Dental Assistants vs Purchasing Managers: Salary Comparison (2024)
Side-by-side salary comparison using 2024 Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Which Career Pays More?
Dental Assistants professionals earn $47,300 more per year than Purchasing Managers professionals.
Top Paying Cities
Best Cities for Dental Assistants
| City | Median |
|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $65,360 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $64,600 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA | $62,700 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $60,890 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $59,270 |
Best Cities for Purchasing Managers
| City | Median |
|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH | $170,900 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA | $168,460 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $152,380 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $138,270 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $137,980 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who earns more: Dental Assistants or Purchasing Managers?
Dental Assistants professionals earn more, with a median salary difference of $47,300 (null% higher) as of 2024 BLS data.
What is the salary range for Dental Assistants?
Dental Assistants salaries range from $36,190 (10th percentile) to $61,780 (90th percentile), with a median of $47,300.
What is the salary range for Purchasing Managers?
Salary data for Purchasing Managers is not currently available.
How many Dental Assistants and Purchasing Managers jobs are there?
There are approximately 375,430 Dental Assistants positions and N/A Purchasing Managers positions nationwide according to 2024 BLS data.
Is it worth switching from Purchasing Managers to Dental Assistants?
Career decisions depend on many factors beyond salary. Dental Assistants has a median salary of $47,300 while Purchasing Managers earns $0. Consider job satisfaction, growth prospects, required education, and work-life balance.
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Data verified March 2026 · Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS