Based on the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data — updated September 10, 2026.
| Virginia | National | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual salary | $46,670 | $48,867 | -4% |
| Median hourly wage | $22.44 | $23.49 | -4% |
Adjusted for local price levels (100 = national average), the cost-adjusted median is $46,162.
| City | Median | Entry Level | Experienced | Cost of Living |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City-level data coming soon. | ||||
The median annual salary for a Dental Assistant in Virginia is $46,670, or about $22.44 per hour, according to BLS OEWS data.
The national median for Dental Assistants is $48,867. Virginia is -4% below the national median.
Entry-level dental assistants in Virginia typically earn from varies by experience depending on the city and employer.
With 10,760 dental assistant jobs on record and a median salary of $46,670, Virginia offers competitive pay compared to the rest of the country.
By median annual wage, dental assistants rank 553 of the 747 occupations reported in Virginia — higher than 26% of them.
Among occupations in the same job family, Occupational Therapy Assistants at $74,960, Physical Therapist Assistants at $73,760, Massage Therapists at $62,220 — all figures are median annual wages for Virginia.
No. Every figure on this page is a gross (pre-tax) wage. Virginia 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 104.0 (100 = national average).
By median annual wage, dental assistants rank 553 of the 747 occupations reported in Virginia — higher than 26% of them.
| Occupation in the same job family | Median in Virginia | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Occupational Therapy Assistants | $74,960 | $1,130 |
| Physical Therapist Assistants | $73,760 | $3,370 |
| Massage Therapists | $62,220 | $2,730 |
| Medical Equipment Preparers | $46,580 | $1,840 |
| Phlebotomists | $46,340 | $3,600 |
| Healthcare Support Workers, All Other | $46,060 | $2,180 |
Virginia 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 104.0 (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 Virginia.