PermanentPosted 2 days ago
Specialty Dental Assistant Endodontics
PDS Health · Olympia, WA
Pay range with your report
New this week
Dental Assistant jobs in Olympia, WA
Pay for dental assistants in the Olympia area centers on $23.02 per hour, or about $47,880 a year. The lower quarter earns under $22.45 and the upper quarter over $27.89. That ranks 104th of 383 U.S. metro areas for dental assistant pay, and 230th of 339 once local prices are factored in. Tell us your role and we email current openings near Olympia.
- $23.02median pay per hour, Olympia
- $22–$28typical range per hour
- 540dental assistants employed in the metro area
- 104cost of living index (U.S. = 100)
More open Dental Assistant roles in Olympia
2 more open roles from employers in Olympia. Each employer’s range arrives with your free pay report.
PermanentPosted 11 days ago
Dental Assistant
Smile Brands · Olympia, WA
Pay range with your report
Dental Assistant pay in Olympia, WA
The metro median is 16% below the Washington statewide median of $27.42 per hour. Nationally the median is $22.74 per hour. BLS counts about 540 dental assistants employed in the Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater metro area, 4.3 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 1.75).
| Level | Per hour | Per year | Compared with U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% | $22.03 | $45,820 | 3% below U.S. median |
| Lower quartile | $22.45 | $46,700 | 1% below U.S. median |
| Median | $23.02 | $47,880 | 1% above U.S. median |
| Upper quartile | $27.89 | $58,010 | 23% above U.S. median |
| Top 10% | $28.71 | $59,720 | 26% above U.S. median |
How Olympia ranks
- 104th of 383 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
- 230th of 339 after adjusting for local prices
- 5th of 8 Washington metro areas
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024, Dental Assistants (SOC 31-9091), all industries. This is what employers report paying, not an offer for a specific role.
Get the Olympia Dental Assistant pay report
Named employers near Olympia, what they pay and the roles open now. Free for candidates, email only.
Get my free pay reportWhat your pay buys in Olympia
- Overall prices in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater run 4% above the U.S. average (index 103.7, U.S. = 100).
- Housing is the biggest driver: 17% above the U.S. average (index 116.7).
- Adjusted for local prices, a $23.02 median hour buys what $22.21 buys at the national price level, 2% below the national median.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024. Prices are for the metro area, not for a single neighborhood.
Estimate your Olympia paycheck
Estimated weekly gross$829
- Per year: $41,436
- Per month: $3,453
- Washington has no state income tax on wages.
Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.
Open Dental Assistant roles in Washington
Nearest open roles with published pay. Your free report adds roles in Olympia as they open.
PermanentPosted today
Dental Assistant in Training
PDS Health · Seattle, WA
$21.75–$30.25/ hour
New this week
PermanentPosted 6 days ago
Specialty Dental Assistant Orthodontics
PDS Health · Puyallup, WA
$24.00–$33.50/ hour
Top 25% payNew this week
For youUpdated weekly
85+ more Dental Assistant roles for you in Washington
Most are never shown on this page. Tell us your role and get the full list, with the pay on every one, in your inbox within 24 hours.
- Free
- No card
- Email only, no calls
PermanentPosted 6 days ago
Dental Assistant
Smile Brands · Tacoma, WA
$25.00–$29.00/ hour
Top 25% payNew this week
PermanentPosted 7 days ago
Dental Assistant (with RDA)
Smile Brands · Vancouver, WA
$25.00–$32.00/ hour
Top 25% payNew this week
PermanentPosted 8 days ago
Dental Assistant - Entry Level
Aspen Dental · Puyallup, WA
$21.00–$23.00/ hour
PermanentPosted 9 days ago
Dental Assistant in Training
PDS Health · Kent, WA
$19.25–$26.75/ hour
Dental health shortage areas in Thurston County
HRSA lists 5 active dental health shortage designations that include Thurston County (1 geographic, 1 population-group, 3 facility). The highest-scoring one rates 16 on a 0 to 26 scale, where a higher score means a greater shortage.
Shortage areas are where demand for dentists, hygienists and dental assistants is greatest. Federal loan repayment programs such as the NHSC and Nurse Corps cover some clinicians who work at eligible shortage-area sites. Eligibility is set by each program and by the site, so ask your recruiter before you plan around it.
Source: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas data warehouse, designated areas only. A designation can cover part of a county.
Dental Assistant pay in nearby cities
| City | Distance | Median pay | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lacey, WA | 5 mi | $23.02/hr | 58,644 |
| Lakewood, WA | 19 mi | $29.27/hr | 62,709 |
| Tacoma, WA | 25 mi | $29.27/hr | 228,202 |
| Federal Way, WA | 32 mi | $29.27/hr | 100,252 |
| Auburn, WA | 37 mi | $29.27/hr | 85,513 |
| Burien, WA | 40 mi | $29.27/hr | 52,046 |
Dental Assistant jobs in Washington · Dental Assistant jobs nationwide
License and tax basics in Washington
State registration, license or certificate where required, often including radiography. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what Washington requires for your role with the Washington licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date.
Washington does not tax wage income at the state level, so take-home pay is higher than the same gross pay in a state that does.
Other healthcare roles in Olympia
Olympia city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing
Common questions
How much do dental assistants make in Olympia, WA?
Dental Assistants in the Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater metro area have a median pay of $23.02 per hour, about $47,880 a year. The middle half earn between $22.45 and $27.89 per hour (BLS, May 2024).
Is Olympia a good place for dental assistants once cost of living is counted?
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater ranks 230th of 339 metro areas for dental assistant pay after adjusting for local prices, and 104th of 383 before adjusting. Overall prices run 4% above the U.S. average.
Do I need a Washington license to work in Olympia as a dental assistant?
State registration, license or certificate where required, often including radiography. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what Washington requires for your role with the Washington licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date. Confirm with the board before you accept a role.
Is Olympia in a shortage area?
HRSA lists 5 active dental health shortage designations that include Thurston County. Shortage areas often have more openings, and some loan repayment programs cover clinicians who work at eligible sites.
Does Valorem Health place dental assistants in Olympia?
Yes. We place healthcare staff in Olympia and across Washington. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near Olympia.
Free for every candidate
What do employers near Olympia pay dental assistants? Get the report.
Tell us your role and city. Within 24 hours you get an email with three things, by employer name. It costs you nothing, because employers pay us.
- 1Pay for your role at other employers
The hourly pay at named employers near you, so you see who pays most.
- 2What they are offering now
The pay range and median across current postings, and how many were posted this month.
- 3Roles open for you right now
Every current opening near you with pay, shift and start date. Reply with one click.
Get your free pay report
85+ Dental Assistant roles in Washington, sent free by email
Tell us who you are and what you do. We email the report within 24 hours on business days.
Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]
Your Dental Assistant pay reportOlympia, WA · pay published by employers, collected October 15, 2026
1Pay for your role at other employers
- Smile BrandsTacoma, WA · 10 postings$27.00/ hr$19–$32
- PDS HealthSeattle, WA · 6 postings$24.50/ hr$19–$34
- Aspen DentalPuyallup, WA · 5 postings$22.00/ hr$19–$28
Median posted pay per hour, with the range each employer published.
2What they are offering now
Low$19Median$25.00High$30
21 Dental Assistant postings with published pay in Washington, 16 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.
3Open now: 21 Dental Assistant roles
- Dental Assistant in TrainingPermanent$21.75–$30.25/ hour
- Specialty Dental Assistant OrthodonticsPermanent$24.00–$33.50/ hour
+ 19 more in your report. Each one has pay, shift and start date.
I'm interestedOne click. A recruiter writes only after you reply.