Dental Assistant Salary in St. Cloud, MN: $62,915 (2026)
Quick Answer:A full-time dental assistant in St. Cloud, MN earns a median $62,915/year (≈ $30.25/hour) in nominal terms for 2026 — projected from BLS OEWS 2025 (SOC 31-9091). Once you factor in St. Cloud's price level (12% below national, BEA RPP 87.6), that paycheck buys what $71,795 would nationally. Nominal pay sits 0.0% above the Minnesota state average.
Official BLS data · View source
In St. Cloud, MN, the projected median annual dental assistant salary for 2026 is $62,915, significantly above the national median of $49,579, indicating a strong local market for this profession. The salary range stretches from $50,683 at the 10th percentile to $74,756 at the 90th percentile, making the pay scale diverse for dental assistants across different types of practices. Derived from official BLS OEWS surveys, this data reflects the shift in compensation trends seen in the dental industry, particularly influenced by the growth of dental service organizations (DSOs) and their structured pay systems. In contrast, solo practices might offer different flexibility in terms of salary negotiation, which can heavily impact take-home earnings for dental assistants working in St. Cloud.
Salary Breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Entry Level (P10) | $50,683 | $24.36 |
| Lower Range (P25) | $61,822 | $29.72 |
| Median (P50)(typical) | $62,915 | $30.25 |
| Upper Range (P75) | $64,885 | $31.20 |
| Top Earners (P90) | $74,756 | $35.94 |
Median Salary Position
26.90% above the national average
2026 Salary Percentile Distribution in St. Cloud
In St. Cloud, MN, the dental assistant salary spread from the 10th to 90th percentile is $24,073 (2026 est.). At $62,915, the local median is 26.9% above the national median of $49,579.
Salary Calculator
At 40 hours/week in St. Cloud: You'd be above the median
How St. Cloud Dental Assistant Pay Compares
St. Cloud median: $62,915/year (2026)
| Compared To | Median Salary | St. Cloud Pays |
|---|---|---|
| National Average | $49,579 | +26.90% more |
Dental Assistants in St. Cloud, MN earn a median of $62,915 per year (2026 est.), which is 26.90% higher than the national median of $49,579.
Cost-of-Living Adjusted Salary
St. Cloud has a cost of living 12.37% below the national average, meaning your salary goes further here.
Adjusted salary = nominal × (100 / CoL index). CoL index: 100 = national average.
St. Cloud, MN has a cost-of-living index of 87.632 (below the national average of 100). A dental assistant earning $62,915 nominally has purchasing power equivalent to $71,795 in an average-cost city — an effective 14.11% boost.
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2019 BLS Actual
$48,910
2025 BLS Actual
$61,000
2026 Current Est.
$62,915
2019–2027 Growth
+32.7%
Salary Trajectory for Dental Assistants in St. Cloud (2019–2027)
2019–2025: actual BLS OEWS data for this metro area. 2026+: CAGR 3.14% projection.
| Year | Annual Salary | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | $48,910 | Actual |
| 2020 | $48,430 | Actual |
| 2021 | $47,250 | Actual |
| 2022 | $55,290 | Actual |
| 2023 | $55,820 | Actual |
| 2024 | $60,060 | Actual |
| 2025 | $61,000 | Actual |
| 2026(current) | $62,915 | Estimated |
| 2027 | $64,891 | Projected |
Based on 7 years of BLS OEWS data for the St. Cloud metropolitan area, the median dental assistant salary grew 24.7% from $48,910 (2019) to $61,000 (2025). At a 3.14% compound annual growth rate, salaries are projected to reach $64,891 by 2027 — a total increase of $15,981 (32.67%) from 2019.
Note: Historical values (2019–2025) are actual BLS OEWS figures for the St. Cloud metropolitan area, sourced from annual Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys. 2026–2026 figures are current estimates, and 2027 values are projections, calculated using a 3.14% CAGR derived from 7-year BLS historical data. Actual salaries may vary based on employer, experience, certifications, and local market conditions.
Salary by Experience Level
| Experience | Estimated Salary Range |
|---|---|
| 0-2 years (New Graduate) | $50,683 – $61,822 |
| 3-5 years (Mid Career) | $61,822 – $62,915 |
| 5+ years (Experienced) | $62,915 – $64,885 |
| 10+ years (Top Earner) | $64,885 – $74,756 |
DA, CDA salary ranges estimated from BLS percentile data. Individual dental assistant compensation varies by employer, certifications, and specialization.
Dental Assistant Job Market in St. Cloud
When examining the local job market, 270 dental assistants are employed in St. Cloud, reinforcing the demand for qualified professionals in this area. The cost-of-living index sits at 87.632, indicating affordability when considering the average salary, which aids employees in maximizing their purchasing power. Larger organizations, especially DSOs like Heartland and Aspen, tend to offer higher pay, benefiting from standardized pay scales not typically found in smaller practices. The disparity in salaries often reflects the type of practice, with specialties like oral surgery and orthodontics generally paying more than general dental practices. To enhance pay, dental assistants can pursue expanded function certifications where allowed, seek treatment coordinator roles, or leverage their skills within DSO chains, aligning with a growing trend towards organized dental care and career mobility in St. Cloud's evolving market.
More salary data for St. Cloud, MN:
Frequently Asked Questions
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Written by Maria Gonzalez, CDA, RDH
Career Analyst
Maria Gonzalez has over 10 years of experience in dental assisting. She specializes in pediatric dentistry. She works in a private dental practice.
Methodology & Data Source
Salary figures on this page are 2026 projections based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2026 release. The BLS reported a median annual salary of $61,000 for dental assistantsin the St. Cloud metropolitan area. A 3.14% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), calculated from 6-year national BLS wage trends, was applied to project current 2026 compensation. Percentile ranges (P10–P90) represent the full salary distribution across experience levels and practice settings in this market.
Data Sources & Methodology
Source: BLS, OEWS, 7-year dataset (–). Per-city data from annual BLS metropolitan area surveys.
2026 figures are projected from 2025 BLS data using a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.14%, derived from historical BLS wage trends for dental assistants (SOC 31-9091).
Compiled and verified by Maria Gonzalez, CDA, RDH, a licensed dental assistant with 10+ years of clinical experience. · View source data at BLS.gov