Dental assistant salary vs. cost of living in each state

Dental assistants typically earn salaries just above the base cost of living in each state, but they make slightly less in four states — Hawaii, Louisiana, New York and Utah — according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Living Wage Calculator.

Average annual dental assistant salary compared to the minimum cost of living in each state:

Note: Salary information was taken from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The minimum cost of living in each state was provided by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Living Wage Calculator. The cost of living is for a single adult with no children before taxes.

Alabama

Average annual compensation: $35,760

Average cost of living: $33,094

Alaska

Average annual compensation: $50,640

Average cost of living: $34,786

Arizona

Average annual compensation: $41,950

Average cost of living: $36,252

Arkansas

Average annual compensation: $34,930

Average cost of living: $32,336

California

Average annual compensation: $46,060

Average cost of living: $45,382

Colorado

Average annual compensation: $43,730

Average cost of living: $39,846

Connecticut

Average annual compensation: $46,130

Average cost of living: $39,526

Delaware

Average annual compensation: $44,690

Average cost of living: $36,896

Florida

Average annual compensation: $40,820

Average cost of living: $35,858

Georgia

Average annual compensation: $39,860

Average cost of living: $36,686

Hawaii

Average annual compensation: $37,860

Average cost of living: $45,747

Idaho

Average annual compensation: $36,250

Average cost of living: $33,603

Illinois

Average annual compensation: $42,400

Average cost of living: $37,782

Indiana

Average annual compensation: $41,630

Average cost of living: $32,844

Iowa

Average annual compensation: $44,360

Average cost of living: $33,657

Kansas

Average annual compensation: $38,330

Average cost of living: $34,073

Kentucky

Average annual compensation: $38,160

Average cost of living: $32,147

Louisiana

Average annual compensation: $33,560

Average cost of living: $33,585

Maine

Average annual compensation: $43,960

Average cost of living: $37,184

Maryland

Average annual compensation: $44,410

Average cost of living: $41,054

Massachusetts

Average annual compensation: $51,210

Average cost of living: $45,517

Michigan

Average annual compensation: $39,680

Average cost of living: $34,028

Minnesota

Average annual compensation: $53,080

Average cost of living: $36,898

Mississippi

Average annual compensation: $36,170

Average cost of living: $32,572

Missouri

Average annual compensation: $40,030

Average cost of living: $33,890

Montana

Average annual compensation: $39,060

Average cost of living: $33,946

Nebraska

Average annual compensation: $40,930

Average cost of living: $34,519

Nevada

Average annual compensation: $38,020

Average cost of living: $33,788

New Hampshire

Average annual compensation: $49,470

Average cost of living: $36,023

New Jersey

Average annual compensation: $43,980

Average cost of living: $42,775

New Mexico

Average annual compensation: $37,790

Average cost of living: $33,792

New York

Average annual compensation: $44,910

Average cost of living: $45,738

North Carolina

Average annual compensation: $44,320

Average cost of living: $35,655

North Dakota

Average annual compensation: $47,780

Average cost of living: $31,976

Ohio

Average annual compensation: $43,440

Average cost of living: $32,460

Oklahoma

Average annual compensation: $39,070

Average cost of living: $32,750

Oregon

Average annual compensation: $48,780

Average cost of living: $40,587

Pennsylvania

Average annual compensation: $43,540

Average cost of living: $34,680

Rhode Island

Average annual compensation: $46,070

Average cost of living: $37,019

South Carolina

Average annual compensation: $40,120

Average cost of living: $36,340

South Dakota

Average annual compensation: $42,010

Average cost of living: $30,895

Tennessee

Average annual compensation: $39,160

Average cost of living: $32,135

Texas

Average annual compensation: $38,370

Average cost of living: $34,127

Utah

Average annual compensation: $35,210

Average cost of living: $35,311

Vermont

Average annual compensation: $45,230

Average cost of living: $37,044

Virginia

Average annual compensation: $43,570

Average cost of living: $40,362

Washington

Average annual compensation: $46,350

Average cost of living: $38,573

West Virginia

Average annual compensation: $36,830

Average cost of living: $32,144

Wisconsin

Average annual compensation: $42,310

Average cost of living: $34,120

Wyoming

Average annual compensation: $41,140

Average cost of living: $31,719

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