Based on the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data — updated September 10, 2026.
| Massachusetts | National | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual salary | $57,980 | $48,867 | +19% |
| Median hourly wage | $27.88 | $23.49 | +19% |
Adjusted for local price levels (100 = national average), the cost-adjusted median is $54,802.
| City | Median | Entry Level | Experienced | Cost of Living |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City-level data coming soon. | ||||
The median annual salary for a Dental Assistant in Massachusetts is $57,980, or about $27.88 per hour, according to BLS OEWS data.
The national median for Dental Assistants is $48,867. Massachusetts is +19% above the national median.
Entry-level dental assistants in Massachusetts typically earn from varies by experience depending on the city and employer.
With 9,680 dental assistant jobs on record and a median salary of $57,980, Massachusetts offers above-average pay compared to the rest of the country.
By median annual wage, dental assistants rank 469 of the 717 occupations reported in Massachusetts — higher than 35% of them.
Among occupations in the same job family, Physical Therapist Assistants at $79,460, Occupational Therapy Assistants at $75,040, Massage Therapists at $63,390 — all figures are median annual wages for Massachusetts.
No. Every figure on this page is a gross (pre-tax) wage. Massachusetts 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 130.0 (100 = national average).
By median annual wage, dental assistants rank 469 of the 717 occupations reported in Massachusetts — higher than 35% of them.
| Occupation in the same job family | Median in Massachusetts | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Physical Therapist Assistants | $79,460 | $2,640 |
| Occupational Therapy Assistants | $75,040 | $1,410 |
| Massage Therapists | $63,390 | $2,830 |
| Medical Equipment Preparers | $58,580 | $1,900 |
| Healthcare Support Workers, All Other | $58,340 | $1,680 |
| Phlebotomists | $50,170 | $2,580 |
Massachusetts 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 130.0 (100 = national average).
Ranking and comparison figures come from the same BLS OEWS release as the rest of this page, which covers 717 occupations in Massachusetts.