Based on the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data — updated September 10, 2026.
| California | National | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual salary | $50,110 | $48,867 | +3% |
| Median hourly wage | $24.09 | $23.49 | +3% |
Adjusted for local price levels (100 = national average), the cost-adjusted median is $45,266.
| City | Median | Entry Level | Experienced | Cost of Living |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City-level data coming soon. | ||||
The median annual salary for a Dental Assistant in California is $50,110, or about $24.09 per hour, according to BLS OEWS data.
The national median for Dental Assistants is $48,867. California is +3% above the national median.
Entry-level dental assistants in California typically earn from varies by experience depending on the city and employer.
With 56,220 dental assistant jobs on record and a median salary of $50,110, California offers above-average pay compared to the rest of the country.
By median annual wage, dental assistants rank 583 of the 793 occupations reported in California — higher than 26% of them.
Among occupations in the same job family, Physical Therapist Assistants at $83,110, Occupational Therapy Assistants at $81,770, Medical Equipment Preparers at $61,370 — all figures are median annual wages for California.
No. Every figure on this page is a gross (pre-tax) wage. California levies a state income tax, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 145.0 (100 = national average).
By median annual wage, dental assistants rank 583 of the 793 occupations reported in California — higher than 26% of them.
| Occupation in the same job family | Median in California | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Physical Therapist Assistants | $83,110 | $9,400 |
| Occupational Therapy Assistants | $81,770 | $3,840 |
| Medical Equipment Preparers | $61,370 | $8,720 |
| Phlebotomists | $56,040 | $13,520 |
| Orderlies | $49,920 | $4,870 |
| Medical Assistants | $49,660 | $117,060 |
California levies a state income tax, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 145.0 (100 = national average).
Ranking and comparison figures come from the same BLS OEWS release as the rest of this page, which covers 793 occupations in California.