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Dental assistant salary in California

Open dental assistant jobs in California post a median of $27.25 an hour, the middle half $25–$33 (about $56,700 a year full time), $2.75 above the national posted median. From 39 jobs at 16 employers that state their pay.

$27.25
Median posted /hr
$25–$33
Middle half /hr
$56,700
A year, full time
estimate, 2,080 hours
$24.09
BLS median in CA
May 2025

The jobs themselves: Dental assistant jobs in California · Dental assistant pay nationwide

What dental assistants are paid in California

Each bar counts the open jobs posting an hourly rate in its step of pay (a range at its midpoint).

Posted hourly rates of 39 open jobs in California. Lowest posted $10, highest $45.

Posted on open jobs in California

$25–$33/hr

Middle half of 30 employer rates (each employer's advertised range once), median $27.25. 59% of the 66 open dental assistant jobs in California state an hourly rate.

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Dental assistant pay by town in California

Towns where at least three open jobs state an hourly rate, the towns with the most such jobs first.

TownMedian postedPosted rangeJobs (employers)
Los Angeles$24.50$22–$32.906 (3)
Santa Ana$30.50$25–$36.195 (1)
Oakland$30$18–$42.284 (2)
San Leandro$37$32.20–$42.283 (1)
Stockton$28.50$17–$453 (3)
El Monte$27.75$25–$32.903 (1)
South Gate$27.75$25–$32.903 (1)
West Covina$27.75$25–$32.903 (1)
Vista$25.50$23.74–$27.323 (1)

Median of employers' rates in the town, the lowest and highest rate posted, and the jobs and employers behind them. A town opens its own job page.

Dental assistant pay by employer in California

What each employer posts for dental assistants here, the employers with the most jobs stating pay first.

EmployerMedian postedPosted rangeJobs stating pay
AltaMed Health Services$27.75$25–$36.196
Choice Healthcare Services$26.25$20.77–$32.024
Aspen Dental$24.50$10–$404
Asian Health Services$37$32.20–$42.283
SGA Dental Partners$34.75$30–$403
Smile Brands$26$24–$293
Vista Community Clinic$25.50$23.74–$27.323
Elica Health Centers$29.50$25–$33.152
Marin Community Clinics$26$262
Big Smiles$24.50$18–$302
Loma Linda University Health$24.50$23–$26.122
MB2 Dental$42.50$40–$451
Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center$26.75$25.96–$27.541
Wilmington Community Clinic$25$22–$281
South Central Family Health Cent$24$241
Keck Medicine of USC$22$221

Median of each employer's jobs in California (a range at its midpoint), and its lowest and highest rate here. An employer's name opens its pay for dental assistants nationwide when it has such a page.

Best-paid open dental assistant jobs in California

The open jobs posting the highest hourly rates tonight, at most two from one employer.

What BLS measures in California

What people employed in the occupation earned in the state, at every level of experience, from the BLS survey. A posting advertises what a new hire is offered.

Hourly wages, BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, California. Each figure opens its BLS page.
BLS occupation10th pct25th pctMedian75th pct90th pctEmployed
Dental Assistants (31-9091)$18.65 (source: BLS OEWS, Dental Assistants, opens in a new tab)$22.25 (source: BLS OEWS, Dental Assistants, opens in a new tab)$24.09 (source: BLS OEWS, Dental Assistants, opens in a new tab)$29.17 (source: BLS OEWS, Dental Assistants, opens in a new tab)$35.43 (source: BLS OEWS, Dental Assistants, opens in a new tab)56,220 (source: BLS OEWS, Dental Assistants, opens in a new tab)

BLS median by metro area

Dental assistant salary in California: common questions

How much does a dental assistant make in California?

Open dental assistant jobs in California that state an hourly rate post a median of $27.25, the middle half $25–$33 (39 jobs from 16 employers). Full time that is about $56,700 a year. BLS measured a median of $24.09/hr ($50,110 a year) for people employed in the occupation in California (May 2025).

Where in California do dental assistants earn the most?

By the median rate open jobs post, in the towns with the most jobs stating pay: Los Angeles ($24.50), Santa Ana ($30.50), Oakland ($30) and San Leandro ($37). The town table lists 9.

Which employers in California pay dental assistants the most?

Among employers stating a rate on at least three open jobs here: Asian Health Services ($37), SGA Dental Partners ($34.75) and AltaMed Health Services ($27.75).

How does California compare with the rest of the country?

The posted median in California ($27.25) is $2.75 above the national posted median of $24.50. In the BLS survey California ranks 14 of 51 by median wage.

Where do these figures come from?

From the pay open jobs state, read every night from each employer's own job board: 39 of 66 open dental assistant jobs in California (59%) state an hourly rate. No pay is estimated for a job that states none; "up to" ceilings and weekly travel rates are left out.

Dental assistant pay in other states

Dental assistant salary nationwide →Every healthcare salary →

Sources and method

Only pay a job states is used, a range at its midpoint. In the state's median and middle half each employer's advertised range counts once, so an employer posting one range in many towns does not set the figure; a town's median follows the same rule. "Up to" ceilings, weekly travel rates and rates far from the occupation's median are left out. A state has a page while at least 8 jobs from 3 employers state a rate there. The yearly estimate is the hourly rate times 2,080 hours. BLS figures are as published.
  1. CareJobs.Now job board: the pay open jobs state, read nightly from each employer's own careers site, published October 24, 2026
  2. BLS OEWS May 2025: Dental Assistants (SOC 31-9091), every state, published May 15, 2026
  3. BLS OEWS May 2025: Dental Assistants, national, published May 15, 2026
  4. BLS OEWS May 2025: Dental Assistants by metropolitan area, published May 15, 2026

Cite this page

CareJobs.Now. (2026). Dental assistant salary in California. Data as of October 24, 2026. https://carejobs.now/salaries/dental-assistant/california

How the board counts