Based on the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data — updated September 10, 2026.
| California | National | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual salary | $165,950 | $175,358 | -5% |
| Median hourly wage | $79.78 | $84.31 | -5% |
Adjusted for local price levels (100 = national average), the cost-adjusted median is $149,910.
| City | Median | Entry Level | Experienced | Cost of Living |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $264,911 | $217,000 | $387,500 | 244 |
| Oakland | $239,274 | $196,000 | $350,000 | 196 |
| Los Angeles | $218,765 | $179,200 | $320,000 | 173 |
| Long Beach | $205,092 | $168,000 | $300,000 | 153 |
| San Diego | $201,674 | $165,200 | $295,000 | 161 |
| Sacramento | $184,583 | $151,200 | $270,000 | 130 |
| Fresno | $162,365 | $133,000 | $237,500 | 105 |
The median annual salary for a Dentist in California is $165,950, or about $79.78 per hour, according to BLS OEWS data.
The national median for Dentists is $175,358. California is -5% below the national median.
Entry-level dentists in California typically earn from $217,000 depending on the city and employer.
With 16,770 dentist jobs on record and a median salary of $165,950, California offers competitive pay compared to the rest of the country.
By median annual wage, dentists rank 39 of the 793 occupations reported in California — higher than 95% of them.
Among occupations in the same job family, Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric at $400,150, Neurologists at $357,080, Psychiatrists at $353,500 — 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, dentists rank 39 of the 793 occupations reported in California — higher than 95% of them.
| Occupation in the same job family | Median in California | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric | $400,150 | $820 |
| Neurologists | $357,080 | $1,090 |
| Psychiatrists | $353,500 | $5,420 |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | $313,890 | $6,370 |
| Obstetricians and Gynecologists | $301,240 | $1,610 |
| Nurse Anesthetists | $292,410 | $2,230 |
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.