How Much Can Dental Assistants Make in Colorado?
Colorado is America’s eight largest state by area and has a population of close to six million people. To maintain their oral health, the state’s residents make regular use of dentists. In doing so, they also make regular use of skilled dental assistants.
Over the decade of time between 2016 and 2026, Colorado will gain a total of roughly 1,260 new dental assistants. This is a significant jump of almost 19 percent. Job openings for existing assistant positions are quite common in the typical year.
At just over $42,000 annually, salaries in Colorado sit just slightly above the nationwide average for dental assistants. Top earners in the state make more than $56,000 a year.
| AreaName | Base Year | Employed | Projection Year | Projected Employment | Change | % Change | Projected Average Annual Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2018 | 346,000 | 2026 | 384,700 | 38,700 | 19.5% | 44,800 |
| Colorado | 2016 | 6,830 | 2026 | 8,090 | 1,260 | 18.4% | 960 |
| State | Total Employed | Hourly Mean | Hourly Mean | Annual Mean | 10th Percentile | 25th Percentile | Annual Median | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. | 351,470 | $19.79 | $41,170 | $27,980 | $33,440 | $40,080 | $48,550 | $56,930 |
| Colorado | 8,390 | $20.22 | $42,050 | $30,020 | $35,170 | $41,900 | $49,100 | $56,040 |
Salary-wise,the most promising market for Colorado dental assistants is the Denver–Aurora-Lakewood metropolitan region. The lowest salaries occur in the Greely metro region. There is about $7,000 difference in annual earnings between these two areas.
| Area | Total Employed | Hourly Mean | Annual Mean | 10th Percentile | 25th Percentile | Annual Median | 75th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boulder, CO | 580 | $19.93 | $41,450 | $29,480 | $34,880 | $42,980 | $48,420 | $51,670 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | 1250 | $18.23 | $37,930 | $26,390 | $29,910 | $36,620 | $45,150 | $52,800 |
| Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO | 4490 | $21.33 | $44,370 | $33,150 | $37,570 | $44,250 | $51,010 | $58,560 |
| Fort Collins, CO | 540 | $20.39 | $42,410 | $32,780 | $35,980 | $41,280 | $49,090 | $55,350 |
| Grand Junction, CO | 220 | $19.26 | $40,060 | $29,840 | $35,770 | $41,440 | $46,300 | $49,770 |
| Greeley, CO | 320 | $17.92 | $37,270 | $24,400 | $31,560 | $38,500 | $44,450 | $48,840 |
| Pueblo, CO | 220 | $19.20 | $39,940 | $28,630 | $34,300 | $39,510 | $45,950 | $52,720 |
On average, Colorado dental assistants make $11,000 less per year than the state’s physical therapist assistants. Still, they make more than all other major types of healthcare assistants. The category of lesser earners includes medical assistants as well as pharmacy and nursing assistants.
| Occupation | Total Employed | Hourly Mean | Annual Mean | 10th Percentile | 25th Percentile | Annual Median | 75th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmacy Technicians | 5600 | $18.27 | $38,000 | $27,690 | $32,200 | $36,850 | $43,310 | $50,750 |
| Nursing Assistants | 21970 | $16.34 | $33,980 | $26,590 | $29,460 | $33,690 | $37,860 | $40,830 |
| Physical Therapist Assistants | 1500 | $25.85 | $53,770 | $29,660 | $44,470 | $56,360 | $63,060 | $72,410 |
| Dental Assistants | 8390 | $20.22 | $42,050 | $30,020 | $35,170 | $41,900 | $49,100 | $56,040 |
| Medical Assistants | 12100 | $17.98 | $37,410 | $27,810 | $32,500 | $36,920 | $42,000 | $48,770 |