Side-by-side distribution
Dentist
$230,650
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 54.7%
- Live roles
- 461
Medical Assistant
$24.36/hr
per hour · USD
- Disclosing
- 51.8%
- Live roles
- 7,174
Highest-paying jobs
Endodontic General Dentist or Endodontist
Pediatric Dentist - Intermittent
General Dentist
Dentist
General Dentist
General Dentist
Pediatric Dentist
General Dentist ($30,000 Welcoming Bonus)
Dentist – DDS / DMD
Dentist – DDS / DMD
Highest-paying jobs
Faculty Physician - Medical Dermatologist (Assistant or Associate Professor – Academic or Master Clinician Track) Wyoming, MN
Faculty Physician - Medical Dermatologist (Assistant or Associate Professor – Academic or Master Clinician Track) Cottage Grove, MN
Faculty Physician - Medical Dermatologist (Assistant or Associate Professor – Academic or Master Clinician Track) Elk River, MN
Faculty Physician - Medical Dermatologist (Assistant or Associate Professor – Academic or Master Clinician Track)
Assistant Medical Director (CBHC LAWRENCE, MA)
Assistant Dean Undergraduate Medical Education
Faculty Physician - Ophthalmology (Medical and/or Surgical Retina) Assistant Professor
Anesthesiologist Assistant - Aurora Medical Center Grafton
Certified Anesthesiologist Assistant (CAA/AA) - Aurora Medical Center Summit | Oconomowoc, WI
Anesthesiologist Assistant - Aurora St. Luke's Medical Center, Milwaukee, WI
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
Aspen Dental
|
$250,000 | 171 |
|
Elite Dental Partners
|
$270,000 | 15 |
Guardian Dentistry Partners
|
$200,000 | 14 |
Tend
|
$300,000 | 7 |
| SD SGA Dental Partners | $7,500 | 7 |
| SE SEARHC | $340,000 | 5 |
|
Dental365
|
$325,000 | 5 |
NorthLakes Community Clinic
|
$210,000 | 4 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
Advocate Health
|
$56,836 | 424 |
| AD AdventHealth | $46,270 | 228 |
Sutter Health
|
$75,202 | 143 |
CenterWell
|
$49,600 | 136 |
Marathon Health
|
$47,840 | 134 |
| MU MultiCare | $62,962 | 125 |
| BI Beth Israel Lahey Health | $51,230 | 121 |
| MG Mass General Brigham | $49,598 | 117 |
Medical Assistant salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $84,011 | 30 |
| Seattle | $69,000 | 11 |
| Berlin | $59,540 | 5 |
| Los Angeles | $58,427 | 13 |
| Chicago | $50,679 | 29 |
| Dublin | $49,920 | 6 |
| Atlanta | $49,600 | 4 |
| Boston | $49,598 | 55 |
| Denver | $49,150 | 39 |
| Austin | $47,750 | 4 |
Dentist vs Medical Assistant: which pays more?
The median for Dentist is $230,650 per year (typically $197,425–$288,750), versus $24.36/hr for Medical Assistant ($22.44/hr–$27.33/hr). That puts Dentist about 355% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Dentist and Medical Assistant are compared on equal terms regardless of the currency each role was originally posted in. Only roles that publish a salary range feed the medians; numbers refresh every few hours as new roles post and older ones close, so this comparison reflects the market right now rather than a fixed survey. Use it as a directional benchmark when weighing one path against the other.