PermanentPosted 30+ days ago
Dentist – DDS / DMD
Aspen Dental · Santa Maria, CA
$300k–$450k/ year
Top 25% pay
Dentist jobs in Santa Maria, CA
The median dentist pay in the Santa Maria area is $59.83 per hour ($124,450 a year), with the typical range running from $58.29 to $87.05. That ranks 292nd of 302 U.S. metro areas for dentist pay, and 275th of 279 once local prices are factored in. 1 open role with published pay is listed for Santa Maria. The free report below lists employers near Santa Maria and what they pay.
- $59.83median pay per hour, Santa Maria
- $58–$87typical range per hour
- 190dentists employed in the metro area
- 1open roles with published pay
Open Dentist roles in Santa Maria
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More open Dentist roles in Santa Maria
1 more open role from employers in Santa Maria. Each employer’s range arrives with your free pay report.
PermanentPosted today
General Dentist
Sonrava Health · Santa Maria, CA
Pay range with your report
New this week
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Named employers near Santa Maria, what they pay and the roles open now. Free for candidates, email only.
Get my free pay reportDentist pay in Santa Maria, CA
The metro median is 30% below the California statewide median of $85.84 per hour. Nationally the median is $83.07 per hour. BLS counts about 190 dentists, general employed in the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara metro area, 0.9 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 1.25).
| Level | Per hour | Per year | Compared with U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% | $58.18 | $121,010 | 30% below U.S. median |
| Lower quartile | $58.29 | $121,240 | 30% below U.S. median |
| Median | $59.83 | $124,450 | 28% below U.S. median |
| Upper quartile | $87.05 | $181,060 | 5% above U.S. median |
| Top 10% | $115+ | $239,200+ | 38% above U.S. median |
How Santa Maria ranks
- 292nd of 302 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
- 275th of 279 after adjusting for local prices
- 23rd of 23 California metro areas
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024, Dentists, General (SOC 29-1021), all industries. Figures marked $115+ are the BLS top-coded maximum. This is what employers report paying, not an offer for a specific role.
What your pay buys in Santa Maria
- Overall prices in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara run 9% above the U.S. average (index 108.8, U.S. = 100).
- Housing is the biggest driver: 51% above the U.S. average (index 151.4).
- Adjusted for local prices, a $59.83 median hour buys what $54.99 buys at the national price level, 34% below the national median.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024. Prices are for the metro area, not for a single neighborhood.
Estimate your Santa Maria paycheck
Estimated weekly gross$2,154
- Per year: $107,694
- Per month: $8,974
Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.
Dental health shortage areas in Santa Barbara County
HRSA lists 9 active dental health shortage designations that include Santa Barbara County (1 population-group, 8 facility). The highest-scoring one rates 25 on a 0 to 26 scale, where a higher score means a greater shortage.
Shortage areas are where demand for dentists, hygienists and dental assistants is greatest. Federal loan repayment programs such as the NHSC and Nurse Corps cover some clinicians who work at eligible shortage-area sites. Eligibility is set by each program and by the site, so ask your recruiter before you plan around it.
Source: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas data warehouse, designated areas only. A designation can cover part of a county.
Dentist pay in nearby cities
| City | Distance | Median pay | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Barbara, CA | 55 mi | $59.83/hr | 87,291 |
| San Buenaventura, CA | 82 mi | $81.25/hr | 109,831 |
| Bakersfield, CA | 85 mi | $64.04/hr | 417,468 |
| Oxnard, CA | 87 mi | $81.25/hr | 200,616 |
| Delano, CA | 88 mi | $64.04/hr | 53,198 |
| Camarillo, CA | 94 mi | $81.25/hr | 69,881 |
License and tax basics in California
Active dental license in the state of the job. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what California requires for your role with the California licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date.
California taxes wage income. Use your own rates in the take-home pay calculator.
Other healthcare roles in Santa Maria
Santa Maria city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing
Common questions
How much do dentists make in Santa Maria, CA?
Dentists in the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara metro area have a median pay of $59.83 per hour, about $124,450 a year. The middle half earn between $58.29 and $87.05 per hour (BLS, May 2024).
Is Santa Maria a good place for dentists once cost of living is counted?
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara ranks 275th of 279 metro areas for dentist pay after adjusting for local prices, and 292nd of 302 before adjusting. Overall prices run 9% above the U.S. average.
Who is hiring dentists in Santa Maria?
We list 1 open role with published pay from 1 employer in Santa Maria. Your free report adds named employers and pay near Santa Maria.
Do I need a California license to work in Santa Maria as a dentist?
Active dental license in the state of the job. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what California requires for your role with the California licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date. Confirm with the board before you accept a role.
Is Santa Maria in a shortage area?
HRSA lists 9 active dental health shortage designations that include Santa Barbara County. Shortage areas often have more openings, and some loan repayment programs cover clinicians who work at eligible sites.
Does Valorem Health place dentists in Santa Maria?
Yes. We place healthcare staff in Santa Maria and across California. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near Santa Maria.
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What do employers near Santa Maria pay dentists? Get the report.
Tell us your role and city. Within 24 hours you get an email with three things, by employer name. It costs you nothing, because employers pay us.
- 1Pay for your role at other employers
The hourly pay at named employers near you, so you see who pays most.
- 2What they are offering now
The pay range and median across current postings, and how many were posted this month.
- 3Roles open for you right now
Every current opening near you with pay, shift and start date. Reply with one click.
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Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]
Your Dentist pay reportSanta Maria, CA · pay published by employers and employer-reported wage offers in federal filings
1Pay for your role at other employers
- Aspen DentalSanta Maria, CA · 2 postings$180.29/ hr$144–$216
- Dalla Gill Dental Inc.Woodland, CA · 3 wage offers$120.00/ hr$110–$120
- Azad Professional Dental CorporationBakersfield, CA · 3 wage offers$112.00/ hr$85–$125
- Camarena HealthMadera, CA · 6 wage offers$90.14/ hr$82–$110
Median pay per hour, with the range each employer published or reported in federal filings.
2What they are offering now
Low$80Median$91.35High$106
199 employer-reported wage offers for Dentist in federal filings in California, July 2025 – June 2026. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.
3Open now: 2 Dentist roles
- Dentist – DDS / DMDPermanent$300k–$450k/ year
- Dentist – DDS / DMDPermanent$300k–$450k/ year
Each one has pay, shift and start date.
I'm interestedOne click. A recruiter writes only after you reply.