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Expanded Function Dental Assistant (EFDA, RDAEF) salary in State College, PA

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The median annual wage for Dental Assistants (the closest BLS occupation to Expanded Function Dental Assistant (EFDA, RDAEF)) in State College, PA was $46,210 in BLS OEWS May 2025. The middle half of workers earned between $39,100 and $48,900.

Broader occupation · SOC 31-9091

BLS occupation: Dental Assistants.

BLS reports Dental Assistants as one occupation. It does not publish a separate estimate for Expanded Function Dental Assistant (EFDA, RDAEF), its setting or its engagement terms.

State College, PA versus the nation

State College, PA median is $1,860 (3.9%) below the national median of $48,070.

State College, PA

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · OEWS May 2025Dental Assistants, State College, PA
Pay range for Dental Assistants, State College, PAMedian $46,210$31,059$67,230
  • P10 to P90 published range
  • P25 to P75 middle range
  • P50 median
Each mark uses wages published by BLS for this occupation and area. See the percentile table below for exact values.
Dental Assistants, State College, PA, BLS OEWS May 2025.
PointAnnual wage
10th percentile$36,540
25th percentile$39,100
Median$46,210
75th percentile$48,900
90th percentile$61,360
Mean (average)$46,950

United States

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · OEWS May 2025Dental Assistants, United States
Pay range for Dental Assistants, United StatesMedian $48,070$31,059$67,230
  • P10 to P90 published range
  • P25 to P75 middle range
  • P50 median
Each mark uses wages published by BLS for this occupation and area. See the percentile table below for exact values.
Dental Assistants, United States, BLS OEWS May 2025.
PointAnnual wage
10th percentile$37,130
25th percentile$44,340
Median$48,070
75th percentile$58,090
90th percentile$62,250
Mean (average)$50,200

For Dental Assistants in State College, PA, BLS reports a median of $46,210; the middle half of workers earned between $39,100 and $48,900 (BLS OEWS May 2025).

State College, PA

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · OEWS May 2025Dental Assistants, State College, PA
Pay range for Dental Assistants, State College, PAMedian $22.22$14.93$32.32
  • P10 to P90 published range
  • P25 to P75 middle range
  • P50 median
Each mark uses wages published by BLS for this occupation and area. See the percentile table below for exact values.
Dental Assistants, State College, PA, BLS OEWS May 2025.
PointHourly wage
10th percentile$17.57
25th percentile$18.80
Median$22.22
75th percentile$23.51
90th percentile$29.50
Mean (average)$22.57

United States

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · OEWS May 2025Dental Assistants, United States
Pay range for Dental Assistants, United StatesMedian $23.11$14.93$32.32
  • P10 to P90 published range
  • P25 to P75 middle range
  • P50 median
Each mark uses wages published by BLS for this occupation and area. See the percentile table below for exact values.
Dental Assistants, United States, BLS OEWS May 2025.
PointHourly wage
10th percentile$17.85
25th percentile$21.32
Median$23.11
75th percentile$27.93
90th percentile$29.93
Mean (average)$24.13

For Dental Assistants in State College, PA, BLS reports a median of $22.22; the middle half of workers earned between $18.80 and $23.51 (BLS OEWS May 2025).

What BLS wages include and exclude

OEWS includes commissions and production bonuses. It excludes overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and employer benefits. It is neither pure base salary nor total compensation.

Included

  • Base rates
  • Commissions
  • Cost-of-living allowances
  • Deadheading pay
  • Guaranteed pay
  • Hazard pay
  • Incentive pay
  • Longevity pay
  • Over-the-road pay (Mileage)
  • Piece rates
  • Portal-to-portal rates
  • Production bonuses
  • Tips

Excluded

  • Attendance bonuses
  • Back pay
  • Clothing allowances
  • Discount
  • Draw
  • Holiday bonus
  • Holiday premium pay
  • Jury duty pay
  • Meal and lodging payments
  • Merchandise discounts
  • Non-production bonuses
  • On-call pay
  • Overtime pay
  • Perquisites
  • Profit-sharing payments
  • Relocation allowances
  • Severance pay
  • Shift differentials
  • Stock bonuses
  • Tool/equipment allowances
  • Tuition repayment
  • Uniform allowance
  • Weekend premium pay
  • Year-end bonuses

Employment: 150 jobs. Location quotient: 0.85.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, BLS OEWS May 2025. SOC 31-9091 Dental Assistants, State College, PA. Published 2026-05-15. BLS release tables (find this SOC and area). Release notes. Methodology and retrieval dates. CSV

How has published pay changed since the last BLS release?

These are separate BLS estimates, not a wage growth forecast. Survey coverage and area boundaries can change. The table places the published median for Dental Assistants in State College, PA from BLS OEWS May 2024 next to BLS OEWS May 2025. A top-coded value is a floor, not an exact median.

Dental Assistants, SOC 31-9091, State College, PA. Published medians from both reference periods.
Pay basisBLS OEWS May 2024BLS OEWS May 2025
annual$46,260$46,210
hourly$22.24$22.22

Prior release: 2024-05, published 2025-04-02. Current release: 2025-05, published 2026-05-15. A top-coded value is a floor, not an exact median.

What does this pay include, and what does it leave out?

OEWS counts base rates, guaranteed pay, commissions and production bonuses. It describes employee wages, not pure base salary or total compensation. Employer benefits and self-employed earnings are outside these wage estimates. Compare the regular pay for the duties you need covered.

A BLS occupation can include different settings, shifts and levels; it does not price your exact schedule.

Overtime, shift differentials and on-call pay are excluded. If this job has a call rota or extra shifts, spell out those payments rather than treating the BLS median as the whole package.

Meal and lodging payments and relocation allowances are excluded. A travel per diem for those costs is not part of this wage. Keep it separate from the pay comparison.

Non-production bonuses are excluded. A sign-on or retention payment that is not tied to production should be discussed separately. BLS does not publish an amount to add for that payment.

BLS pay definitions. These notes do not add an estimated bonus or premium.

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