How Much Does a Dental Assistant Make in Virginia Beach, VA in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Assistants in Virginia Beach, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Virginia.
BLS OES May 2025 · Virginia Beach · Chesapeake · Norfolk metro area
A typical Dental Assistant in Virginia Beach, Virginia earns $22.44 per hour, or $46,670 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $3,889 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $37,260, and the top 10% of earners make over $58,500.
That pay is right at the Virginia figure of $46,670 and 3% below the national figure of $48,070. Virginia Beach ranks 3rd of 11 metro areas in Virginia for Dental Assistant pay. About 1,860 Dental Assistants work in the Virginia Beach · Chesapeake · Norfolk area.
Dental Assistant pay in Virginia Beach at a glance
- Typical pay is $22.44 an hour, or $46,670 a year.
- That is right at the Virginia figure, ranking 3rd of 11 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $37,260; the top 10% make over $58,500.
- Typical pay rose +49% from 2015 to 2025, against +27% for Virginia as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Assistant make in Virginia Beach?
Pay in Virginia Beach runs from entry-level positions at around $17.91 an hour to more than $28.12 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 Virginia Beach
| Career stage | Virginia Beach | Virginia | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $37,260$17.91 an hour | $37,720$18.14 an hour | $37,130$17.85 an hour |
| First years | $39,020$18.76 an hour | $39,160$18.83 an hour | $44,340$21.32 an hour |
| Typical Dental Assistant | $46,670$22.44 an hour | $46,670$22.44 an hour | $48,070$23.11 an hour |
| Experienced | $54,980$26.43 an hour | $53,040$25.50 an hour | $58,090$27.93 an hour |
| Top 10% | $58,500$28.12 an hour | $58,910$28.32 an hour | $62,250$29.93 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Virginia Beach · Chesapeake · Norfolk area as BLS defines it
Dental Assistant pay growth in Virginia Beach
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Assistants in the Virginia Beach · Chesapeake · Norfolk area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Assistant pay in Virginia Beach was $31,240 a year. By 2025 it had reached $46,670, a change of +49%, compared with +27% for Virginia over the same years.
How Virginia Beach compares with other Virginia cities
Richmond pays Dental Assistants the most in Virginia at $47,760 a year, $1,090 more than Virginia Beach. The lowest-paying area in the state is Charlottesville at $45,040.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Virginia Beach | Dental Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Richmond | $47,760 | $22.96 | +2% | 1,610 |
| 2 | Arlington | $47,540 | $22.85 | +2% | 8,440 |
| 3 | Virginia Beach | $46,670 | $22.44 | this city | 1,860 |
| 4 | Christiansburg metro incl. Radford · Blacksburg | $46,480 | $22.35 | 0% | 120 |
| 5 | Winchester | $46,310 | $22.27 | -1% | 180 |
| 6 | Staunton metro incl. Stuarts Draft | $45,810 | $22.03 | -2% | 110 |
| 7 | Harrisonburg | $45,320 | $21.79 | -3% | 170 |
| 8 | Roanoke | $45,170 | $21.72 | -3% | 300 |
| 9 | Lynchburg | $45,110 | $21.69 | -3% | 230 |
| 10 | Bristol | $45,110 | $21.69 | -3% | 320 |
| 11 | Charlottesville | $45,040 | $21.65 | -3% | 280 |
Every metro area in Virginia with Dental Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Virginia typical pay $46,670
Is Virginia Beach a good place to work as a Dental Assistant?
Dental Assistant pay in Virginia Beach sits close to the national figure: $46,670 a year, 3% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Virginia Beach · Chesapeake · Norfolk area, about 2.4 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 Virginia Beach, VA?
- A typical Dental Assistant in Virginia Beach earns $46,670 a year, or $22.44 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $37,260 and the top 10% earn over $58,500.
- How much does a Dental Assistant make an hour in Virginia Beach?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Assistants in Virginia Beach is $22.44. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $17.91, and the top 10% earn over $28.12 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Assistant in Virginia Beach?
- Entry-level Dental Assistant positions in Virginia Beach typically offer around $17.91 an hour, or $37,260 a year.
- Is Dental Assistant pay in Virginia Beach higher than in the rest of Virginia?
- Virginia Beach pay is right at the Virginia figure of $46,670 a year, ranking 3rd of 11 metro areas in the state. Richmond pays the most in Virginia at $47,760.