How Much Does a Dental Assistant Make in Appleton, WI in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Assistants in Appleton, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Wisconsin.
BLS OES May 2025 · Appleton metro area
A typical Dental Assistant in Appleton, Wisconsin earns $22.71 per hour, or $47,240 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $3,937 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $44,220, and the top 10% of earners make over $60,370.
That pay is 1% below the Wisconsin figure of $47,520 and 2% below the national figure of $48,070. Appleton ranks 8th of 14 metro areas in Wisconsin for Dental Assistant pay. About 370 Dental Assistants work in the Appleton area.
Dental Assistant pay in Appleton at a glance
- Typical pay is $22.71 an hour, or $47,240 a year.
- That is 1% below the Wisconsin figure, ranking 8th of 14 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $44,220; the top 10% make over $60,370.
- Typical pay rose +30% from 2015 to 2025, against +30% for Wisconsin as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Assistant make in Appleton?
Pay in Appleton runs from entry-level positions at around $21.26 an hour to more than $29.03 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Wisconsin and national figures.
Dental Assistant pay by career stage in Appleton
| Career stage | Appleton | Wisconsin | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $44,220$21.26 an hour | $39,500$18.99 an hour | $37,130$17.85 an hour |
| First years | $45,660$21.95 an hour | $45,560$21.91 an hour | $44,340$21.32 an hour |
| Typical Dental Assistant | $47,240$22.71 an hour | $47,520$22.85 an hour | $48,070$23.11 an hour |
| Experienced | $56,760$27.29 an hour | $55,630$26.75 an hour | $58,090$27.93 an hour |
| Top 10% | $60,370$29.03 an hour | $58,840$28.29 an hour | $62,250$29.93 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Appleton area as BLS defines it
Dental Assistant pay growth in Appleton
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Assistants in the Appleton area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Assistant pay in Appleton was $36,290 a year. By 2025 it had reached $47,240, a change of +30%, compared with +30% for Wisconsin over the same years.
How Appleton compares with other Wisconsin cities
Bloomington pays Dental Assistants the most in Wisconsin at $72,370 a year, $25,130 more than Appleton. The lowest-paying area in the state is Racine at $45,190.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Appleton | Dental Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bloomington metro incl. St. Paul | $72,370 | $34.79 | +53% | 3,910 |
| 2 | Madison | $49,930 | $24.01 | +6% | 920 |
| 3 | Fond du Lac | $49,470 | $23.79 | +5% | 130 |
| 4 | Green Bay | $48,700 | $23.41 | +3% | 410 |
| 5 | Sheboygan | $47,760 | $22.96 | +1% | 160 |
| 6 | Beloit metro incl. Janesville | $47,750 | $22.96 | +1% | 170 |
| 7 | Kenosha | $47,310 | $22.75 | 0% | 180 |
| 8 | Appleton | $47,240 | $22.71 | this city | 370 |
| 9 | Onalaska metro incl. La Crosse | $47,180 | $22.68 | 0% | 230 |
| 10 | Waukesha metro incl. Milwaukee | $47,140 | $22.66 | 0% | 2,400 |
| 11 | Eau Claire | $46,850 | $22.53 | -1% | 330 |
| 12 | Wausau | $46,740 | $22.47 | -1% | 230 |
| 13 | Neenah metro incl. Oshkosh | $46,440 | $22.33 | -2% | 200 |
| 14 | Mount Pleasant metro incl. Racine | $45,190 | $21.73 | -4% | 310 |
Every metro area in Wisconsin with Dental Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Wisconsin typical pay $47,520
Is Appleton a good place to work as a Dental Assistant?
Dental Assistant pay in Appleton sits close to the national figure: $47,240 a year, 2% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Appleton 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 Appleton, WI?
- A typical Dental Assistant in Appleton earns $47,240 a year, or $22.71 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $44,220 and the top 10% earn over $60,370.
- How much does a Dental Assistant make an hour in Appleton?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Assistants in Appleton is $22.71. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $21.26, and the top 10% earn over $29.03 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Assistant in Appleton?
- Entry-level Dental Assistant positions in Appleton typically offer around $21.26 an hour, or $44,220 a year.
- Is Dental Assistant pay in Appleton higher than in the rest of Wisconsin?
- Appleton pay is 1% below the Wisconsin figure of $47,520 a year, ranking 8th of 14 metro areas in the state. Bloomington pays the most in Wisconsin at $72,370.