Best Dental Assistant Programs in Alabaster, Alabama (2026)

Updated June 8, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

Quick answer: Dental assistants in Alabama earn a median of $39,080 per year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). This page lists accredited dental assistant schools near Alabaster, Alabama with local wage data and median graduate earnings for each school.

Choosing a dental assistant program near Alabaster, Alabama comes down to accreditation, schedule, and how each school prepares you for the field. For context, the state median annual wage for this occupation is approximately $39,080 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Alabaster Quick Facts

MetricValueSource
State median annual wage$39,080BLS OEWS, May 2025
Alabama pay range (10th to 90th percentile)$30,840 to $51,400BLS OEWS, May 2025
Birmingham, AL metro median wage$42,050BLS OEWS, May 2025
National job outlook (2024 to 2034)+6.4% growth, about 52,900 openings per yearBLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034
State employment3,740 workersBLS OEWS, May 2025
Shelby County establishments100BLS QCEW, 2024
Shelby County industry employment900BLS QCEW, 2024
Shelby County unemployment rate2.4%BLS LAUS, 2024
Alabama location quotient0.71BLS OEWS, May 2025

Nearby Cities

Explore the Dental assistant Career

What You’ll Find Below

The school listings below are sorted by proximity to Alabaster. Each entry includes the school name, address, and the credentials offered. Use the Shelby County and Alabama figures above as a reference point when comparing program length, schedule, and tuition.

Dental Assistant Schools near Alabaster

#1

Fortis Institute-Birmingham

Birmingham, AL 15.3 miles away
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 35.1% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 16
  • Annual completions: 330
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing: $39,556 (College Scorecard)

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#2

Lawson State Community College

Birmingham, AL 16.3 miles away
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 26.5% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 40
  • Annual completions: 477
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing: $44,506 (College Scorecard)

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#3

University of Alabama at Birmingham

Birmingham, AL 19.5 miles away
Tuition $8,832 - $27,826
Contact
  • Administration Bldg Suite 1070 Birmingham, AL 35294-0110
  • (205) 934-4011
Key stats
  • Admission rate: 88.4%
  • Graduation rate: 63.4%
  • Programs offered: 19
  • Annual completions: 774
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing: $64,969 (College Scorecard)

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

Dental Assistant Salary Snapshot

U.S.
U.S. Median Pay $48,070 $23.11 per hour
Job Outlook 6.4% 24,400 jobs (2024–2034)
52,900 openings/yr
Data Year: 2025 SOC: 31-9091 Source: BLS OEWS

Dental-Assistant Salary in U.S.

Median Salary $48,070 $23.11/hr
Average Salary $50,200 $24.13/hr

Salary Range

$37,130 10th pctl
$48,070 Median
$62,250 90th pctl
10th Percentile $37,130 $17.85/hr
25th Percentile $44,340 $21.32/hr
75th Percentile $58,090 $27.93/hr
90th Percentile $62,250 $29.93/hr

Employment & Outlook

Total Employed387,790
Growth (2024-2034)6.4%
Annual Openings52,900
Jobs per 1,0002.5

Dental Assistants (31-9091) • BLS OEWS, May 2025 • bls.gov/oes

Next Steps

About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade career guide using BLS, DOL, and state licensing data. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.