Dental Assistant Salary

The average salary for a dental assistant in the U.S. is about $42,180 per year.

$28,940 (low 10%)

$41,180 (median)

$58,390 (top 90%)

Dental assistants earn an average of $42,180 per year according to the bls.gov.

The range in pay goes from $28,940 to $58,390 per year.

PercentileAnnual Wage
10%$32,900
25%$34,470
50%$41,180
75%$49,810
90%$58,390

How much does a dental assistant make?

According to the bls.gov, as of May 2020, the average dental assistant salary is $41,180 a year. That works out to an hourly pay of about $19.80 per hour which is much higher than minimum wage.

The nice thing about becoming a dental assistant is that it doesn’t take a 4-year degree to gain employment. Often, you only need to work through a 1-year program that results in a certificate or diploma. In addition, it’s possible to learn through on-the-job training as many states do not require a license to gain employment as a dental assistant.

The lowest pay reported by the bls.gov for dental assistants is $28,940 (or $13.91 per hour) while the highest pay is $58,390 ($28.07 per hour). It’s a big range in pay and the variability includes the state and region of employment, the industry, as well as experience and education level.

Top paying industries for dental assistants

There are certain industries that pay higher for dental assistants. These include state government, nursing care facilities, and other ambulatory services. See the table below for more along with the average pay.

Interestingly, the industries with the highest levels of employment for dental assistants do not make the list of those with the highest pay. Offices of dentists and physicians are two industries with high employment levels for dental assistants. Both pay around the average rate, but do not make the list of highest pay.

IndustryAnnual wage
State government excluding schools & hospitals$50,080
Nursing care facilities$46,370
Other ambulatory services$46,090
Management of companies$46,010
General medical & surgical hospitals$45,620

Top paying cities for dental assistants

There are several cities where the average pay for dental assistants is higher. These include Santa Rosa, CA, the Minneapolis region in MN, and Vallejo, CA. Check the table below for the average pay in these cities as well as the complete list of higher-paying cities.

In many cases, you can be as much as $15,000 per year over the typical pay just by gaining employment in one of the listed cities.

CityAnnual wage
Santa Rosa, CA$58,570
Minneapolis/St Paul region, MN/WI$56,240
Vallejo/Fairfield, CA$54,550
San Jose region, CA$54,250
Bismark, ND$53,600

Dental assistant salaries by state

The top-paying states for dental assistants are Minnesota, Massachusetts, Alaska, New Hampshire, and Oregon.

StateAnnual wage
Minnesota$53,670
Massachusetts$51,750
Alaska$51,230
New Hampshire$50,820
Oregon$48,320

How do dental assistant salaries compare to related careers?

The average salary for dental assistants is around $42,000 per year which is higher than both medical assistants and pharmacy technicians. Both these similar careers pay around $35,000 per year. Dental assistants make on average $7,000 more per year than both these careers.

Dental assistants and medical assistants often require a certificate or diploma. Pharmacy technicians often only require a high school diploma or equivalent.

Another career similar to dental assistants include dental hygienists. Dental hygienists on average earn $77,000 per year which is $35,000 more than dental assistants. Becoming a dental hygienist often requires an Associate’s degree which is a little more education than dental assistants, but the pay is so much higher it will often be worth it.

Finally, dentists make the list of careers similar to dental assistants. Dentists earn $164,010 on average which is $122,000 more per year than dental assistants! However, the education required to become a dentist is high. You will need a doctoral degree in order to become a dentist.

CareerAnnual wage
Dental assistants$42,180
Dental hygienists$77,090
Dentists$164,010
Medical assistants$35,100
Pharmacy technicians$35,100

Pharmacy Technician Salary

The average salary for a pharmacy technician in the U.S. is about $35,100 per year.

$25,400 (low 10%)

$35,100 (median)

$50,430 (top 90%)

Pharmacy technicians earn an average of $35,100 per year according to the bls.gov.

The range in pay goes from $25,400 to $50,430 per year.

PercentileAnnual Wage
10%$32,900
25%$29,090
50%$35,100
75%$41,660
90%$50,430

How much does a pharmacy technician make?

According to the bls.gov, pharmacy technicians make an average of $35,100 per year which comes out to $17.52 per hour. The highest-paid pharmacy technicians earn approximately $50,430 per year or $24.25 per hour. The lowest-paid pharmacy technicians earn as little as $25,400 per year or $12.21 per hour.

Whether you are on the low or high end of a pharmacy tech pay scale, you will still earn significantly more than minimum wage. To become a pharmacy technician you typically only need a high school diploma or the equivalent and can often learn through on-the-job training.

