SalaryByCity

Dental Assistants vs Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses: Salary Comparison (2024)

Side-by-side salary comparison using 2024 Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Dental Assistants

$47,300

Median annual salary

375,430 employed nationally

Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses

$62,340

Median annual salary

632,430 employed nationally

Which Career Pays More?

Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses professionals earn $15,040 more per year than Dental Assistants professionals — that's 31.8% higher. At the 90th percentile, Dental Assistants earns $61,780 compared to $80,510 for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses.

Salary Range Comparison

Dental Assistants$36,190 – $61,780
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$47,960 – $80,510
$36,190$80,510

Detailed Salary Comparison

PercentileDental AssistantsLicensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesDifference
10th Percentile$36,190$47,960$-11,770
25th Percentile$39,520$55,220$-15,700
Median (50th)$47,300$62,340$-15,040
75th Percentile$56,910$73,160$-16,250
90th Percentile$61,780$80,510$-18,730
Mean (Average)$48,860$64,150$-15,290

Employment Numbers

Dental Assistants

375,430

employed nationwide

Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses

632,430

employed nationwide

Top Paying Cities

Best Cities for Dental Assistants

CityMedian
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 Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses

CityMedian
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$92,840
San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA$90,810
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$80,480
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$79,460
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA$78,870

Frequently Asked Questions

Who earns more: Dental Assistants or Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses?
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses professionals earn more, with a median salary difference of $15,040 (31.8% 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 Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses?
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses salaries range from $47,960 (10th percentile) to $80,510 (90th percentile), with a median of $62,340.
How many Dental Assistants and Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses jobs are there?
There are approximately 375,430 Dental Assistants positions and 632,430 Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses positions nationwide according to 2024 BLS data.
Is it worth switching from Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses to Dental Assistants?
Career decisions depend on many factors beyond salary. Dental Assistants has a median salary of $47,300 while Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses earns $62,340. 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