The need for dental assistants in Florida is on the rise. Between 2011 and 2019 the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity expects the number of dental assistants employed in the state will increase from 15,250 to 19,792. This eight-year growth projection is indicative of an average annual increase of 3.7%, far above the state’s average annual job growth rate of 1.6% for all occupations combined.
According to the Department of Economic Opportunity, salary and wage statistics for dental assistants with varying levels of experience employed in Florida in 2014 are as follows:
- Entry-Level: $25,580/yr. or $12.29/hr.
- Median: $34,432/yr. or $16.56/hr.
- Experienced: $39,038/yr. or $18.77/hr.
Dental Assistant Salaries and Wages from Advertised Jobs in Florida
According to the Department of Economic Opportunity, employers hiring Florida dental assistants in October 2014 proposed the following salary and wage offers through advertised job openings:
- Entry-Level: $26,891/yr. or $12.93/hr.
- Median: $31,756/yr. or $15.27/hr.
- Experienced: $44,971/yr. or $21.62/hr.
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Dental Assistant Median Salaries by County in Florida
According to the Department of Economic Opportunity, the top five paying counties for dental assistants employed across Florida in 2014 included:
- Collier County: $43,636/yr.
- Lee County: $37,819/yr.
- Hillsborough County: $36,683/yr.
- Pinellas County: $36,683/yr.
- Polk County: $36,442/yr.
Dental Assistant Salaries and Wages by Region in Florida
According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the following table showcases dental assistant salaries and wages in several metropolitan and nonmetropolitan districts in Florida as of 2013:
Area name
Employment
Hourly mean wage
Annual mean wage
Hourly median wage
Hourly 75th percentile wage
Hourly 90th percentile wage
Annual median wage
Annual 75th percentile wage
Annual 90th percentile wage
Cape Coral-Fort Myers FL
420
18.09
37620
18.05
20.66
22.37
37540
42970
46530
Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin FL
200
17.10
35570
17.35
19.39
21.78
36090
40340
45300
Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach FL
350
15.87
33000
16.33
18.23
21.25
33970
37910
44210
Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach-Deerfield Beach FL Metropolitan Division
1420
16.84
35030
16.02
19.39
22.97
33320
40340
47770
Gainesville FL
300
17.84
37110
17.28
20.70
25.14
35940
43050
52280
Jacksonville FL
1480
16.67
34660
16.30
20.38
22.43
33910
42390
46650
Lakeland-Winter Haven FL
380
17.19
35760
17.38
19.94
21.81
36140
41470
45370
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach FL
4860
15.77
32800
15.35
18.56
22.41
31920
38610
46620
Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall FL Metropolitan Division
2330
14.58
30320
13.69
17.35
22.03
28480
36090
45820
Naples-Marco Island FL
200
20.76
43190
20.82
23.42
26.70
43300
48710
55540
North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota FL
760
16.26
33820
16.56
18.47
21.41
34450
38410
44530
Ocala FL
190
15.82
32910
15.83
18.25
21.91
32930
37970
45570
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford FL
1930
16.21
33710
16.22
17.88
20.25
33740
37180
42120
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville FL
590
15.86
32990
16.43
17.95
20.01
34170
37340
41610
Palm Coast FL
80
18.31
38090
19.36
21.21
22.32
40260
44120
46430
Panama City-Lynn Haven-Panama City Beach FL
150
15.57
32390
15.68
17.35
18.39
32610
36100
38250
Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent FL
330
17.10
35570
17.07
18.57
20.85
35500
38620
43360
Port St. Lucie FL
290
16.29
33890
16.30
19.32
21.69
33900
40180
45120
Punta Gorda FL
140
15.93
33140
15.67
17.77
20.29
32600
36960
42200
Sebastian-Vero Beach FL
200
16.73
34810
16.60
19.31
21.63
34540
40160
44990
Tallahassee FL
230
17.36
36100
17.03
19.82
22.36
35430
41220
46520
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater FL
2690
17.33
36050
17.50
20.42
22.17
36400
42470
46110
West Palm Beach-Boca Raton-Boynton Beach FL Metropolitan Division
1110
16.89
35120
17.14
20.13
22.16
35640
41870
46090
Northwest Florida nonmetropolitan area
110
15.53
32300
15.22
17.17
18.40
31660
35710
38280
Northeast Florida nonmetropolitan area
350
16.88
35110
16.24
18.20
22.45
33780
37850
46690
South Florida nonmetropolitan area
270
15.47
32180
15.80
17.78
20.17
32870
36980
41960
