Dentists, General pay in California
$170,690avg. a year
$82.06 an hour · 16,770 employed
Dentists, General in California earn an average of $170,690 a year. That is $20,660 (11%) less than the U.S. average of $191,350. The best-paying metro area is Hanford-Corcoran, CA at $229,860.
$165,950Median pay
$82.06Average hourly
+6%Avg. pay since 2020
#38Of 47 states
Top-paying California metro areas
Average pay for dentists, general by metro area. Swipe to see all 24.
160 jobs
Hanford-Corcoran, CA
$229,860
$110.51 an hour
240 jobs
El Centro, CA
$221,110
$106.30 an hour
32,090 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$211,930
$101.89 an hour
4170 jobs
Salinas, CA
$202,730
$97.47 an hour
5340 jobs
Fresno, CA
$201,700
$96.97 an hour
61,130 jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$191,900
$92.26 an hour
7220 jobs
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
$191,640
$92.13 an hour
8100 jobs
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
$190,280
$91.48 an hour
9310 jobs
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$189,430
$91.07 an hour
10170 jobs
Visalia, CA
$186,050
$89.45 an hour
11140 jobs
Vallejo, CA
$185,560
$89.21 an hour
1240 jobs
Yuba City, CA
$184,260
$88.59 an hour
13200 jobs
Stockton-Lodi, CA
$183,520
$88.23 an hour
14160 jobs
Modesto, CA
$181,690
$87.35 an hour
1540 jobs
Merced, CA
$175,490
$84.37 an hour
16140 jobs
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$175,100
$84.18 an hour
1760 jobs
Redding, CA
$174,590
$83.94 an hour
18970 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$174,390
$83.84 an hour
1990 jobs
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$172,560
$82.96 an hour
2050 jobs
Chico, CA
$172,230
$82.80 an hour
211,710 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$168,540
$81.03 an hour
22230 jobs
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$166,050
$79.83 an hour
231,560 jobs
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$155,020
$74.53 an hour
246,300 jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$147,970
$71.14 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.
Dentists, General pay in California, charted
Pay over time
California, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where California dentists, general work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · California highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $174k$174k–$189k$189k–$208k$208k+California
California vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $191,350 | $91.99 |
| California | $170,690 | $82.06 |
| Oregon | $240,170 | $115.47 |
| Arizona | $181,040 | $87.04 |
| Nevada | $178,460 | $85.80 |
Related jobs in California
- Registered Nurses$150,280
- Physicians, All Other$249,620
- Nurse Practitioners$176,760
- Pharmacists$162,340
- Physical Therapists$122,580
- Dental Hygienists$128,110
Average pay, California, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do dentists, general make in California?
The average is $170,690 a year, and the median is $165,950. That is $20,660 (11%) less than the U.S. average of $191,350.
What is the hourly wage in California?
$82.06 an hour on average; the median is $79.79.
Where in California do they earn the most?
Hanford-Corcoran, CA ($229,860), followed by El Centro, CA ($221,110). The lowest average among 24 metro areas with data is Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($147,970).
How does California rank?
California ranks #38 of 47 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 29-1021. 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 dentists, general 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.