Dental Assistants Hourly Wage in California (2024)

The median hourly wage for Dental Assistants in California is $23.18/hour, based on 2024 BLS data.

Data: BLS OEWS 2024 • California hourly wage data • Updated 2026-04-06

Entry-Level (P10)
$18.17
/hour
Median (P50)
$23.18
/hour
Senior (P90)
$34.76
/hour

Annual Salary Equivalent

$48,210
Based on 2,080 work hours/year (40 hours/week, 52 weeks/year). View annual salary page.

California vs National Average

Entry-Level (P10)
$18.17
National: $17.24
+5.4%
Median (P50)
$23.18
National: $22.22
+4.3%
Senior (P90)
$34.76
National: $28.13
+23.6%

Hourly Wage Breakdown by Percentile

Percentile Hourly Rate Weekly (×40h) Monthly (×173.3h) Annual (×2,080h)
Entry-Level (P10) $18.17 $727 $3150 $37,800
Q1 (P25) $22.08 $883 $3828 $45,930
Median (P50) $23.18 $927 $4018 $48,210
Q3 (P75) $28.49 $1140 $4938 $59,260
Senior (P90) $34.76 $1390 $6025 $72,300

Note: Weekly = hourly × 40 hours. Monthly = hourly × 173.3 hours (avg). Annual = hourly × 2,080 hours.

Highest-Paying States for Dental Assistants

#1
$30.23
$30.23/hr
+36.0%
#2
$28.3
$28.3/hr
+27.4%
#3
$27.42
$27.42/hr
+23.4%
#4
$27.42
$27.42/hr
+23.4%
#5
$27.1
$27.1/hr
+22.0%
#6
$26.78
$26.78/hr
+20.5%
#7
$25.42
$25.42/hr
+14.4%
#8
$24.91
$24.91/hr
+12.1%
#9
$23.91
$23.91/hr
+7.6%
#10
$23.8
$23.8/hr
+7.1%

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average hourly wage for Dental Assistants in California?

The median hourly wage for Dental Assistants in California is $23.18/hour (2024 BLS data). This equals approximately $48,210.0 per year based on 2,080 work hours.

How does California Dental Assistants hourly pay compare to national average?

The median hourly rate for Dental Assistants in California is $23.18/hr compared to the national average of $22.22/hr — higher by $0.96/hr.

What is the entry-level hourly rate for Dental Assistants in California?

Entry-level Dental Assistants professionals in California earn approximately $18.17/hour (10th percentile), which equals $37,800.0/year. Senior-level professionals earn $34.76/hour.

How much does a senior Dental Assistants make per hour in California?

Senior-level Dental Assistants professionals in California (90th percentile) earn approximately $34.76/hour, or $72,300.0/year.

How is hourly wage calculated from annual salary?

Hourly wages are calculated by dividing annual salary by 2,080 hours (52 weeks × 40 hours/week). This is the standard full-time conversion used by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Related Salary Pages

Data Source

Hourly wage data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2024. This data reflects median and percentile wages for Dental Assistants (SOC 319091) in California.

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