Dental Salary Data · BLS OEWS May 2025
Dental Front Office Salary in California
The median dental front office earns $54,490 a year in California ($26.20 an hour), with the middle half earning between $46,590 and $63,330.[1]
25th percentile
$46,590
Lower end of the middle half
Median
$54,490
Half earn more, half earn less
75th percentile
$63,330
Upper end of the middle half
That's roughly $54,490 per year or $26.20/hr at the median. California runs about 19% higher than the national median.
The full pay range in California
BLS publishes five points on the pay curve. The 10th percentile is a reasonable read on entry pay, and the 90th shows what the best-paid dental front office staff in California earn. The U.S. figures are shown alongside for comparison.[1][2]
| Percentile | California hourly | California annual | U.S. hourly | U.S. annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $19.54 | $40,650 | $17.27 | $35,930 |
| 25th percentile | $22.40 | $46,590 | $18.54 | $38,570 |
| Median | $26.20 | $54,490 | $22.08 | $45,930 |
| 75th percentile | $30.45 | $63,330 | $24.32 | $50,580 |
| 90th percentile | $36.55 | $76,020 | $29.10 | $60,530 |
| Mean (average) | $27.09 | $56,350 | $22.50 | $46,800 |
How many dental front office staff work in California
115,050
6.32
1.02
How California compares to the U.S.
- Median pay: $54,490 in California vs. $45,930 nationally, $8,560 (19%) higher.
- Entry pay (10th percentile): $40,650 vs. $35,930, 13% higher.
- Top pay (90th percentile): $76,020 vs. $60,530, 26% higher.
- Projected job growth (2024–2034): 12.6% in California vs. 4.2% nationally.
Dental Front Office pay by metro area in California
All 25 California metro areas with published BLS data, highest median first.[2]
| Metro area | Median | Middle half | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $69,350 | $56,440–$80,300 | 6,340 |
| Napa | $61,830 | $53,040–$76,830 | 510 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $61,330 | $51,510–$77,480 | 13,660 |
| Vallejo | $61,220 | $49,410–$78,320 | 990 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | $60,240 | $48,760–$72,860 | 1,190 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $57,730 | $46,490–$64,060 | 7,710 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | $54,740 | $46,660–$59,430 | 840 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $51,650 | $47,390–$62,250 | 11,260 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $51,410 | $45,570–$60,370 | 40,380 |
| Modesto | $50,250 | $46,650–$61,820 | 1,600 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | $50,230 | $47,240–$60,120 | 720 |
| Hanford-Corcoran | $49,830 | $45,500–$58,720 | 270 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $49,820 | $44,980–$61,050 | 10,530 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $49,800 | $45,860–$60,130 | 2,460 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | $49,730 | $46,130–$60,080 | 1,040 |
| Salinas | $49,630 | $46,950–$58,500 | 950 |
| Yuba City | $49,600 | $45,630–$58,150 | 310 |
| Fresno | $48,120 | $44,640–$56,240 | 3,410 |
| Stockton-Lodi | $47,950 | $44,640–$57,510 | 1,360 |
| Visalia | $47,560 | $44,060–$56,310 | 900 |
| Redding | $47,510 | $42,880–$54,750 | 590 |
| Bakersfield-Delano | $47,430 | $45,020–$57,020 | 1,670 |
| Chico | $47,400 | $45,960–$57,500 | 630 |
| Merced | $46,660 | $41,890–$51,810 | 350 |
| El Centro | $45,820 | $40,200–$49,340 | 290 |
Job outlook for dental front office staff in California
California's official long-term projections expect employment of dental front office staff to grow 12.6% over 2024–2034, from 112,900 to 127,100 jobs, with about 12,810 openings a year.[3] The national projection for the same period is 4.2%.
Openings include replacements for people who retire or change careers, which is why they can far exceed net growth. For what this means for hiring, see The dental hiring shortage, by the numbers.
What drives dental front office pay in California
Pay for a dental front office depends on experience, setting, and metro. The metro table above shows how much location alone moves the median. Group practices and dental support organizations (DSOs) compete for talent across many locations, and benefits, schedules and bonuses can matter as much as base pay.
Hiring an outside agency is one way practices fill gaps, and it is expensive. See what agencies charge in What dental staffing agencies actually charge.
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Dental Front Office salary in California: FAQ
How much do dental front office staff make in California?
The median annual wage for dental front office staff in California was $54,490 ($26.20 an hour) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $46,590 and $63,330. The lowest-paid 10% earned under $40,650 and the top 10% earned over $76,020.
Do dental front office staff in California earn more than the national median?
Yes. The California median of $54,490 is higher than the U.S. median of $45,930. That is $8,560 (19%) higher. This is a DSO Hire calculation from BLS figures and does not adjust for cost of living.
Which California metro area pays dental front office staff the most?
Among the 25 California metro areas with published BLS data, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara has the highest median at $69,350 a year. El Centro has the lowest, at $45,820.
How many dental front office staff work in California?
BLS estimates 115,050 dental front office staff were employed in California in May 2025. That is 6.32 per 1,000 jobs in the state. The location quotient is 1.02, meaning the role is close to the national average.
Is demand for dental front office staff growing in California?
California's official long-term projections expect employment of dental front office staff to grow 12.6% over 2024–2034, from 112,900 to 127,100 jobs. That works out to about 12,810 openings a year, including replacements for people who leave the field. The national projection for the same period is 4.2%.
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Dental Front Office salary by state
- Dental Front Office salary in Texas
- Dental Front Office salary in Florida
- Dental Front Office salary in New York
- Dental Front Office salary in Illinois
- Dental Front Office salary in Pennsylvania
- Dental Front Office salary in Ohio
- Dental Front Office salary in Georgia
- Dental Front Office salary in North Carolina
Sources
- 1.U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025: Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants (43-6013), national, state and metro estimates
- 2.U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 time-series data files (percentiles, employment, location quotients)
- 3.Projections Central, California long-term occupational projections 2024–2034: Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants