How much do dental assistants make in Illinois?
What dental assistants earn in Illinois and its metro areas, compared with the rest of the country (May 2025 BLS data).
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Median pay in Illinois
$48,610
a year, or $23.37 an hour. That is 1% more than the national median of $48,070.
The middle half of dental assistants in Illinois earn $40,390 to $56,860.
Pay range in Illinois
- Bottom 10% earn under
- $37,360
- 25th percentile
- $40,390
- Median
- $48,610
- 75th percentile
- $56,860
- Top 10% earn over
- $59,910
Rank among states
#19 of 49
Illinois pays dental assistants more than 30 of the other 48 states. Highest: Minnesota ($65,270).
Jobs in Illinois
13,740
2.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the state, 0.90× the U.S. concentration.
Dental Assistant pay in Illinois cities
Metro and rural (nonmetropolitan) areas as BLS defines them, including metro areas that cross into neighboring states.. Click a column to sort.
| Area | Pay a year | Hourly | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $23.53 | 10,490 | |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $23.13 | 2,990 | |
| East Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $22.07 | 620 | |
| Rockford, IL | $22.10 | 530 | |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $22.79 | 380 | |
| Springfield, IL | $21.82 | 360 | |
| Northwest Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $22.54 | 330 | |
| Peoria, IL | $22.73 | 300 | |
| South Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $21.55 | 290 | |
| West Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $21.88 | 220 | |
| Paducah, KY-IL | $22.48 | 190 | |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | $22.65 | 180 | |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | $21.33 | 150 | |
| Bloomington, IL | $22.30 | 140 | |
| Decatur, IL | $22.97 | 60 | |
| Kankakee, IL | $21.93 | 60 |
States with similar dental assistant pay
Other healthcare salaries in Illinois
Registered Nurses
$95,990
median a year · 138,910 jobs
Home Health and Personal Care Aides
$38,060
median a year · 134,100 jobs
Nursing Assistants
$45,960
median a year · 68,640 jobs
Pharmacy Technicians
$46,650
median a year · 21,340 jobs
Physicians, All Other
$132,540
median a year · 20,790 jobs
Medical Assistants
$46,090
median a year · 20,260 jobs
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
$75,000
median a year · 17,440 jobs
Pharmacists
$139,080
median a year · 12,070 jobs
Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians
$71,950
median a year · 10,330 jobs
Physical Therapists
$105,250
median a year · 9,800 jobs
Psychiatric Technicians
$46,200
median a year · 9,410 jobs
Nurse Practitioners
$130,680
median a year · 9,270 jobs
Questions about dental assistant pay in Illinois
How much does a dental assistant make in Illinois?
Dental Assistants in Illinois earned a median of $48,610 a year ($23.37 an hour) in May 2025, 1% more than the national median of $48,070. The middle half earned $40,390 to $56,860.
Where in Illinois do dental assistants earn the most?
Among areas in Illinois, pay was highest in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN at $48,950.
How does Illinois rank for dental assistant pay?
Illinois ranks #19 of 49 states for dental assistants pay. Minnesota pays the most, at $65,270 a year. Pay figures don't account for differences in cost of living.
How many dental assistants work in Illinois?
About 13,740 people worked as dental assistants in Illinois in May 2025, or 2.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the state.
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Illinois shortage areas
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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, all industries. Median pay is the middle wage; where BLS publishes no median, the average (mean) is shown, marked "(avg)". Values marked "+" are above the most BLS reports exactly. Pay doesn't reflect cost of living, overtime or shift differentials.