How Much Does a Dental Assistant Make in Wausau, WI in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Assistants in Wausau, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Wisconsin.
BLS OES May 2025 · Wausau metro area
A typical Dental Assistant in Wausau, Wisconsin earns $22.47 per hour, or $46,740 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $3,895 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $38,420, and the top 10% of earners make over $57,720.
That pay is 2% below the Wisconsin figure of $47,520 and 3% below the national figure of $48,070. Wausau ranks 12th of 14 metro areas in Wisconsin for Dental Assistant pay. About 230 Dental Assistants work in the Wausau area.
Dental Assistant pay in Wausau at a glance
- Typical pay is $22.47 an hour, or $46,740 a year.
- That is 2% below the Wisconsin figure, ranking 12th of 14 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $38,420; the top 10% make over $57,720.
- Typical pay rose +32% from 2015 to 2025, against +30% for Wisconsin as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Assistant make in Wausau?
Pay in Wausau runs from entry-level positions at around $18.47 an hour to more than $27.75 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 Wausau
| Career stage | Wausau | Wisconsin | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $38,420$18.47 an hour | $39,500$18.99 an hour | $37,130$17.85 an hour |
| First years | $44,290$21.29 an hour | $45,560$21.91 an hour | $44,340$21.32 an hour |
| Typical Dental Assistant | $46,740$22.47 an hour | $47,520$22.85 an hour | $48,070$23.11 an hour |
| Experienced | $52,560$25.27 an hour | $55,630$26.75 an hour | $58,090$27.93 an hour |
| Top 10% | $57,720$27.75 an hour | $58,840$28.29 an hour | $62,250$29.93 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Wausau area as BLS defines it
Dental Assistant pay growth in Wausau
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Assistants in the Wausau area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Assistant pay in Wausau was $35,370 a year. By 2025 it had reached $46,740, a change of +32%, compared with +30% for Wisconsin over the same years.
How Wausau compares with other Wisconsin cities
Bloomington pays Dental Assistants the most in Wisconsin at $72,370 a year, $25,630 more than Wausau. The lowest-paying area in the state is Racine at $45,190.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Wausau | Dental Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bloomington metro incl. St. Paul | $72,370 | $34.79 | +55% | 3,910 |
| 2 | Madison | $49,930 | $24.01 | +7% | 920 |
| 3 | Fond du Lac | $49,470 | $23.79 | +6% | 130 |
| 4 | Green Bay | $48,700 | $23.41 | +4% | 410 |
| 5 | Sheboygan | $47,760 | $22.96 | +2% | 160 |
| 6 | Beloit metro incl. Janesville | $47,750 | $22.96 | +2% | 170 |
| 7 | Kenosha | $47,310 | $22.75 | +1% | 180 |
| 8 | Appleton | $47,240 | $22.71 | +1% | 370 |
| 9 | Onalaska metro incl. La Crosse | $47,180 | $22.68 | +1% | 230 |
| 10 | Waukesha metro incl. Milwaukee | $47,140 | $22.66 | +1% | 2,400 |
| 11 | Eau Claire | $46,850 | $22.53 | 0% | 330 |
| 12 | Wausau | $46,740 | $22.47 | this city | 230 |
| 13 | Neenah metro incl. Oshkosh | $46,440 | $22.33 | -1% | 200 |
| 14 | Mount Pleasant metro incl. Racine | $45,190 | $21.73 | -3% | 310 |
Every metro area in Wisconsin with Dental Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Wisconsin typical pay $47,520
Is Wausau a good place to work as a Dental Assistant?
Dental Assistant pay in Wausau sits close to the national figure: $46,740 a year, 3% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Wausau area, about 3.3 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 Wausau, WI?
- A typical Dental Assistant in Wausau earns $46,740 a year, or $22.47 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $38,420 and the top 10% earn over $57,720.
- How much does a Dental Assistant make an hour in Wausau?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Assistants in Wausau is $22.47. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $18.47, and the top 10% earn over $27.75 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Assistant in Wausau?
- Entry-level Dental Assistant positions in Wausau typically offer around $18.47 an hour, or $38,420 a year.
- Is Dental Assistant pay in Wausau higher than in the rest of Wisconsin?
- Wausau pay is 2% below the Wisconsin figure of $47,520 a year, ranking 12th of 14 metro areas in the state. Bloomington pays the most in Wisconsin at $72,370.