Top paying industries for pharmacy technicians

The highest paying industry for pharmacy technicians is outpatient care centers where the annual wages average $49,690. This is in contrast to the average pay across all industries which is around $35,000 per year. That means pharmacy techs in outpatient career centers could make about $14,000 per year.

Pharmacy techs in the federal executive branch also earn a higher pay of around $47,700 per year. Take a look at the table below for more high-paying industries for pharmacy technicians.

IndustryAnnual wage
Outpatient care centers$49,690
Federal executive branch$47,690
Colleges, universities, professional schools$43,990
Medical and diagnostic laboratories$43,960
Local government, excluding schools & hospitals$43,730

Top paying cities for pharmacy technicians

All of the top-paying metropolitan areas for Pharmacy Technicians are in California. The average salary nationwide is $35,100, but the average salary in the San Jose, CA region is $56,620. The average salary for pharmacy technicians is $56,020 in the San Francisco, CA region and $52,810 in Santa Rosa, CA. These are significantly higher than the average. Take a look at the table below for the other high-paying cities.

CityAnnual wage
San Jose region, CA$56,620
San Francisco region, CA$56,020
Santa Rosa, CA$52,810
Stockton region, CA$50,860
Vallejo region, CA$50,580

Pharmacy technician salaries by state

The top-paying states for pharmacy technicians are California, Alaska, Washington, the District of Columbia, and Oregon.

StateAnnual wage
California$47,620
Alaska$46,430
Washington$46,400
District of Columbia$46,240
Oregon$43,410

How do pharmacy technician salaries compare to related careers?

The average salary for pharmacy technicians is around $35,100 per year. This is comparable to the salary for both medical assistants and medical transcriptionists as both these careers earn around $35,000 per year also.

Dental assistants, however, earn more. Their typical salary is around $41,180 so that’s about $6,000 more each year. Finally, pharmacists are a similar career to pharmacy technicians. As a pharmacist, you can average about $128,710 per year which is about 3 times as much as a pharmacy technician. However, you will need to gain a Doctoral degree so the education requirements are much higher.

CareerAnnual wage
Pharmacy technicians$35,100
Dental assistants$41,180
Medical assistants$35,850
Medical transcriptionists$35,270
Pharmacists$128,710

Medical Assistant Salary

The average salary for a medical assistant in the U.S. is about $35,850 per year.

$26,930 (low 10%)

$35,850 (median)

$50,580 (top 90%)

Medical assistants earn an average of $35,850 per year according to the bls.gov.

The range in pay goes from $26,930 to $50,580 per year.

PercentileAnnual Wage
10%$32,900
25%$30,360
50%$35,850
75%$41,280
90%$50,580

How much does a medical assistant make?

The bls.gov states that the average medical assistant makes about $35,850 per year as of May 2020. This works out to about $17.23 per hour which is much higher than minimum wage anywhere in the U.S.

The lowest pay according to the bls.gov for medical assistants is $32,900 while the highest pay is $50,580. The range in pay is high and dependent on education, experience, location, and industry you choose to work in.

Most medical assistants gain a certificate, however, there is no formal education to become a medical assistant in most states.

Top paying industries for medical assistants

There are many different factors that come into play when determining your salary as a medical assistant, but certainly high among is the industry you plan to work in.

Junior colleges are found to offer the highest salaries to the medical assistants they employ. The annual mean wage for a medical assistant working in a junior college is $48,720.

Agencies, brokerages, and other insurance-related activities also pay well as the average salary in this industry are $43,910. Compared to the typical medical assistant salary of approximately $35,000, these industries are much higher.

There are other factors in play, too. Generally speaking, medical assistants with more training and experience earn larger salaries. For anyone seeking rewarding work within the medical field, there are clearly some options for good salaries here.

IndustryAnnual wage
Junior colleges$48,720
Agencies, brokerages & other insurance related activities$43,910
Outpatient care centers$42,330
Computer systems design & related services$41,490
Professional & commercial equipment & supplies merchant wholesalers$40,870

Top paying cities for medical assistants

Regardless of the career you’re in, the place where you live is likely going to impact the amount of money you are paid. That’s because employers typically base salaries off of both demand and cost of living, both of which vary with geographic locale. So when you’re deciding where to go in order to look for work, or perhaps weighing the options of staying put versus relocating, geography is something you will want to consider.

For medical assistants, the metropolitan area you’re in will play a huge role in the size of your paycheck. The metropolitan area with the highest annual wage is the San Francisco, CA region. Here, a medical assistant makes, on average, $53,960 per year. Second place honors go to the Vallejo region, also in California. Here, the annual mean wage is $53,660. Both these cities pay about $18,000 more per year over the typical medical assistant salary.

