $45,770$22.00 an hour | $58,090$27.93 an hour |
| Top 10% | $48,440$23.29 an hour | $47,680$22.92 an hour | $62,250$29.93 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Salt Lake City · Murray area as BLS defines it
Dental Assistant pay growth in Salt Lake City
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Assistants in the Salt Lake City · Murray area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Assistant pay in Salt Lake City was $29,720 a year. By 2025 it had reached $38,330, a change of +29%, compared with +31% for Utah over the same years.
How Salt Lake City compares with other Utah cities
Salt Lake City pays Dental Assistants the most of any metro area in Utah. The lowest-paying area in the state is Logan at $35,680.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Salt Lake City | Dental Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Salt Lake City metro incl. Murray | $38,330 | $18.43 | this city | 2,470 |
| 2 | Ogden | $37,300 | $17.93 | -3% | 1,120 |
| 3 | Lehi | $36,580 | $17.59 | -5% | 1,640 |
| 4 | St. George | $36,350 | $17.48 | -5% | 460 |
| 5 | Logan | $35,680 | $17.15 | -7% | 270 |
Every metro area in Utah with Dental Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Utah typical pay $37,760
Is Salt Lake City a good place to work as a Dental Assistant?
Dental Assistants in Salt Lake City earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $38,330 a year, 20% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Salt Lake City · Murray area, about 3.0 are Dental Assistant positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 2.5. 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 Salt Lake City, UT?
- A typical Dental Assistant in Salt Lake City earns $38,330 a year, or $18.43 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $36,620 and the top 10% earn over $48,440.
- How much does a Dental Assistant make an hour in Salt Lake City?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Assistants in Salt Lake City is $18.43. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $17.60, and the top 10% earn over $23.29 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Assistant in Salt Lake City?
- Entry-level Dental Assistant positions in Salt Lake City typically offer around $17.60 an hour, or $36,620 a year.
- Is Dental Assistant pay in Salt Lake City higher than in the rest of Utah?
- Salt Lake City pay is 2% above the Utah figure of $37,760 a year, ranking 1st of 5 metro areas in the state.