These days you can hardly pass a newsstand without reading headlines about the state of employment in America. Needless to say, it’s a very real problem in our job market at the moment and many families are suffering because bread-winners are out of work.

However, the struggling economy hasn’t had a blanket impact on the entire country. In fact, there are states and communities that have fared quiet well during this historic downturn. More specifically, certain industries have been resilient to employment hardships.

When you’re considering a career as a dental assistant, you want to know that you’ll be able to actually find a job. Depending on the economic climate in your area, this may require relocation to a community with a stronger job market.

This chart displays annual mean salaries for Dental Assistants in the U.S. The data was collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics OES - May 2008.

The West seems to have stayed strong in terms of employment levels for dental assistants. Utah, Washington, California, Idaho and Alaska boast the highest employment in this industry. Dental assistants in Utah earn the least, $26,560 on average. Dental assistants in Alaska, however, earn the most, with an average income of $41,830.

Idaho is in 4th place with an average income of $29,200 while California and Washington compete for a spot in the middle. Dental assistants in California earn $33,910 on average while those in Washington State earn $36,710.

New job training won’t do much good if you can’t find a job in your chosen field. Before embarking on a new career, assess the employment opportunities in your area as they pertain to your industry.

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Related Charts for Dental Assistant Salaries:

Dental Assisting Pay Scale - All U.S. States

Dental Assisting Salaries - Popular Metropolitan Areas

Dental Assisting Salary Ranges - Popular Industries

The bar graph above shows the Dental Assisting salaries for states with the highest employment levels. The data is shown below in table format:

State	Annual Mean Wage
Utah	26560
Washington	36710
California	33910
Idaho	29200
Alaska	41830