CareerFacts

All careers › Dental Assistants › California

Dental assistant salary in California

Updated October 30, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$50,110median pay per year in California, or $24.09 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $38,790lowest 10% earn less
  2. $46,27025th percentile
  3. $50,110median
  4. $60,67075th percentile
  5. $73,700top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $48,070[3]

The median pay for dental assistants in California was $50,110 a year[1]. That was 4.2% higher than the US median[6].

Jobs in CA
56,220[4]
Rank by median pay
14 of 50[5]
Compared with US median
+4.2%[6]

How much do dental assistants make in California?

The median is the middle point. Half of the dental assistants in California earned more than $50,110 a year, or $24.09 an hour, and half earned less[1]. The average was a bit higher at $54,710 a year[7]. Across the US, the median was $48,070[3]. California came in 14th highest for median pay among the 49 states and DC with a published median[5].

Compared with all jobs in the state, dental assistants earned $8,130 less than the all-occupation median of $58,240[8][9]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $38,790 a year, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $73,700[2]. In hourly terms, that is below $18.65 and above $35.43[10].

Pay differs by metro area. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara had the highest median, at $74,600 a year[11]. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont was at $64,390[12]. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim had a median of $46,900 across 21,090 jobs[12].

These figures come from OEWS. It counts wage and salary workers, part time and full time. It leaves out the self-employed and business owners. It also leaves out bonuses that are not tied to production and the cost of benefits such as health insurance[13].

California vs US pay

Pay for dental assistants in California next to the national figures[1][3].

CAUS
Median per year$50,110[1]$48,070[3]
Median per hour$24.09[1]$23.11[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$38,790[2]$37,130[14]
Top 10% earn more than$73,700[2]$62,250[14]
Jobs56,220[4]387,790[3]

Pay by metro area in California

Metro areas in California with the most jobs for dental assistants, and the median pay in each[12].

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA[12]$46,90021,090
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$64,3907,530
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$48,5005,240
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$58,1204,260
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$58,5803,100
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$74,6002,870
Fresno, CA$50,0401,360
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA$58,9301,250

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for dental assistants in the states that border California, highest first[15].

StateMedian per yearJobs
Oregon[15]$59,4905,930
Arizona$49,0008,680
Nevada$47,1104,230

Median pay for dental assistants in every state

Job outlook and training

Across the US, jobs for dental assistants are projected to grow 7.4% from 2025 to 2035[16]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: postsecondary nondegree award[17].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does a dental assistant make in California?
The median was $50,110 a year in May 2025[1]. The average was $54,710 a year[7].
How much does a dental assistant make an hour in California?
The median hourly wage was $24.09[1]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $18.65 an hour, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $35.43[10][2].
Which city in California pays dental assistants the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara had the highest median annual wage among the 25 California metro areas with a published median, at $74,600[11].
Is California a good state for dental assistants?
California had the 14th highest median annual wage for dental assistants among the 49 states and DC with a published median[5]. Its median of $50,110 was $2,040 above the US median[6].
What do you need to become a dental assistant in California?
Across the US, the typical education needed for entry is a postsecondary nondegree award, with no related work experience and no on-the-job training listed[17]. This is a US figure, not a California one.

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Dental Assistants in California was $50,110 per year and $24.09 per hour. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Dental Assistants in California: 10th percentile $38,790, 25th percentile $46,270, 75th percentile $60,670, 90th percentile $73,700. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less, the 90th means 10% earned more. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Dental Assistants in the US as a whole was $48,070 per year and $23.11 per hour, with about 387,790 jobs nationwide. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 56,220 people worked as Dental Assistants in California (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: California had the 14th highest median annual wage for Dental Assistants out of the 49 states and DC with a published median. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Dental Assistants in California ($50,110) was $2,040 (4.2%) higher than the US median ($48,070). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Dental Assistants in California was $54,710 per year and $26.30 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Dental Assistants in California was $8,130 lower than the median for all occupations in the state ($58,240). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in California was $58,240. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Dental Assistants in California: 10th percentile $18.65, 25th percentile $22.25, 75th percentile $29.17, 90th percentile $35.43. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 25 metro areas in or partly in California with a published median for Dental Assistants, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA had the highest median annual wage, $74,600. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Dental Assistants in the US: 10th percentile $37,130, 25th percentile $44,340, 75th percentile $58,090, 90th percentile $62,250. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Dental Assistants in states that border California (highest first): Oregon $59,490; Arizona $49,000; Nevada $47,110. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state): employment of Dental Assistants is projected to grow 7.4% nationwide from 2025 to 2035, with about 53,000 openings a year on average. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%. BLS Employment Projections
  17. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state), typical path into Dental Assistants: education needed for entry: Postsecondary nondegree award; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections

State figures cover only California. Job outlook and entry requirements are national (US) figures: BLS does not publish them by state in our sources. Figures labelled “CareerFacts calculation” are simple differences between the BLS numbers shown.