U.S. News & World Report considered several metrics to give jobs overall scores as part of its rankings, including future prospects, wage potential, employment, job stability and work/life balance. Read more about the methodology here.
Here is how the two dental roles ranked among the best healthcare support jobs, including their average salary and projected number of job openings from 2021 to 2031:
Dental hygienist
Rank: No. 3
Average salary: $81,400
Projected jobs: 16,300
Dental assistant
Rank: No. 22
Average salary: $44,820
Projected jobs: 25,700
