SalaryByCity

Dental Assistants vs Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive: Salary Comparison (2024)

Side-by-side salary comparison using 2024 Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Dental Assistants

$47,300

Median annual salary

375,430 employed nationally

Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive

$46,290

Median annual salary

1,737,820 employed nationally

Which Career Pays More?

Dental Assistants professionals earn $1,010 more per year than Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive professionals — that's 2.2% higher. At the 90th percentile, Dental Assistants earns $61,780 compared to $64,150 for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive.

Salary Range Comparison

Dental Assistants$36,190 – $61,780
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive$31,600 – $64,150
$31,600$64,150

Detailed Salary Comparison

PercentileDental AssistantsSecretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and ExecutiveDifference
10th Percentile$36,190$31,600+$4,590
25th Percentile$39,520$37,770+$1,750
Median (50th)$47,300$46,290+$1,010
75th Percentile$56,910$55,650+$1,260
90th Percentile$61,780$64,150$-2,370
Mean (Average)$48,860$47,640+$1,220

Employment Numbers

Dental Assistants

375,430

employed nationwide

Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive

1,737,820

employed nationwide

Top Paying Cities

Best Cities for Dental Assistants

CityMedian
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 Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive

CityMedian
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$61,190
San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA$60,320
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$58,310
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH$56,060
Hartford-East Hartford-Middletown, CT$53,960

Frequently Asked Questions

Who earns more: Dental Assistants or Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive?
Dental Assistants professionals earn more, with a median salary difference of $1,010 (2.2% 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 Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive?
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive salaries range from $31,600 (10th percentile) to $64,150 (90th percentile), with a median of $46,290.
How many Dental Assistants and Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive jobs are there?
There are approximately 375,430 Dental Assistants positions and 1,737,820 Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive positions nationwide according to 2024 BLS data.
Is it worth switching from Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive to Dental Assistants?
Career decisions depend on many factors beyond salary. Dental Assistants has a median salary of $47,300 while Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive earns $46,290. 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