Dental Assistants Salary
The median pay for a dental assistants in Dubuque, IA is $47,850/year ($23/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $59K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.33), which stretches that salary to about $54,792 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,077/month, about 33% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $48K get you in Dubuque?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Dubuque’s Regional Price Parity (87.33). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About dental assistants
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Dubuque
Dental assistants pay in Dubuque tracks closely to the national median, $48K locally vs. $48K nationwide, a 0% difference. Rent runs $1,077/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33.8% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.33 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for dental assistants in metros near Dubuque, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $50K | $55K |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $47K | $53K |
| Cedar Rapids | $48K | $54K |
| Iowa City | $49K | $54K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Dubuque, IA
Entry-level dental assistants (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $48K. Top earners bring in $59K or more, a $20K spread from bottom to top.
Dental Assistants pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Dental Assistants salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | $65K | +36% | 5,980 |
| District of Columbia | $61K | +26% | 630 |
| Maine | $60K | +25% | 1,550 |
| New Hampshire | $60K | +24% | 1,600 |
| Oregon | $59K | +24% | 5,930 |
| Washington | $58K | +21% | 13,050 |
| Massachusetts | $58K | +21% | 9,680 |
| North Dakota | $58K | +20% | 860 |
| Alaska | $58K | +20% | 1,140 |
| Connecticut | $57K | +18% | 3,840 |
| Vermont | $53K | +10% | 580 |
| North Carolina | $50K | +5% | 11,450 |
| Rhode Island | $50K | +4% | 1,050 |
| California | $50K | +4% | 56,220 |
| New Jersey | $49K | +3% | 9,990 |
| Arizona | $49K | +2% | 8,680 |
| Michigan | $49K | +2% | 11,990 |
| Indiana | $49K | +1% | 6,690 |
| Maryland | $49K | +1% | 6,560 |
| Illinois | $49K | +1% | 13,740 |
| Iowa | $48K | +1% | 3,210 |
| Colorado | $48K | +1% | 8,360 |
| New York | $48K | +0% | 19,800 |
| Ohio | $48K | -0% | 12,150 |
| Pennsylvania | $48K | -0% | 12,080 |
| South Dakota | $48K | -0% | 1,290 |
| Kentucky | $48K | -1% | 4,530 |
| Florida | $48K | -1% | 26,620 |
| Delaware | $48K | -1% | 990 |
| Wisconsin | $48K | -1% | 7,760 |
| South Carolina | $47K | -2% | 5,530 |
| Nevada | $47K | -2% | 4,230 |
| Georgia | $47K | -3% | 10,540 |
| Tennessee | $47K | -3% | 7,420 |
| Montana | $47K | -3% | 1,450 |
| Virginia | $47K | -3% | 10,760 |
| Nebraska | $47K | -3% | 2,520 |
| Missouri | $46K | -4% | 6,760 |
| Idaho | $46K | -5% | 2,680 |
| Oklahoma | $46K | -5% | 4,550 |
| Texas | $45K | -5% | 33,230 |
| Wyoming | $45K | -6% | 630 |
| Hawaii | $45K | -7% | 1,960 |
| New Mexico | $44K | -8% | 2,150 |
| Louisiana | $44K | -8% | 4,540 |
| Arkansas | $43K | -11% | 2,950 |
| Mississippi | $39K | -19% | 3,080 |
| Alabama | $39K | -19% | 3,740 |
| West Virginia | $38K | -21% | 1,290 |
| Utah | $38K | -21% | 6,640 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track dental assistants salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Dubuque numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare Support
Frequently asked questions
Can a dental assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Dubuque?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $48K, rent takes 33.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,077/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for dental assistants in Dubuque?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new dental assistants typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,320/month. At HUD’s $1,077/month FMR, rent would take 46% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is dental assistant a high-paying job in Dubuque?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $48K locally vs. $48K nationally, a 0% difference.
How does Dubuque compare to the national average for dental assistants?
Dubuque pays $48K median vs. the U.S. average of $48K — that’s +0%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.33), the purchasing-power equivalent is $55K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do dental assistants make in Dubuque, IA?
The median is $47,850 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,660, and experienced dental assistants can clear $58,560. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $48K enough to live in Dubuque?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,182/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,077/month, which eats 33.8% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a dental assistants salary go in Dubuque?
Dubuque has a Regional Price Parity of 87.33 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median dental assistants salary is worth about $54,792 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do dental assistants get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.