Dentist, General Salary in California
Median annual pay in California
$165,950
$79.79/hour
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Adjusted for cost of living in California
$149,883
Regional Price Parity: 110.720 (U.S. = 100)
Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Difference from the U.S. median ($170,950): −$5,000 (−2.9%)
California ranks 33rd of 47 states by median pay, and 43rd of 47 after adjusting for cost of living.
Pay
| Annual | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $74,510 | $35.82 |
| 25th percentile | $124,470 | $59.84 |
| Median | $165,950 | $79.79 |
| 75th percentile | $213,260 | $102.53 |
| 90th percentile | $272,730 | $131.12 |
Employment
- Employment in California
- 16,770
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Comparison
Compared with the U.S.
- Median annual pay in California
- $165,950
- Median annual pay in the U.S.
- $170,950
- Difference
- −$5,000 (−2.9%)
Cost of living
$165,950 ÷ 110.720 × 100 = $149,883
Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Ranking
| Rank | Median annual pay | Adjusted for cost of living (annual) |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado | ||
| 31st | $166,240 | $161,317 35th |
| Oklahoma | ||
| 32nd | $166,170 | $189,167 19th |
| California This page | ||
| 33rd | $165,950 | $149,883 43rd |
| Pennsylvania | ||
| 34th | $163,390 | $167,456 31st |
| Texas | ||
| 35th | $162,360 | $167,283 32nd |
Similar occupations
Related occupations from O*NET, in O*NET's order, with their BLS median pay. Each figure shows the place it is for.
- Prosthodontist salary in the U.S.
$311,180/year U.S.
- Orthodontist salary in the U.S.
$289,140/year U.S.
- Dental Assistant salary in California
$50,110/year California
- Orthopedic Surgeon, Except Pediatric salary in California
$253,430/year California
- Dental Hygienist salary in California
$124,930/year California
- Dermatologist salary in the U.S.
$328,730/year U.S.
Outlook
- Projected employment change, 2025–35 (U.S.)
- +5.7%
- Typical education needed for entry (U.S.)
- Doctoral or professional degree
BLS publishes employment projections only for the U.S. as a whole. BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35
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Dentist, General salary in nearby places
- Dentist, General salary in Arizona
$194,180/year Arizona
- Dentist, General salary in Nevada
$162,200/year Nevada
- Dentist, General salary in Oregon
$211,690/year Oregon
- Dentist, General salary in the U.S.
$170,950/year U.S.
Sources and update
- Wages and employment: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.
- Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
- Related occupations: O*NET® 31.0 Database, CC BY 4.0. Attributions
- Employment projections and typical education: BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35.
- Neighboring states: U.S. Census Bureau, County Adjacency File, 2024.
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