Dental Assistant salary in California
The verified BLS median dental assistant in California earns $50,110 ($24.09/hr). California pays roughly 4% above the national median of $48,070.
Dental Assistant pay in California: the analysis
At a verified median of $50,110, dental assistants in California earn modestly above the U.S. median of $48,070 — a gap of about 4%. Among the 51 states where the BLS reports dental assistant pay, California ranks 14th.
The pay range is wide: the lowest-paid tenth of dental assistants in this state earn around $38,790, while the top tenth earn $73,700 or more — a spread of about $34,910. That gap reflects experience, practice setting, and demand more than any single factor, so an individual offer can sit well above or below the midpoint.
The BLS counts roughly 56,220 dental assistants employed in California — a measure of how deep the local job market is for the role.
Within California, a dental assistant earns about 3.3× less than a general dentist and about 2.5× less than a dental hygienist ($165,950, $124,930 respectively) — a quick way to see where the role sits in the local dental pay ladder.
Within the state, dental assistant pay is highest in San Jose at about $74,600 and lowest in Visalia at about $46,630. Metro-level demand and cost of living explain most of the in-state variation — see the metro breakdown below.
Dental Assistant pay distribution — California (verified)
Inner percentiles marked “est.” are interpolated between published anchors.
| Percentile | Annual pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentilei | $38,790 | $18.65/hr |
| 25th percentilei | $46,270 | $22.25/hr |
| Median (50th)i | $50,110 | $24.09/hr |
| 75th percentilei | $60,670 | $29.17/hr |
| 90th percentilei | $73,700 | $35.43/hr |
| Mean (average)i | $54,710 | $26.30/hr |
Dental Assistant pay by metro in California
All 25 California metros where BLS publishes a dental assistant wage — highest first. State median: $50,110.
- San Jose$74,600+49%
- San Francisco$64,390+28%
- Santa Rosa$60,590+21%
- Napa$60,270+20%
- Vallejo$59,000+18%
- Oxnard$58,930+18%
- Sacramento$58,580+17%
- Santa Cruz$58,580+17%
- San Diego$58,120+16%
- San Luis Obispo$57,150+14%
- Salinas$56,790+13%
- El Centro$56,050+12%
- Santa Maria$51,310+2%
- Modesto$50,170
- Fresno$50,040
- Yuba City$50,030
- Hanford$49,980
- Stockton$49,090-2%
- Merced$48,520-3%
- Riverside$48,500-3%
- Redding$48,490-3%
- Chico$48,170-4%
- Bakersfield$48,100-4%
- Los Angeles$46,900-6%
- Visalia$46,630-7%
Verified BLS OEWS metropolitan wage estimates (May 2025). Percentages compare each metro median with the California median. Metros where BLS does not publish a dental assistant wage are not listed.
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How much does a dental assistant make in California?
The verified BLS OEWS median dental assistant in California earns about $50,110 ($24.09/hr), from the official May 2025 state wage survey.
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