Salary · KY · SOC 31-9091

Dental Assistant salary in Kentucky, per year and per hour

BLS data for May 2025. Median, mean, and percentile pay for dental assistants in Kentucky, with every metro area BLS publishes.

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, released May 15, 2026. Publisher page

Quick answer

The median pay for dental assistants in Kentucky was $47,730 a year, or $22.95 an hour, in May 2025 (BLS). The middle 80% earned $35,600 to $62,050. About 4,530 were employed.

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Dental Assistant pay in Kentucky vs the US

Dental Assistant wages in Kentucky and the US, May 2025
Measure	KY annual	KY hourly	US annual
Median (50th percentile)	$47,730	$22.95	$48,070
Mean (average)	$48,440	$23.29	$50,200
10th percentile	$35,600	$17.11	$37,130
25th percentile	$42,400	$20.38	$44,340
75th percentile	$56,760	$27.29	$58,090
90th percentile	$62,050	$29.83	$62,250

Employment in Kentucky: 4,530. Location quotient: 0.91 (1.0 = the national share of jobs).

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Publisher page

Dental Assistant salary by metro area in Kentucky

Dental Assistant median wage by metro area, Kentucky
Metro area	Median annual	Median hourly	Employed
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN	$49,100	$23.61	1,500
Lexington-Fayette, KY	$48,690	$23.41	750
Bowling Green, KY	$45,970	$22.10	220
Paducah, KY-IL	$46,750	$22.48	190
Owensboro, KY	$45,330	$21.79	160
Elizabethtown, KY	$46,410	$22.31	140
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN	$49,590	$23.84	2,440
Clarksville, TN-KY	$46,050	$22.14	320
Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH	$42,660	$20.51	240

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Publisher page

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Dental Assistant salary in Kentucky

Median pay: $47,730 a year ($22.95 an hour)

Middle 80% earn $35,600 to $62,050 a year

Employed: 4,530

BLS OEWS, May 2025. Source: Rivvi

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<div style="font:14px/1.45 system-ui,sans-serif;color:#222;border:1px solid #E6E6EE;border-radius:12px;padding:14px 16px;max-width:360px;background:#fff"><div style="font-weight:600;font-size:15px;margin-bottom:6px">Dental Assistant salary in Kentucky</div><div style="margin:2px 0">Median pay: <strong>$47,730</strong> a year ($22.95 an hour)</div><div style="margin:2px 0">Middle 80% earn $35,600 to $62,050 a year</div><div style="margin:2px 0">Employed: 4,530</div><div style="margin-top:8px;font-size:12px;color:#555">BLS OEWS, May 2025. Source: <a href="https://rivvi.ai/salary/dental-assistant/ky" style="color:#3C38C9">Rivvi</a></div></div>

Questions

How much does a Dental Assistant make per hour in Kentucky?

The median hourly wage was $22.95 in May 2025, per BLS. The 10th percentile was $17.11 and the 90th was $29.83.

What is the average Dental Assistant salary in Kentucky?

BLS reports a mean (average) of $48,440 a year and a median of $47,730 for May 2025. The median is the middle wage; the mean is pulled up by the highest earners.

Do dental assistants in Kentucky earn more than the US median?

The Kentucky median of $47,730 is 1% lower than the US median of $48,070 (BLS, May 2025).

How does Kentucky rank for dental assistant pay?

Kentucky ranks 27 of 50 states (plus DC) by median annual wage for dental assistants (BLS, May 2025).

Where do these numbers come from?

The BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates, SOC 31-9091. Figures BLS did not publish are left out.