Medical Assistant vs. Dental Assistant: What is the Pay Difference?

<h3 id="section---JobDuties">Job Duties</h3> <p>Medical assistants work for physicians and other healthcare professionals. The exact duties of this position may vary depending on your employer, but general duties include recording patients' blood pressure and other vital signs, preparing blood samples, and assisting with examinations. </p> <p>As a dental assistant, you may process x-rays, take impressions of teeth, and sterilize instruments. You may also prep patients and retrieve tools such as suction hoses for the dentist during a procedure. </p> <p>Administrative duties for medical assistants and dental assistants are closely related. You may be expected to properly file medical records or insurance paperwork. Recording patient information is another job duty that both of these professions share. </p> <h3 id="section---ImportantFactsAboutMedicalAndDentalAssistants">Important Facts About Medical and Dental Assistants</h3> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><th></th><th>Medical Assistants</th><th>Dental Assistants</th></tr> <tr><td>Certification</td><td>Required by some states; preferred by many employers</td><td>Required by some states</td></tr> <tr><td>Key Skills</td><td>Analytical, technical</td><td>Dexterity, interpersonal</td></tr> <tr><td>Required Education</td><td>Postsecondary non-degree award or high school diploma</td><td>Postsecondary non-degree award or high school diploma</td></tr> <tr><td>On-the-Job Training</td><td>Common for those without applicable education</td><td>Common for those without applicable education</td></tr> <tr><td>Similar Occupations</td><td>Pharmacy technician, nursing assistant</td><td>Dental hygienist, surgical technologist</td></tr> </table><h3 id="section---SalaryComparison">Salary Comparison</h3> <p>The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that medical assistants earned a mean hourly wage of $18.36 and a mean annual salary of $38,190 in May 2021 (<i>www.bls.gov</i>). Dental assistants, on the other hand, earned a mean hourly wage of $20.44 and a mean annual salary of $42,510 in the same reporting year. </p> <h3 id="section---SalaryByIndustry">Salary by Industry</h3> <p>With a mean annual wage of $38,190, medical assistants who worked at agencies and brokerages earned the highest average salaries in this field in May 2021, according to the BLS. However, most worked in physicians' offices and were paid an average wage of $37,610. Those working for general hospitals earned a slightly higher average wage of $39,550 while those working in offices of other health practitioners made a lower average salary of $33,710. </p> <p>Dental assistants working in state government earned an average salary of $50,170 as of May 2021, making it one of the top-paying industries for this profession, according to the BLS. However, most dental assistants worked for dentists' offices and were paid $42,300 on average. A smaller number worked for physicians' offices and earned an average wage of $42,460. Other ambulatory health care services offered an average salary of $48,210, while nursing care facilities also paid one of the highest wages in the industry at $47,930. </p> <h3 id="section---SalaryByLocation">Salary by Location</h3> <p>According to the BLS, California, Texas, and Florida had high employment levels for both medical assistants and dental assistants in May 2021. While medical assistants earned respective average wages of $44,780, $34,660, and $35,480 in these states, dental assistants earned higher respective average wages of $46,060, $38,370, and $40,820. </p> <p>In May 2021, the BLS reported that the states offering medical assistants the highest pay included Washington ($47,320), the District of Columbia ($46,690), and Alaska ($45,340). Alaska also offered dental assistants one of the highest average wages of $51,230, and the Massachusetts paid these professionals an average wage of $46,390. However, the top-paying state for dental assistants was Minnesota, where these professionals earned $53,080 on average. </p> <p>The BLS reported in May 2021 that the low-end average salary range was $29,070-$30,200 for medical assistants and $29,580-$37,000 for dental assistants. In contrast, the high-end average salary range was $43,490-$48,170 for medical assistants and $47,580-$59,540 for dental assistants. </p> <h3 id="section---JobOutlook">Job Outlook</h3> <p>The BLS reports that job openings for medical assistants were expected to grow at a rate of 16% from 2021-2031. This very fast growth is attributed to a rising demand for more healthcare workers as the number of elderly patients increases. Dental assistants are expected to see 8% growth in job openings during the same reporting decade. Job prospects are projected to be good due to the number of new dentists needing qualified dental assistants to perform routine procedures.</p>