Dental Assistants Salary
The median pay for a dental assistants in Salt Lake City-Murray, UT is $38,330/year ($18.43/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $48K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.87), that's roughly $37,999 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,241/month, about 47.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $38K get you in Salt Lake City-Murray?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Salt Lake City-Murray’s Regional Price Parity (100.87). 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
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What this looks like in Salt Lake City-Murray
Pay for dental assistants in Salt Lake City-Murray runs about 20% below the U.S. median of $48K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,241/month, which is 48% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 100.87) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for dental assistantss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for dental assistants in metros near Salt Lake City-Murray, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Provo-Orem-Lehi | $37K | $37K |
| Ogden | $37K | $37K |
| St. George | $36K | $37K |
| Logan | $36K | $37K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Salt Lake City-Murray, UT
Entry-level dental assistants (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $38K. Top earners bring in $48K or more, a $12K 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 Salt Lake City-Murray numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a dental assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Salt Lake City-Murray?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $38K, rent takes 48% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,241/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for dental assistants in Salt Lake City-Murray?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new dental assistants typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,197/month. At HUD’s $1,241/month FMR, rent would take 56% 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 Salt Lake City-Murray?
Local pay runs 20% below the national median — $38K here vs. $48K nationally.
How does Salt Lake City-Murray compare to the national average for dental assistants?
Salt Lake City-Murray pays $38K median vs. the U.S. average of $48K — that’s -20%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.87), the purchasing-power equivalent is $38K — below the national median.
How much do dental assistants make in Salt Lake City-Murray, UT?
The median is $38,330 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,620, and experienced dental assistants can clear $48,440. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $38K enough to live in Salt Lake City-Murray?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,588/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,241/month, which eats 48% 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 Salt Lake City-Murray?
Salt Lake City-Murray has a Regional Price Parity of 100.87 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median dental assistants salary is worth about $37,999 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.