Dental Assistants pay range in San Diego
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $38,700 a year or less, while the top 10% make $63,070 or more. The middle half of dental assistants in San Diego earn between $44,550 and $60,070.
- $39K10th
- $45K25th
- $58KMedian
- $60K75th
- $63K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $53,990 | $4,499 | $25.96 |
| Median | $58,120 | $4,843 | $27.94 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $44,550 | $3,712 | $21.42 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $60,070 | $5,006 | $28.88 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Dental Assistants pay in San Diego vs. California and the U.S.
Dental assistants in San Diego earn about the same as the California average ($54,710) and 8% more than the U.S. average ($50,200). At the median the gap is +21% against the U.S. median of $48,070.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego | $53,990 | $58,120 | $38,700 | $63,070 | 4,260 |
| California | $54,710 | $50,110 | $38,790 | $73,700 | 56,220 |
| United States | $50,200 | $48,070 | $37,130 | $62,250 | 387,790 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Dental Assistants salary after taxes in San Diego
On the average salary of $53,990, a single filer in San Diego takes home about $44,129 a year, or $3,677 a month and $1,697 every two weeks. Taxes take 18% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is San Diego a good place for dental assistants? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the San Diego area are 12% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 111.9), so the average $53,990 buys what about $48,254 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.0 times the median wage of all jobs in San Diego ($58,690). A typical home costs $946,365, or 17.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Dental Assistants salary in other California cities
San Diego ranks 14th of 25 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($71,150).
- San Jose$71,150
- San Francisco$64,900
- Santa Rosa$62,500
- Vallejo$61,120
- Napa$59,570
- Santa Cruz$58,970
- Sacramento$57,840
- Hanford$57,500
- El Centro$56,840
- San Diego$53,990
Highest-paying cities for dental assistants
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($71,150).
- San Jose, CA$71,150
- Minneapolis, MN$67,420
- San Francisco, CA$64,900
- Santa Rosa, CA$62,500
- Rochester, MN$61,860
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Dental Assistants salary in San Diego: questions
How much do dental assistants make an hour in San Diego?
$25.96 an hour on average, and $27.94 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level dental assistants salary in San Diego?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $38,700 a year and the 25th percentile is $44,550, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the dental assistants take-home pay in San Diego?
About $44,129 a year ($3,677 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $53,990. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do dental assistants earn more in San Diego than elsewhere?
The average here is 8% more than the U.S. average for this job ($50,200).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 31-9091; area San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA (41740). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.3%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.11, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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