Dental Salaries in Stockton, California

Dentist: a median of $168,150 a year ($80.84 an hour) in BLS's May 2025 estimate. BLS rates the Stockton dentist wage estimate at ±12.5%. Treat the Stockton dentist figure as a rough signal, not a market rate.

Dental Hygienist: a median of $125,130 a year ($60.16 an hour). That is $200 above the California dental hygienist median of $124,930 and $27,030 above the national median of $98,100. It ranks 10th of the 25 California metro areas where BLS publishes a dental hygienist median.

Dental Lab Technician: a median of $59,110 a year ($28.42 an hour). That is $11,700 above the California dental lab technician median of $47,410 and $9,500 above the national median of $49,610. It ranks 4th of the 12 California metro areas where BLS publishes a dental lab technician median.

Dental Assistant: a median of $49,090 a year ($23.60 an hour). That is $1,020 below the California dental assistant median of $50,110 and $1,020 above the national median of $48,070. It ranks 18th of the 25 California metro areas where BLS publishes a dental assistant median.

Dentist: the middle half of Stockton dentists earn $95,960 to $261,040. The lowest-paid tenth earn under $74,670. The top tenth earn over $340,670. The gap between the two is $266,000.

Dental Hygienist: the middle half of Stockton dental hygienists earn $112,020 to $132,120. The lowest-paid tenth earn under $105,080 (against $102,090 statewide and $74,880 nationally). The top tenth earn over $133,240 (against $151,920 statewide and $126,050 nationally). The gap between the two is $28,160.

Dental Lab Technician: the middle half of Stockton dental lab technicians earn $45,910 to $64,460. The lowest-paid tenth earn under $36,510 (against $36,660 statewide and $36,660 nationally). The top tenth earn over $74,420 (against $74,200 statewide and $76,940 nationally). The gap between the two is $37,910.

Dental Assistant: the middle half of Stockton dental assistants earn $46,920 to $59,190. The lowest-paid tenth earn under $40,690 (against $38,790 statewide and $37,130 nationally). The top tenth earn over $66,460 (against $73,700 statewide and $62,250 nationally). The gap between the two is $25,770.

The Bureau of Economic Analysis puts the Stockton metro's 2024 price level at 105.1 (U.S. = 100), so prices overall run 5.1% above the national average, and housing costs (index 115.6) run 15.6% above. California as a whole sits at 110.7.

Converted to national average prices:

• Dentist: $168,150 here buys about what $160,010 buys at national average prices (low-reliability estimate).
• Dental Hygienist: $125,130 here buys about what $119,070 buys at national average prices — $20,970 above the national median of $98,100.
• Dental Lab Technician: $59,110 here buys about what $56,250 buys at national average prices — $6,640 above the national median of $49,610.
• Dental Assistant: $49,090 here buys about what $46,710 buys at national average prices — $1,360 below the national median of $48,070.

Dentists: about 200 jobs in the metro, or 0.702 per 1,000 jobs of all kinds. Dentists hold a 12% smaller share of local jobs than nationally (location quotient 0.88). BLS rates this Stockton count as imprecise (relative standard error 25%), so treat it as a rough size.

Dental Hygienists: about 480 jobs in the metro, or 1.672 per 1,000 jobs of all kinds. Dental hygienists hold a 17% larger share of local jobs than nationally (location quotient 1.17).

Dental Lab Technicians: about 40 jobs in the metro, or 0.122 per 1,000 jobs of all kinds. Dental lab technicians hold a 45% smaller share of local jobs than nationally (location quotient 0.55).

Dental Assistants: about 780 jobs in the metro, or 2.704 per 1,000 jobs of all kinds. Dental assistants hold an 8% larger share of local jobs than nationally (location quotient 1.08).

The closest metro areas with their own salary page and a published median for each role (distance between metro centers, up to 250 miles).

Dentist: Modesto (30 mi) pays $167,050, Vallejo (43 mi) pays $183,000 and San Francisco (56 mi) pays $202,060.

Dental Hygienist: Modesto (30 mi) pays $123,910, Vallejo (43 mi) pays $128,570 and San Francisco (56 mi) pays $146,760. Stockton's $125,130 is below 2 of the 3.

Dental Lab Technician: San Francisco (56 mi) pays $60,940, Sacramento (61 mi) pays $50,690 and San Jose (71 mi) pays $60,510. Stockton's $59,110 is below 2 of the 3.

Dental Assistant: Modesto (30 mi) pays $50,170, Vallejo (43 mi) pays $59,000 and San Francisco (56 mi) pays $64,390. Stockton's $49,090 is below all 3.