Dental Assistants Salary
The median pay for a dental assistants in Florida is $47,620/year ($22.89/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $59K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.58), that's roughly $48,306 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,658/month, about 48.4% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Florida. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $48K get you in Florida?
About dental assistants
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What this looks like in Florida
Dental assistants pay in Florida tracks closely to the national median, $48K locally vs. $48K nationwide, a 1% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,658/month, which is 49.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.58) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Florida
Entry-level dental assistants (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $48K. Top earners bring in $59K or more, a $21K spread from bottom to top.
Dental Assistants salary by metro in Florida
22 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Naples-Marco Island | $57K | +20% | 550 |
| Punta Gorda | $51K | +7% | 200 |
| Jacksonville | $50K | +6% | 1,850 |
| North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota | $48K | +1% | 1,170 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | $48K | +1% | 9,180 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | $47K | -0% | 800 |
| Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin | $47K | -1% | 300 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater | $47K | -2% | 3,560 |
| Lakeland-Winter Haven | $47K | -2% | 580 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford | $46K | -2% | 3,260 |
| Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor | $46K | -2% | 220 |
| Panama City-Panama City Beach | $46K | -3% | 180 |
| Port St. Lucie | $46K | -3% | 530 |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers | $46K | -3% | 900 |
| Gainesville | $46K | -3% | 440 |
| Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent | $46K | -3% | 550 |
| Wildwood-The Villages | $46K | -3% | 150 |
| Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach | $46K | -4% | 670 |
| Tallahassee | $45K | -5% | 340 |
| Sebring | $45K | -5% | 90 |
| Homosassa Springs | $45K | -5% | 100 |
| Ocala | $45K | -6% | 370 |
Showing 1–10 of 22 metros
Compare to other states
Track dental assistants salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Florida numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a dental assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Florida?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $48K, rent takes 49.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,658/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 Florida?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new dental assistants typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,268/month. At HUD’s $1,658/month FMR, rent would take 73% 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 Florida?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $48K locally vs. $48K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Florida compare to the national average for dental assistants?
Florida pays $48K median vs. the U.S. average of $48K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.58), the purchasing-power equivalent is $48K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do dental assistants make in Florida?
The median is $47,620 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,800, and experienced dental assistants can clear $58,880. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $48K enough to live in Florida?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,359/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,658/month, which eats 49.4% 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 Florida?
Florida has a Regional Price Parity of 98.58 (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 $48,306 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.