Dental Salary Data · BLS OEWS May 2025

Dentist Salary in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara

The median dentist earns $207,910 a year in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara metro, with the middle half between $124,470 and $224,040.[1]

25th percentile

$124,470

Lower end of the middle half

Median

$207,910

Half earn more, half earn less

75th percentile

$224,040

Upper end of the middle half

San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara runs about 25% higher than the California median and ranks 4th of 24 California metros. It is about 22% 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 Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara pay range vs. California and the U.S.

Dentist annual wages: San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara vs. California vs. U.S. (BLS OEWS, May 2025)
PercentileMetro annualCalifornia annualU.S. annual
10th percentile$124,470$74,510$86,250
25th percentile$124,470$124,470$125,710
Median$207,910$165,950$170,950
75th percentile$224,040$213,260$224,040
90th percentile$294,290$272,730$319,630
Mean (average)$191,900$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

1,130

About 7% of California's total (calculation)

Per 1,000 jobs

0.99

California: 0.92

Location quotient

1.24

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

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Dentist salary in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara: FAQ

How much do dentists make in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara?

The median dentist salary in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara metro area is $207,910, with the middle half earning between $124,470 and $224,040 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The full range runs from $124,470 at the 10th percentile to $294,290 at the 90th.

Is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara higher or lower than the rest of California?

San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara runs about 25% higher than the California state median for dentists. It ranks 4th of 24 California metro areas by median pay. (DSO Hire calculation from BLS figures.)

How does San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara compare nationally?

Dentist pay in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara is about 22% 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 Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara area?

BLS estimates 1,130 dentists were employed in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara metro area in May 2025. Its location quotient is 1.24, so the role is more concentrated than the national average.