Newly released May 2024 employment data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) indicated that there were more than 287,780 dental assistants employed in the United States. Roughly 51,000 of those employed as dental assistants lived in the Mid-East region of the country, a region that includes the District of Columbia and five states. BLS data reveals the Mid-East region to be a relatively good one for dental assistant pay, with all states, expect Delaware, in the region registering a mean annual wage for dental assistants that topped the national average for the profession. A closer look at May 2024 BLS data reveals the following about dental assistant pay in the Mid-East region of the U.S.:
 |
Dental Assistant Pay in the Mid-East Region |
| State | # Employed | Mean Annual Wage | Wage Rank* |
| DC | 510 | $57,390 | 3rd |
| DE | 1120 | $47,110 | 28th |
| MD | 6,520 | $50,410 | 16th |
| NJ | 10,660 | $50,570 | 15th |
| NY | 19,700 | $49,850 | 18th |
| PA | 12,410 | $49,760 | 19th |
| U.S. | 287,780 | $48,225 | ------- |
(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on April 7, 2025
