Dental Assistants Salary
The median pay for a dental assistants in Indiana is $48,670/year ($23.4/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $61K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.81), which stretches that salary to about $53,012 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,144/month, about 33.8% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Indiana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $49K get you in Indiana?
About dental assistants
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What this looks like in Indiana
Dental assistants pay in Indiana tracks closely to the national median, $49K locally vs. $48K nationwide, a 1% difference. Rent runs $1,144/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 34.6% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.81 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% 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.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Indiana
Entry-level dental assistants (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $49K. Top earners bring in $61K or more, a $24K spread from bottom to top.
Dental Assistants salary by metro in Indiana
12 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elkhart-Goshen | $53K | +9% | 160 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $49K | +1% | 2,200 |
| Michigan City-La Porte | $49K | +1% | 80 |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette | $49K | +0% | 190 |
| Fort Wayne | $49K | +0% | 630 |
| Kokomo | $48K | -1% | 140 |
| Bloomington | $48K | -1% | 130 |
| Evansville | $48K | -1% | 300 |
| South Bend-Mishawaka | $48K | -2% | 360 |
| Columbus | $47K | -3% | 120 |
| Terre Haute | $46K | -5% | 110 |
| Muncie | $46K | -7% | 140 |
Showing 1–10 of 12 metros
Compare to other states
Track dental assistants salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Indiana numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a dental assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Indiana?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $49K, rent takes 34.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,144/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 Indiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new dental assistants typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,213/month. At HUD’s $1,144/month FMR, rent would take 52% 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 Indiana?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $49K locally vs. $48K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Indiana compare to the national average for dental assistants?
Indiana pays $49K median vs. the U.S. average of $48K — that’s +1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.81), the purchasing-power equivalent is $53K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do dental assistants make in Indiana?
The median is $48,670 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,880, and experienced dental assistants can clear $60,590. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $49K enough to live in Indiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,305/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,144/month, which eats 34.6% 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 Indiana?
Indiana has a Regional Price Parity of 91.81 (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 $53,012 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.