How Much Does a Dental Assistant Make in Madison, WI in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Assistants in Madison, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Wisconsin.
BLS OES May 2025 · Madison metro area
A typical Dental Assistant in Madison, Wisconsin earns $24.01 per hour, or $49,930 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $4,161 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $46,720, and the top 10% of earners make over $61,080.
That pay is 5% above the Wisconsin figure of $47,520 and 4% above the national figure of $48,070. Madison ranks 2nd of 14 metro areas in Wisconsin for Dental Assistant pay. About 920 Dental Assistants work in the Madison area.
Dental Assistant pay in Madison at a glance
- Typical pay is $24.01 an hour, or $49,930 a year.
- That is 5% above the Wisconsin figure, ranking 2nd of 14 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $46,720; the top 10% make over $61,080.
- Typical pay rose +38% from 2015 to 2025, against +30% for Wisconsin as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Assistant make in Madison?
Pay in Madison runs from entry-level positions at around $22.46 an hour to more than $29.37 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 Madison
| Career stage | Madison | Wisconsin | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $46,720$22.46 an hour | $39,500$18.99 an hour | $37,130$17.85 an hour |
| First years | $48,240$23.19 an hour | $45,560$21.91 an hour | $44,340$21.32 an hour |
| Typical Dental Assistant | $49,930$24.01 an hour | $47,520$22.85 an hour | $48,070$23.11 an hour |
| Experienced | $58,430$28.09 an hour | $55,630$26.75 an hour | $58,090$27.93 an hour |
| Top 10% | $61,080$29.37 an hour | $58,840$28.29 an hour | $62,250$29.93 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Madison area as BLS defines it
Dental Assistant pay growth in Madison
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Assistants in the Madison area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Assistant pay in Madison was $36,190 a year. By 2025 it had reached $49,930, a change of +38%, compared with +30% for Wisconsin over the same years.
How Madison compares with other Wisconsin cities
Bloomington pays Dental Assistants the most in Wisconsin at $72,370 a year, $22,440 more than Madison. The lowest-paying area in the state is Racine at $45,190.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Madison | Dental Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bloomington metro incl. St. Paul | $72,370 | $34.79 | +45% | 3,910 |
| 2 | Madison | $49,930 | $24.01 | this city | 920 |
| 3 | Fond du Lac | $49,470 | $23.79 | -1% | 130 |
| 4 | Green Bay | $48,700 | $23.41 | -2% | 410 |
| 5 | Sheboygan | $47,760 | $22.96 | -4% | 160 |
| 6 | Beloit metro incl. Janesville | $47,750 | $22.96 | -4% | 170 |
| 7 | Kenosha | $47,310 | $22.75 | -5% | 180 |
| 8 | Appleton | $47,240 | $22.71 | -5% | 370 |
| 9 | Onalaska metro incl. La Crosse | $47,180 | $22.68 | -6% | 230 |
| 10 | Waukesha metro incl. Milwaukee | $47,140 | $22.66 | -6% | 2,400 |
| 11 | Eau Claire | $46,850 | $22.53 | -6% | 330 |
| 12 | Wausau | $46,740 | $22.47 | -6% | 230 |
| 13 | Neenah metro incl. Oshkosh | $46,440 | $22.33 | -7% | 200 |
| 14 | Mount Pleasant metro incl. Racine | $45,190 | $21.73 | -9% | 310 |
Every metro area in Wisconsin with Dental Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Wisconsin typical pay $47,520
Is Madison a good place to work as a Dental Assistant?
Dental Assistant pay in Madison sits close to the national figure: $49,930 a year, 4% above the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Madison 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 Madison, WI?
- A typical Dental Assistant in Madison earns $49,930 a year, or $24.01 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $46,720 and the top 10% earn over $61,080.
- How much does a Dental Assistant make an hour in Madison?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Assistants in Madison is $24.01. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $22.46, and the top 10% earn over $29.37 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Assistant in Madison?
- Entry-level Dental Assistant positions in Madison typically offer around $22.46 an hour, or $46,720 a year.
- Is Dental Assistant pay in Madison higher than in the rest of Wisconsin?
- Madison pay is 5% above the Wisconsin figure of $47,520 a year, ranking 2nd of 14 metro areas in the state. Bloomington pays the most in Wisconsin at $72,370.