Pediatric Dentist salary in California

At a modeled median of $208,560, pediatric dentists in California earn notably above the U.S. median of $170,950 — a gap of about 22%. Among the 51 states where the BLS reports pediatric dentist pay, California ranks 1st.

The pay range is wide: the lowest-paid tenth of pediatric dentists in this state earn around $105,230, while the top tenth earn $389,950 or more — a spread of about $284,720. 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.

Within California, a pediatric dentist earns about 1.3× what a general dentist earns, about 1.7× what a dental hygienist earns and about 4.2× what a dental assistant earns ($165,950, $124,930, $50,110 respectively) — a quick way to see where the role sits in the local dental pay ladder.

Within the state, pediatric dentist pay is highest in San Jose at about $238,990 and lowest in Riverside at about $160,690. Metro-level demand and cost of living explain most of the in-state variation — see the metro breakdown below.