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Dentist salary in California

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

$165,950median pay per year in California, or $79.79 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $74,510lowest 10% earn less
  2. $124,47025th percentile
  3. $165,950median
  4. $213,26075th percentile
  5. $272,730top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $170,950[3]

The median pay for dentists in California was $165,950 a year in May 2025[1]. That was a little lower than the US median[6].

Jobs in CA
16,770[4]
Rank by median pay
33 of 47[5]
Compared with US median
−2.9%[6]

How much do dentists make in California?

The median wage for dentists in California was $165,950 a year, or $79.79 an hour[1]. Half of dentists earned more than that and half earned less. The average was a bit higher, at $170,690 a year[7]. Across the US, the median was $170,950, so California was $5,000 (2.9%) lower[6]. For all jobs in California, the median was $58,240[8]. Dentists earned $107,710 more than that[9].

The lowest-paid 10% of dentists in California earned less than $74,510[2]. The top-paid 10% earned more than $272,730[2]. The middle half of dentists earned between $124,470 and $213,260[2].

Pay differs across the state. Among the metro areas with the most dentist jobs, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara had a median of $207,910 and San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont had $202,060, while Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim had $139,990[10]. Hanford-Corcoran had the highest median of the 24 metro areas with a published figure, at $222,430[11]. These numbers cover wage and salary workers only. They leave out self-employed dentists, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, and they do not include nonproduction bonuses or the cost of benefits[12].

California vs US pay

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

CAUS
Median per year$165,950[1]$170,950[3]
Median per hour$79.79[1]$82.19[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$74,510[2]$86,250[13]
Top 10% earn more than$272,730[2]$319,630[13]
Jobs16,770[4]124,390[3]

Pay by metro area in California

Metro areas in California with the most jobs for dentists, and the median pay in each[10].

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA[10]$139,9906,300
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$202,0602,090
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$158,1601,710
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$125,2301,560
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$207,9101,130
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$170,500970
Fresno, CA$188,510340
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA$178,150310

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for dentists in the states that border California, highest first[14].

StateMedian per yearJobs
Oregon[14]$211,6901,660
Arizona$194,1803,470
Nevada$162,2001,100

Median pay for dentists in every state

Job outlook and training

Across the US, jobs for dentists are projected to grow 5.7% from 2025 to 2035[15]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: doctoral or professional degree[16].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does a dentist make in California?
The median pay for dentists in California was $165,950 a year in May 2025[1]. The average was $170,690 a year[7].
How much does a dentist make an hour in California?
The median hourly wage for dentists in California was $79.79[1]. The 10th percentile wage was $35.82 an hour and the 90th percentile wage was $131.12[17].
Which city in California pays dentists the most?
Of the 24 metro areas with a published median, Hanford-Corcoran had the highest, at $222,430 a year[11]. Among the metros with the most dentist jobs, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara led with $207,910[10].
Is California a good state for dentists?
California had the 33rd highest median annual wage for dentists out of the 47 states with a published median[5]. Its median was $5,000 (2.9%) lower than the US median[6].
What do you need to become a dentist in California?
Across the US, the typical entry path needs a doctoral or professional degree, with no work experience in a related occupation and no on-the-job training[16]. This is a US figure, not a California one.

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Dentists, General in California was $165,950 per year and $79.79 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 Dentists, General in California: 10th percentile $74,510, 25th percentile $124,470, 75th percentile $213,260, 90th percentile $272,730. 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 Dentists, General in the US as a whole was $170,950 per year and $82.19 per hour, with about 124,390 jobs nationwide. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 16,770 people worked as Dentists, General in California (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: California had the 33rd highest median annual wage for Dentists, General out of the 47 states with a published median. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Dentists, General in California ($165,950) was $5,000 (2.9%) lower than the US median ($170,950). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Dentists, General in California was $170,690 per year and $82.06 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in California was $58,240. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Dentists, General in California was $107,710 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($58,240). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 24 metro areas in or partly in California with a published median for Dentists, General, Hanford-Corcoran, CA had the highest median annual wage, $222,430. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. 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
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Dentists, General in the US: 10th percentile $86,250, 25th percentile $125,710, 75th percentile $224,040, 90th percentile $319,630. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Dentists, General in states that border California (highest first): Oregon $211,690; Arizona $194,180; Nevada $162,200. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state): employment of Dentists, General is projected to grow 5.7% nationwide from 2025 to 2035, with about 4,200 openings a year on average. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%. BLS Employment Projections
  16. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state), typical path into Dentists, General: education needed for entry: Doctoral or professional degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  17. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Dentists, General in California: 10th percentile $35.82, 25th percentile $59.84, 75th percentile $102.53, 90th percentile $131.12. BLS OEWS, May 2025

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.