If you are looking to get into the field of medical assistant work, you should investigate the average annual wage in your current geographic locale. If it’s lower than what you’d like to be making, it may make sense to consider relocating or at least doing some research into how much medical assistants are paid in other metro areas around the country. Take a look at the table below to see how much more you can earn in a top-paying city.

CityAnnual wage
San Francisco region, CA$53,960
Vallejo region, CA$53,660
Santa Rosa, CA$52,520
Seattle region, WA$49,070
San Jose region, CA$49,020

Medical assistant salaries by state

The top-paying states for medical assistants are Alaska, Washington, District of Columbia, Massachusetts, and Minnesota. These states pay from $8,000 over the average to $11,000 over the average pay for medical assistants.

What this means for anyone considering the medical assistant field is that location is important. Doing some research ahead of time, both into salary expectations and job openings, is important. Equally important is checking into the difference that different certifications or educational courses might make. All of these factors combine to influence the amount of money you will make working in the medical assistant field.

StateAnnual wage
Alaska$46,610
Washington$45,700
District of Columbia$45,340
Massachusetts$43,090
Minnesota$43,090

How do medical assistant salaries compare to related careers?

Medical assistants have duties similar to workers in other medical support occupations.

Dental assistants, nursing assistants, pharmacy technicians, and phlebotomists have jobs similar to medical assistants as all focus on clinical tasks. Of these, a dental assistant will make more than medical assistants by about $6,000 per year. Nursing assistants are paid the least on this list. Their typical salary is about $30,000 per year on average.

CareerAnnual wage
Medical assistant$35,850
Dental assistant$41,180
Nursing assistant$30,830
Pharmacy technician$35,100
Phlebotomists$36,320

Court Reporter Salary

The average salary for a court reporter in the U.S. is about $61,660 per year.

$31,600 (low 10%)

$61,660 (median)

$109,240 (top 90%)

Court reporters earn an average of $61,660 per year according to the bls.gov.

The range in pay goes from $31,600 to $109,240 per year.

PercentileAnnual Wage
10%$32,900
25%$43,730
50%$61,660
75%$88,420
90%$109,240

How much does a court reporter make?

The average salary for a court reporter is around $61,660 per year or $29.64 per hour. If you have the talent and skills to become a court reporter, this can be an amazing career path to take.

You’ll need at least an associate degree from a community college or technical school in order to get your certification as a professional legal stenographer. As long as you work hard and stay dedicated, there’s no reason why you can’t make it big in this industry!

The range in pay goes from about $31,000 per year (or $15.19 per hour) up to $109,000 per year (or $52.52 per hour) so the pay range is massive. Pay rates vary depending on factors such as geographical location and industry.

Top paying industries for court reporters

Court reporter salaries vary depending on the industry, but there are certain industries that consistently offer higher pay than others. The highest paying industry for court reporters includes colleges, universities, and professional schools. This is likely where a court reporter is training others to learn the skills necessary to become a court reporter. This industry pays an average annual wage of $107,050 per year.

The second and third top-paying industries for court reporters are state and local government, excluding schools and hospitals. There, court reporters typically earn between $70,000 and $74,000 per year. Take a look at the table below for more information on top-paying industries in court reporting.

IndustryAnnual wage
Colleges, universities & professional schools$107,050
State government, excluding schools & hospitals$74,520
Local government, excluding schools & hospitals$70,020
Federal executive branch$63,340
Junior colleges$60,080

Top paying cities for court reporters

If you are a court reporter, chances are there is a high demand for your services. That being said, there are cities that offer higher pay than other areas of the country. We put together a list of the top 5 paying cities for court reporters here.

The top-paying city for court reporters is San Francisco, CA, and the surrounding area. This city pays $118,300 per year on average which is much higher than the average court reporter salary of $61,660 per year. Riverside, CA is the second city on the list. Court reporters in Riverside typically earn $109,600 per year which is still over $40,000 more per year than the typical court reporter.

See the table for more on the top-paying cities for court reporters.

CityAnnual wage
San Francisco region, CA$118,300
Riverside region, CA$109,600
Dallas region, TX$92,150
Seattle region, WA$91,860
New York region, NY$91,560

Court reporter salaries by state

The top-paying states for court reporters are New York, California, Washington, Texas, and New Jersey. These states pay much more than the average salary for court reporters with New York court reporters earning $96,640 annually. The average salary nationwide is $61,660 per year so that is about $35,000 more per year!

