Dental Assistants pay in California
$54,710avg. a year
$26.30 an hour · 56,220 employed
Dental Assistants in California earn an average of $54,710 a year. That is $4,510 (9%) more than the U.S. average of $50,200. The best-paying metro area is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $71,150.
$50,110Median pay
$26.30Average hourly
+22%Avg. pay since 2020
#10Of 49 states + D.C.
Top-paying California metro areas
Average pay for dental assistants by metro area. Swipe to see all 25.
12,870 jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$71,150
$34.21 an hour
27,530 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$64,900
$31.20 an hour
3680 jobs
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$62,500
$30.05 an hour
4630 jobs
Vallejo, CA
$61,120
$29.39 an hour
5230 jobs
Napa, CA
$59,570
$28.64 an hour
6370 jobs
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$58,970
$28.35 an hour
73,100 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$57,840
$27.81 an hour
8200 jobs
Hanford-Corcoran, CA
$57,500
$27.64 an hour
9130 jobs
El Centro, CA
$56,840
$27.33 an hour
10570 jobs
Salinas, CA
$55,700
$26.78 an hour
11440 jobs
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
$55,320
$26.60 an hour
121,250 jobs
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$55,210
$26.54 an hour
13610 jobs
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$54,120
$26.02 an hour
144,260 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$53,990
$25.96 an hour
15780 jobs
Stockton-Lodi, CA
$53,570
$25.75 an hour
16890 jobs
Modesto, CA
$53,130
$25.54 an hour
171,360 jobs
Fresno, CA
$52,950
$25.46 an hour
18240 jobs
Yuba City, CA
$52,640
$25.31 an hour
19290 jobs
Chico, CA
$52,260
$25.12 an hour
20250 jobs
Merced, CA
$52,050
$25.02 an hour
21240 jobs
Redding, CA
$51,890
$24.95 an hour
225,240 jobs
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$51,460
$24.74 an hour
23990 jobs
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
$51,190
$24.61 an hour
24480 jobs
Visalia, CA
$49,960
$24.02 an hour
2521,090 jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$49,040
$23.58 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Dental Assistants pay in California, charted
Pay over time
California, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where California dental assistants work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · California highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $46k$46k–$50k$50k–$53k$53k+California
California vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $50,200 | $24.13 |
| California | $54,710 | $26.30 |
| Oregon | $60,110 | $28.90 |
| Arizona | $50,280 | $24.17 |
| Nevada | $45,880 | $22.06 |
Related jobs in California
- Medical Assistants$55,100
- Phlebotomists$56,600
- Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers$47,250
- Healthcare Support Workers, All Other$56,100
- Massage Therapists$55,630
- Medical Equipment Preparers$65,100
Average pay, California, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do dental assistants make in California?
The average is $54,710 a year, and the median is $50,110. That is $4,510 (9%) more than the U.S. average of $50,200.
What is the hourly wage in California?
$26.30 an hour on average; the median is $24.09.
Where in California do they earn the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($71,150), followed by San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA ($64,900). The lowest average among 25 metro areas with data is Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($49,040).
How does California rank?
California ranks #10 of 50 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 31-9091. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national dental assistants page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.