Updated · 2026 tax rules · Data: IRS, BLS, BEA, HUD · How we calculate

Dental Assistant Salary in Orlando, FL

Dental Assistants in the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL metro area earn a median $46,480 a year — 3% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $39,527 take-home, or $3,294 a month.

Median salary
$46,480
$22.35 per hour
Typical range
$38,520 – $58,650
10th to 90th percentile
Jobs in Orlando, FL
3,260
0.92× national concentration
▼2.1%
Pay trend: The median for dental assistants in Orlando, FL fell from $47,500 (May 2024) to $46,480 (May 2025). That trailed inflation (2.4%), so buying power slipped about 4.5%.

Take-home pay calculator

Pre-filled with the median dental assistant salary in Orlando, FL. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.

Dental Assistant in Orlando, FL
Deductions, kids & local tax

2026 tax year. Federal brackets from IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32.

Your take-home pay
$39,527
per year · effective tax rate 15.0%
$3,294Monthly
$1,647Twice a month
$1,520Every 2 weeks
$19.00Hourly
  • Federal income tax$3,398
  • Social Security (6.2%)$2,882
  • Medicare (1.45%)$674
  • Florida income tax$0
  • Take-home pay$39,527

Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% state

Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →

Dental Assistant pay by experience in Orlando, FL

PercentileSalaryHourlyTake-home / yrPer month
10th percentile (entry level)$38,520$18.52$33,131$2,761
25th percentile$44,800$21.54$38,177$3,181
Median (50th)$46,480$22.35$39,527$3,294
75th percentile$54,080$26.00$45,633$3,803
90th percentile (top earners)$58,650$28.20$49,305$4,109

Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Florida resident, 2026 tax rules.

What $46,480 buys in Orlando, FL

Prices in Orlando, FL are 1.4% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.23× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median dental assistant's $39,527 take-home pay has the buying power of $38,974 in a typical American city.

1-bedroom rent
$1,731
53% of monthly take-home
2-bedroom rent
$1,972
60% of monthly take-home
Left after 1-BR rent
$1,563
per month for everything else

Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.

Dental Assistant jobs are about as common in Orlando, FL as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.92).

Best-paying cities for dental assistants, adjusted for cost of living

Orlando, FL ranks #25 of 36 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.

#Metro areaMedian salaryTake-homeReal value*
1Minneapolis, MN $72,370$56,345$53,753
2San Jose, CA $74,600$57,585$52,150
3Seattle, WA $62,040$52,029$46,817
4San Francisco, CA $64,390$51,141$44,235
5Sacramento, CA $58,580$46,923$43,989
6Portland, OR $59,890$45,891$43,531
7Cincinnati, OH $49,590$41,444$43,456
8Kansas City, MO $48,190$39,573$42,762
25Orlando, FL$46,480$39,527$38,974

*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 36 metros →

About the job: dental assistants

Perform limited clinical duties under the direction of a dentist. Clinical duties may include equipment preparation and sterilization, preparing patients for treatment, assisting the dentist during treatment, and providing patients with instructions for oral healthcare procedures. May perform administrative duties such as scheduling appointments, maintaining medical records, billing, and coding information for insurance purposes.

Typical education
Postsecondary nondegree award
Work experience
None required
On-the-job training
None
Job outlook, 2025–35
+7.4% (faster than average)

Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.

Dental Assistant salaries elsewhere in Florida

Frequently asked questions

How much does a dental assistant make in Orlando, FL?

The median dental assistant salary in the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL metro area is $46,480 a year, or about $22.35 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $44,800 and $54,080.

What is a dental assistant’s take-home pay in Orlando, FL?

On the median $46,480 salary, a single filer living in Florida takes home about $39,527 a year ($3,294 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare in 2026.

Is Orlando, FL a good place to work as a dental assistant?

Pay here is 3% below the national median of $48,070. Local prices are 1.4% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $38,974 would in a typical U.S. city. Orlando, FL ranks #25 of 36 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.

Can a dental assistant afford rent in Orlando, FL?

HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Orlando, FL is $1,731 a month ($1,972 for two bedrooms) — 53% of a median dental assistant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.

Related jobs in Orlando, FL

Cost of living & all salaries in Orlando, FL →