Dental Salary Data · BLS OEWS May 2025

Dentist Salary in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont

The median dentist earns $202,060 a year in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont metro, with the middle half between $150,860 and $245,100.[1]

25th percentile

$150,860

Lower end of the middle half

Median

$202,060

Half earn more, half earn less

75th percentile

$245,100

Upper end of the middle half

San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont runs about 22% higher than the California median and ranks 5th of 24 California metros. It is about 18% higher than the national median.

Note: BLS figures reflect employed dentists. Many dentists own their practices, and owner earnings aren't included. That can make high-ownership areas read lower than you'd expect.

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

Dentist annual wages: San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont vs. California vs. U.S. (BLS OEWS, May 2025)
PercentileMetro annualCalifornia annualU.S. annual
10th percentile$119,750$74,510$86,250
25th percentile$150,860$124,470$125,710
Median$202,060$165,950$170,950
75th percentile$245,100$213,260$224,040
90th percentile$322,930$272,730$319,630
Mean (average)$211,930$170,690$191,350

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

2,090

About 12% of California's total (calculation)

Per 1,000 jobs

0.88

California: 0.92

Location quotient

1.10

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

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Dentist salary in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont: FAQ

How much do dentists make in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont?

The median dentist salary in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont metro area is $202,060, with the middle half earning between $150,860 and $245,100 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The full range runs from $119,750 at the 10th percentile to $322,930 at the 90th.

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

San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont runs about 22% higher than the California state median for dentists. It ranks 5th of 24 California metro areas by median pay. (DSO Hire calculation from BLS figures.)

How does San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont compare nationally?

Dentist pay in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont is about 18% higher than the U.S. median. (DSO Hire calculation from BLS figures, not adjusted for cost of living.)

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

BLS estimates 2,090 dentists were employed in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont metro area in May 2025. Its location quotient is 1.10, so the role is more concentrated than the national average.