Yakima, WA
This area's median is $2,220 (4.8%) above the $46,670 median in Yakima, WA.
Dental Assistants OEWS Estimate for Thurston County
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA estimate used for Thurston County, Washington
BLS publishes OEWS estimates for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, not individual counties.
View the canonical Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA area page →Area Median Annual Wage
$48,890
Year: 2025
Area Employment Estimate
480
Jobs across the full Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA area
SOC Code
31-9091
Standard Occupational Classification
Reading this estimate
The middle half of annual wages runs from $47,540 to $59,210 in 2025, a span of $11,670.
The area median is $9,200 (15.8%) below Washington's $58,090 median for this occupation in 2025.
This context describes the full Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA labor market, which includes Thurston County.
The survey does not group these wages by experience level. These comparisons use annual wages before taxes. They do not adjust for local living costs.
Wage Percentiles
Swipe horizontally to see all columns.
| Percentile | Annual Wage | Hourly Wage (Approx) |
|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile | $46,320 | $22.27 |
| 25th Percentile | $47,540 | $22.86 |
| 50th Percentile (Median) | $48,890 | $23.50 |
| 75th Percentile | $59,210 | $28.47 |
| 90th Percentile | $65,730 | $31.60 |
OEWS Area vs. Statewide Median
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA Area Median
$48,890
Washington State Median
$58,090
Difference
−$9,200
% Difference
15.8% below
Dental Assistants Pay Questions
What wage estimate is used for Dental Assistants in Thurston County, WA?
The 2025 BLS OEWS median for Dental Assistants in the Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA area is $48,890. That published area includes Thurston County, but the estimate is not county-specific.
Does the employment count represent only Thurston County?
No. BLS estimates 480 Dental Assistants jobs across the full Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA area. The count must not be interpreted as a Thurston County job count.
What is the 90th-percentile wage in the area used for Thurston County?
The 2025 BLS OEWS 90th-percentile annual wage for Dental Assistants in the Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA area is $65,730. It is an area-wide estimate, not a county-specific figure.
Compare distinct labor markets
Each area appears once. These 2025 comparisons use published medians for the same occupation; missing estimates and lower bounds are excluded. Differences between survey estimates may reflect sampling variation.
Lewiston, ID-WA
This area's median is $1,530 (3.2%) above the $47,360 median in Lewiston, ID-WA.
Longview-Kelso, WA
This area's median is $1,390 (2.9%) above the $47,500 median in Longview-Kelso, WA.
Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA
This area's median is $590 (1.2%) above the $48,300 median in Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA.
Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area
This area's median is $550 (1.1%) below the $49,440 median in Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area.
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA
This area's median is $640 (1.3%) below the $49,530 median in Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA.
Kennewick-Richland, WA
This area's median is $650 (1.3%) below the $49,540 median in Kennewick-Richland, WA.
Walla Walla, WA
This area's median is $900 (1.8%) below the $49,790 median in Walla Walla, WA.
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA
This area's median is $910 (1.8%) below the $49,800 median in Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA.
Bellingham, WA
This area's median is $940 (1.9%) below the $49,830 median in Bellingham, WA.
Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
This area's median is $2,090 (4.1%) below the $50,980 median in Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA.
Western Washington nonmetropolitan area
This area's median is $8,660 (15.0%) below the $57,550 median in Western Washington nonmetropolitan area.
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
This area's median is $11,000 (18.4%) below the $59,890 median in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA.
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
This area's median is $13,150 (21.2%) below the $62,040 median in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA.
Other County Views for Dental Assistants
Each link identifies the published OEWS area used for that county; figures are not county estimates.
King County$62,040 areaPierce County$62,040 areaSnohomish County$62,040 areaClark County$59,890 areaSkamania County$59,890 areaClallam County$57,550 areaGrays Harbor County$57,550 areaIsland County$57,550 areaJefferson County$57,550 areaLewis County$57,550 areaMason County$57,550 areaPacific County$57,550 area
About This Data
Wage data comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2025 estimates. See the official OEWS tables. BLS publishes estimates by metro and nonmetropolitan area rather than by county; figures on this page reflect the Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA area, which includes Thurston County.
Hourly wages are approximated using a standard 2,080-hour work year. A "+" marks a lower bound: the wage is at least the displayed amount. Values without a "+" are published point estimates. An estimate can exceed a reporting threshold without being capped. See the BLS definitions of wages and percentiles.