The average salary for a dentist in California is around $164,420 per year.
Avg Salary
Dentists earn an average yearly salary of $164,420.
Wages typically start from $48,800.
113% above national average Updated in 2021
Dentist earnings by seniority
50th percentile
Mid-level dentist earnings begin at:
$79.05 per hour
$164,420 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level dentist earnings begin at:
$37.91 per hour
$78,850 per year
10th percentile
Starting level dentist earnings begin at:
$23.46 per hour
$48,800 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Dentist salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Puerto Rico | $47,640 |
| Delaware | $233,860 |
| New Hampshire | $225,140 |
| Rhode Island | $206,600 |
| Connecticut | $199,300 |
| Alaska | $198,950 |
| District of Columbia | $181,410 |
| Maine | $169,000 |
| Arkansas | $168,420 |
| North Carolina | $167,600 |
| Oregon | $167,530 |
| Washington | $167,030 |
| Hawaii | $166,800 |
| Wisconsin | $166,800 |
| Alabama | $166,640 |
| Ohio | $166,180 |
| Kansas | $165,550 |
| New Mexico | $164,660 |
| Massachusetts | $164,480 |
| California | $164,420 |
| Arizona | $164,060 |
| Michigan | $164,060 |
| Minnesota | $163,210 |
| Iowa | $163,140 |
| North Dakota | $162,910 |
| Missouri | $162,650 |
| Mississippi | $162,390 |
| Indiana | $161,790 |
| Maryland | $160,690 |
| Georgia | $158,300 |
| New York | $154,130 |
| Oklahoma | $154,070 |
| Virginia | $145,990 |
| Texas | $144,680 |
| New Jersey | $143,120 |
| Montana | $141,860 |
| Wyoming | $132,360 |
| Florida | $131,850 |
| Vermont | $131,770 |
| Nevada | $130,600 |
| Tennessee | $130,600 |
| Pennsylvania | $130,280 |
| Illinois | $129,580 |
| Nebraska | $128,190 |
| South Dakota | $128,190 |
| Colorado | $128,050 |
| Kentucky | $127,960 |
| West Virginia | $123,030 |
| Louisiana | $121,020 |
| Idaho | $109,580 |
| South Carolina | $105,420 |
| Utah | $102,200 |
How do dentist salaries compare to similar careers?
Dentists earn about the same as related careers in California. On average, they make less than nurse anesthetists but more than radiation therapists.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Nurse anesthetist salary | $233K |
| Dentist salary | $164K |
| Podiatrist salary | $159K |
| Nurse practitioner salary | $150K |
| Pharmacist salary | $156K |
| Radiation therapist salary | $131K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)