Dental Assistants vs Financial Managers: Salary Comparison (2024)
Side-by-side salary comparison using 2024 Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Which Career Pays More?
Financial Managers professionals earn $114,400 more per year than Dental Assistants professionals — that's 241.9% higher.
Salary Range Comparison
Dental Assistants$36,190 – $61,780
Financial Managers$86,490 – N/A
$36,190$86,490
Detailed Salary Comparison
| Percentile | Dental Assistants | Financial Managers | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile | $36,190 | $86,490 | $-50,300 |
| 25th Percentile | $39,520 | $118,360 | $-78,840 |
| Median (50th) | $47,300 | $161,700 | $-114,400 |
| 75th Percentile | $56,910 | $214,210 | $-157,300 |
| 90th Percentile | $61,780 | N/A | N/A |
| Mean (Average) | $48,860 | $180,470 | $-131,610 |
Employment Numbers
Dental Assistants
375,430
employed nationwide
Financial Managers
818,620
employed nationwide
Top Paying Cities
Best Cities for Dental Assistants
| City | Median |
|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $65,360 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $64,600 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA | $62,700 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $60,890 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $59,270 |
Best Cities for Financial Managers
| City | Median |
|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $218,920 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | $216,520 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA | $211,730 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH | $188,490 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $180,770 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who earns more: Dental Assistants or Financial Managers?
Financial Managers professionals earn more, with a median salary difference of $114,400 (241.9% higher) as of 2024 BLS data.
What is the salary range for Dental Assistants?
Dental Assistants salaries range from $36,190 (10th percentile) to $61,780 (90th percentile), with a median of $47,300.
What is the salary range for Financial Managers?
Financial Managers salaries range from $86,490 (10th percentile) to N/A (90th percentile), with a median of $161,700.
How many Dental Assistants and Financial Managers jobs are there?
There are approximately 375,430 Dental Assistants positions and 818,620 Financial Managers positions nationwide according to 2024 BLS data.
Is it worth switching from Financial Managers to Dental Assistants?
Career decisions depend on many factors beyond salary. Dental Assistants has a median salary of $47,300 while Financial Managers earns $161,700. Consider job satisfaction, growth prospects, required education, and work-life balance.
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Data verified March 2026 · Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS