Dental Salary Data · BLS OEWS May 2025

Dental Assistant Salary in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont

The median dental assistant earns $64,390 a year in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont metro, with the middle half between $58,760 and $73,010.[1]

25th percentile

$58,760

Lower end of the middle half

Median

$64,390

Half earn more, half earn less

75th percentile

$73,010

Upper end of the middle half

San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont runs about 28% higher than the California median and ranks 2nd of 25 California metros. It is about 34% higher than the national median.

San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont pay range vs. California and the U.S.

Dental Assistant annual wages: San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont vs. California vs. U.S. (BLS OEWS, May 2025)
PercentileMetro annualCalifornia annualU.S. annual
10th percentile$47,800$38,790$37,130
25th percentile$58,760$46,270$44,340
Median$64,390$50,110$48,070
75th percentile$73,010$60,670$58,090
90th percentile$80,660$73,700$62,250
Mean (average)$64,900$54,710$50,200

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.[2] Gross wages for employees; excludes the self-employed. Comparisons in this page are DSO Hire calculations and are not adjusted for cost of living.

Employed in metro

7,530

About 13% of California's total (calculation)

Per 1,000 jobs

3.17

California: 3.09

Location quotient

1.27

1.00 = U.S. average; more concentrated than the national average

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Dental Assistant salary in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont: FAQ

How much do dental assistants make in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont?

The median dental assistant salary in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont metro area is $64,390, with the middle half earning between $58,760 and $73,010 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The full range runs from $47,800 at the 10th percentile to $80,660 at the 90th.

Is San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont higher or lower than the rest of California?

San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont runs about 28% higher than the California state median for dental assistants. It ranks 2nd of 25 California metro areas by median pay. (DSO Hire calculation from BLS figures.)

How does San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont compare nationally?

Dental Assistant pay in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont is about 34% higher than the U.S. median. (DSO Hire calculation from BLS figures, not adjusted for cost of living.)

How many dental assistants work in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont area?

BLS estimates 7,530 dental assistants were employed in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont metro area in May 2025. Its location quotient is 1.27, so the role is more concentrated than the national average.