Registered Dental Nurse Salary in the United States

How much does a Registered Dental Nurse make in the United States?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for a Registered Dental Nurse in the United States is $44,174 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $21.

However, a Registered Dental Nurse's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $52,323
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $40,683 to $48,440
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $37,503
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View as table View as graph 25% $40,683 10% $37,503 90% $52,323 75% $48,440 $44,174 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Registered Dental Nurse Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $48,440 $4,037 $932 $23
Average $44,174 $3,681 $850 $21
25th Percentile $40,683 $3,390 $782 $20
Check out Registered Dental Nurse Job Openings in the United States
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Advanced Dental - WINDHAM, ME

Registered Dental Hygienist

Gentle Dental Biddeford - BIDDEFORD, ME

Registered Dental Hygienist

Gentle Dental - TOPSHAM, ME

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Key Factors That Influence Registered Dental Nurse Salaries

A Registered Dental Nurse's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Do Registered Dental Nurse Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Registered Dental Nurses. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

  • District of Columbia: $48,910.
  • California: $48,724.
  • Massachusetts: $48,075.

Top Paying Cities for Registered Dental Nurses

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $55,717
  • San Francisco: $55,169
  • Oakland: $53,946

What Skills Can Increase a Registered Dental Nurse's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Customer Service (Mentioned in 10.06% Job Postings): Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
  • Cash Management (Mentioned in 2.51% Job Postings): Cash management refers to a broad area of finance involving the collection, handling, and usage of cash. It involves assessing market liquidity, cash flow, and investments. In banking, cash management, or treasury management, is a marketing term for certain services related to cash flow offered primarily to larger business customers. It may be used to describe all bank accounts (such as checking accounts) provided to businesses of a certain size, but it is more often used to describe specific services such as cash concentration, zero balance accounting, and clearing house facilities. Sometimes, private banking customers are given cash management services. Financial instruments involved in cash management include money market funds, treasury bills, and certificates of deposit.
  • Microsoft Word (Mentioned in 1.68% Job Postings): Microsoft Word or MS Word is a popular word-processing program used mainly for creating documents, such as brochures, letters, learning activities, quizzes, tests, and students' homework assignments
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Customer Service 10.06%
Cash Management 2.51%
Microsoft Word 1.68%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Registered Dental Nurse's salary.
  • Wealth Management: Can increase your salary by up to 70%.
  • Compliance Audit: Can increase your salary by up to 34%.
  • Effective Communication: Can increase your salary by up to 27%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Wealth Management
$75,096
70%
Compliance Audit
$59,194
34%
Effective Communication
$56,101
27%
Dedication
$55,218
25%
Treasury
$51,684
17%
Teamwork
$51,684
17%
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How Education impacts a Registered Dental Nurse's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Registered Dental Nurses enter the field with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Registered Dental Nurse with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $40,062 and $42,479).

Registered Dental Nurse Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Registered Dental Nurse
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 33.3%
High School 33.3%
Associates 8.3%
Bachelors 58.3%
Masters 8.3%
Doctorate 0.0%
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Registered Dental Nurse Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Registered Dental Nurse's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on January 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Registered Dental Nurse

Salaries for a Registered Dental Nurse can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $42,992 in 2023 to around $42,642 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Registered Dental Nurse salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Registered Dental Nurse Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$42,992
2024
$42,814
2025
$42,642
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $42,992
2024 $42,814
2025 $42,642
2026
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2027
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Most common benefits for Registered Dental Nurse

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Registered Dental Nurse

Here are companies hiring for Registered Dental Nurse and their salaries, click below for more details.

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Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Registered Dental Nurse job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

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