Dental Assistant Salaries in Georgia
Dental assistants and other trained healthcare professionals in Georgia are in high demand. Besides an aging population, there is growing awareness of the importance of preventative care in both healthcare and dental care among consumers. With over 10 million people calling this state home, Georgia is the eighth most populous state in the United States.
Job opportunities for dental assistants in the state of Georgia are expected to grow steadily at approximately 24.3 percent between 2016 and 2026.
Compared to the national average, the salary earned by dental assistants in Georgia is almost the same or slightly less than the average amount earned across the country for this field
| 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 |
| Georgia | 2016 | 9,800 | 2026 | 12,180 | 2,380 | 24.3% | 1,430 |
| 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 |
| Georgia | 8,790 | $19.21 | $39,960 | $27,750 | $33,310 | $39,110 | $47,660 | $53,740 |
The largest number of job opportunities are usually in the most densely populated areas such as Atlanta, Sandy Springs and Roswell. The highest paid opportunities are usually in the same areas along with the Gainesville area, Athens and Clark County. Dental assistant jobs in less densely populated areas such as Albany and Macon tend to pay slightly less.
| Area | Total Employed | Hourly Mean | Annual Mean | 10th Percentile | 25th Percentile | Annual Median | 75th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albany, GA | 80 | $15.82 | $32,900 | $19,790 | $31,040 | $35,120 | $37,980 | $40,150 |
| Athens-Clarke County, GA | 170 | $20.10 | $41,820 | $28,010 | $34,620 | $41,680 | $49,060 | $57,410 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 5370 | $20.39 | $42,400 | $31,330 | $35,230 | $42,420 | $49,910 | $56,010 |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | 720 | $18.70 | $38,890 | $26,650 | $32,950 | $39,190 | $46,490 | $50,690 |
| Brunswick, GA | ** | $18.04 | $37,520 | $30,710 | $33,990 | $37,170 | $40,350 | $47,360 |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | 490 | $17.98 | $37,410 | $26,500 | $31,660 | $37,400 | $42,160 | $50,330 |
| Columbus, GA-AL | 270 | $17.26 | $35,910 | $24,680 | $30,280 | $35,790 | $41,200 | $47,140 |
| Dalton, GA | ** | $17.25 | $35,880 | $27,190 | $30,330 | $35,400 | $40,880 | $48,400 |
| Gainesville, GA | 250 | $20.72 | $43,110 | $24,260 | $36,370 | $44,510 | $50,560 | $59,430 |
| Hinesville, GA | 70 | $17.92 | $37,280 | $27,770 | $31,150 | $36,750 | $43,420 | $48,040 |
| Macon, GA | 210 | $16.45 | $34,210 | $20,630 | $32,580 | $36,480 | $39,930 | $42,970 |
| Rome, GA | 70 | $18.39 | $38,250 | $31,940 | $34,250 | $37,490 | $40,850 | $48,490 |
| Savannah, GA | 380 | $16.73 | $34,790 | $28,950 | $32,390 | $35,220 | $38,010 | $40,120 |
| Valdosta, GA | 120 | $17.55 | $36,490 | $25,560 | $32,850 | $36,340 | $39,820 | $47,290 |
| Warner Robins, GA | 130 | $19.65 | $40,860 | $30,320 | $33,980 | $39,690 | $47,510 | $55,660 |
Healthcare careers are attractive because they’re typically well-paid and rewarding careers. Jobs in dental assisting are paid more than many of the other healthcare career opportunities in Georgia such as nursing assistants, medical assistants or pharmacy technicians. The one healthcare career that is more highly compensated than dental assisting is physical therapist assistant.
| Occupation | Total Employed | Hourly Mean | Annual Mean | 10th Percentile | 25th Percentile | Annual Median | 75th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmacy Technicians | 11360 | $15.08 | $31,360 | $21,320 | $25,150 | $30,120 | $36,770 | $43,320 |
| Nursing Assistants | 33420 | $13.41 | $27,890 | $19,880 | $22,280 | $25,790 | $30,510 | $36,500 |
| Physical Therapist Assistants | 2570 | $26.45 | $55,010 | $25,490 | $39,780 | $58,200 | $70,080 | $78,740 |
| Dental Assistants | 8790 | $19.21 | $39,960 | $27,750 | $33,310 | $39,110 | $47,660 | $53,740 |
| Medical Assistants | 27180 | $16.01 | $33,300 | $24,000 | $27,950 | $32,990 | $38,310 | $43,200 |