Based on the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data — updated September 10, 2026.
| Illinois | National | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual salary | $48,610 | $48,867 | -1% |
| Median hourly wage | $23.37 | $23.49 | -1% |
Adjusted for local price levels (100 = national average), the cost-adjusted median is $48,610.
| City | Median | Entry Level | Experienced | Cost of Living |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City-level data coming soon. | ||||
The median annual salary for a Dental Assistant in Illinois is $48,610, or about $23.37 per hour, according to BLS OEWS data.
The national median for Dental Assistants is $48,867. Illinois is -1% below the national median.
Entry-level dental assistants in Illinois typically earn from varies by experience depending on the city and employer.
With 13,740 dental assistant jobs on record and a median salary of $48,610, Illinois offers competitive pay compared to the rest of the country.
By median annual wage, dental assistants rank 532 of the 747 occupations reported in Illinois — higher than 29% of them.
Among occupations in the same job family, Physical Therapist Assistants at $65,240, Occupational Therapy Assistants at $64,120, Massage Therapists at $60,490 — all figures are median annual wages for Illinois.
No. Every figure on this page is a gross (pre-tax) wage. Illinois levies a state income tax, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 100.0 (100 = national average).
By median annual wage, dental assistants rank 532 of the 747 occupations reported in Illinois — higher than 29% of them.
| Occupation in the same job family | Median in Illinois | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Physical Therapist Assistants | $65,240 | $4,890 |
| Occupational Therapy Assistants | $64,120 | $2,470 |
| Massage Therapists | $60,490 | $4,950 |
| Psychiatric Aides | $48,670 | $120 |
| Healthcare Support Workers, All Other | $48,360 | $1,330 |
| Medical Equipment Preparers | $48,050 | $2,800 |
Illinois levies a state income tax, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 100.0 (100 = national average).
Ranking and comparison figures come from the same BLS OEWS release as the rest of this page, which covers 747 occupations in Illinois.