California court reporters earn around $89,120 per year, while those in Washington earn around $85,000 per year. Both significant increases over the average salary. Take a look at the table below to see the rest of the top paying states for court reporters.

StateAnnual wage
New York$96,640
California$89,120
Washington$85,000
Texas$82,870
New Jersey$81,570

How do court reporter salaries compare to related careers?

How do court reporter salaries compare to related careers? The average salary for court reporters is reported as $61,660. It is one of the highest-paying careers in comparison to similar professions which includes interpreters and translators. This career pays an average of $52,330 per year which is about $9,000 less per year than court reporters.

Other careers on this list pay even less. These include medical transcriptionists ($35,270 per year), information clerks ($36,920 per year), and secretaries/administrative assistants ($40,990). Of these careers, court reporters are paid the highest. In comparison, it seems well worth it to gain the education necessary to become a court reporter.

CareerAnnual wage
Court reporters$61,660
Interpreters & translators$52,330
Medical transcriptionists$35,270
Information clerks$36,920
Secretaries & administrative assistants$40,990

Surgical Technologists Salary

The average salary for a surgical technologist in the U.S. is about $49,710 per year.

$34,120 (low 10%)

$49,710 (median)

$73,110 (top 90%)

Surgical technologists earn an average of $49,710 per year according to the bls.gov.

The range in pay goes from $34,120 to $73,110 per year.

PercentileAnnual Wage
10%$32,900
25%$41,010
50%$49,710
75%$60,980
90%$73,110

How much does a surgical technologist make?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, surgical technologists earned a median salary of $49,710 per year in 2020. The top 10% earned more than $73,110 per year while the bottom 10% earned less than $32,900 per year.

With the average pay hovering around $50,000 per year, surgical techs earn a lot more than the typical job. In addition, becoming a surgical tech usually only takes a few months to 2 years.

Top paying industries for surgical technologists

Like with all careers, there are certain industries that pay higher for qualified surgical technologists. These include colleges, universities, and professional schools. These industries pay around $57,590 per year whereas the typical surgical technician is paid $49,710 per year.

Specialty hospitals also pay a little higher than average. The typical surgical technologist working at a specialty hospital (other than those specializing in psychiatric and substance abuse) earns $54,900 per year.

See the table below for more industries with higher pay for surgical techs.

IndustryAnnual wage
Colleges, universities & professional schools$57,590
Specialty hospitals (except psychiatric & substance abuse)$54,900
Outpatient care centers$53,690
Other ambulatory health care services$52,880
Management of companies$52,440

Top paying cities for surgical technologists

Surgical technologists typically enjoy a fairly high salary of just under $50,000 per year. However, certain locations pay significantly higher. These include the San Francisco, CA region which pays around $79,230, and the San Jose, CA region as well, which pays $74,080 per year.

When taking the average pay into account, these cities in California pay around $25,000 per year more. So it may be worth it to investigate cities with higher pay when deciding where to gain employment as a surgical technologist.

CityAnnual wage
San Francisco region, CA$79,230
San Jose region, CA$74,080
Vallejo/Fairfield, CA$73,460
Santa Rosa, CA$72,170
Sacramento region, CA$70,780

Surgical technologists salaries by state

The top-paying states for surgical technologists are Alaska, Nevada, California, Connecticut, and the District of Columbia. The average pay in Alaska and Nevada is about $67,000 per year while the national average is just under $50,000 per year. So if you are willing to live in either of these top-paying states, you could earn approximately $17,000 per year more.

StateAnnual wage
Alaska$67,120
Nevada$67,000
California$64,570
Connecticut$62,310
District of Columbia$61,620

How do surgical technologist salaries compare to related careers?

On average, surgical technologists earn $49,710 per year. It’s interesting, that a related career, which is licensed practical (LPN) and licensed vocational nurses (LVN) is right at the same amount ($48,820 per year). This type of nursing designation typically requires an associate’s degree.

However, registered nurses earn an average of $75,330 per year. A Bachelor’s degree is required in order to become a registered nurse. That extra time in school will result in about $25,000 more a year over surgical technologists or LPNs or LVNs.

Then medical assistants earn much less than surgical technologists or any of the related careers mentioned so far. The average salary for medical assistants is about $35,850 per year which is about $14,000 less each year.

Finally, we did add physicians and surgeons to the list. Both would require a medical degree which is a lot of school, but the pay is over $208,000 per year. This is approximately four times the amount you would earn as a surgical technologist.

CareerAnnual wage
Surgical technologists$49,710
Licensed practical & licensed vocational nurses$48,820
Registered nurses$75,330
Medical assistants$35,850
Physicians & surgeons$208,000+