How Much Does a Dental Assistant Make in Bristol, VA in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Assistants in Bristol, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Virginia.
BLS OES May 2025 · Kingsport · Bristol metro area
A typical Dental Assistant in Bristol, Virginia 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 Virginia figure of $46,670 and 6% below the national figure of $48,070. Bristol ranks 10th of 11 metro areas in Virginia for Dental Assistant pay. About 320 Dental Assistants work in the Kingsport · Bristol area.
Dental Assistant pay in Bristol at a glance
- Typical pay is $21.69 an hour, or $45,110 a year.
- That is 3% below the Virginia figure, ranking 10th of 11 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 +27% for Virginia as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Assistant make in Bristol?
Pay in Bristol 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 Virginia and national figures.
Dental Assistant pay by career stage in Bristol
| Career stage | Bristol | Virginia | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $36,120$17.37 an hour | $37,720$18.14 an hour | $37,130$17.85 an hour |
| First years | $37,810$18.18 an hour | $39,160$18.83 an hour | $44,340$21.32 an hour |
| Typical Dental Assistant | $45,110$21.69 an hour | $46,670$22.44 an hour | $48,070$23.11 an hour |
| Experienced | $47,560$22.87 an hour | $53,040$25.50 an hour | $58,090$27.93 an hour |
| Top 10% | $59,230$28.48 an hour | $58,910$28.32 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 Bristol
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 Bristol was $31,160 a year. By 2025 it had reached $45,110, a change of +45%, compared with +27% for Virginia over the same years.
How Bristol compares with other Virginia cities
Richmond pays Dental Assistants the most in Virginia at $47,760 a year, $2,650 more than Bristol. The lowest-paying area in the state is Charlottesville at $45,040.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Bristol | Dental Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Richmond | $47,760 | $22.96 | +6% | 1,610 |
| 2 | Arlington | $47,540 | $22.85 | +5% | 8,440 |
| 3 | Virginia Beach | $46,670 | $22.44 | +3% | 1,860 |
| 4 | Christiansburg metro incl. Radford · Blacksburg | $46,480 | $22.35 | +3% | 120 |
| 5 | Winchester | $46,310 | $22.27 | +3% | 180 |
| 6 | Staunton metro incl. Stuarts Draft | $45,810 | $22.03 | +2% | 110 |
| 7 | Harrisonburg | $45,320 | $21.79 | 0% | 170 |
| 8 | Roanoke | $45,170 | $21.72 | 0% | 300 |
| 9 | Lynchburg | $45,110 | $21.69 | 0% | 230 |
| 10 | Bristol | $45,110 | $21.69 | this city | 320 |
| 11 | Charlottesville | $45,040 | $21.65 | 0% | 280 |
Every metro area in Virginia with Dental Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Virginia typical pay $46,670
Is Bristol a good place to work as a Dental Assistant?
Dental Assistants in Bristol 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 Bristol, VA?
- A typical Dental Assistant in Bristol 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 Bristol?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Assistants in Bristol 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 Bristol?
- Entry-level Dental Assistant positions in Bristol typically offer around $17.37 an hour, or $36,120 a year.
- Is Dental Assistant pay in Bristol higher than in the rest of Virginia?
- Bristol pay is 3% below the Virginia figure of $46,670 a year, ranking 10th of 11 metro areas in the state. Richmond pays the most in Virginia at $47,760.