Dentists, General pay range in Santa Cruz
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $106,520 a year or less, while the top 10% make $225,460 or more. The middle half of dentists, general in Santa Cruz earn between $175,170 and $177,210.
- $107K10th
- $175K25th
- $176KMedian
- $177K75th
- $225K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $172,560 | $14,380 | $82.96 |
| Median | $175,950 | $14,662 | $84.59 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $175,170 | $14,598 | $84.22 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $177,210 | $14,768 | $85.20 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Dentists, General pay in Santa Cruz vs. California and the U.S.
Dentists, general in Santa Cruz earn about the same as the California average ($170,690) and 10% less than the U.S. average ($191,350). At the median the gap is +3% against the U.S. median of $170,950.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz | $172,560 | $175,950 | $106,520 | $225,460 | 90 |
| California | $170,690 | $165,950 | $74,510 | $272,730 | 16,770 |
| United States | $191,350 | $170,950 | $86,250 | $319,630 | 124,390 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Dentists, General salary after taxes in Santa Cruz
On the average salary of $172,560, a single filer in Santa Cruz takes home about $117,255 a year, or $9,771 a month and $4,510 every two weeks. Taxes take 32% 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 Santa Cruz a good place for dentists, general? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Santa Cruz area are 10% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 109.9), so the average $172,560 buys what about $157,021 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 3.2 times the median wage of all jobs in Santa Cruz ($54,730). A typical home costs $1,157,157, or 6.7 years of this average salary before tax.
Dentists, General salary in other California cities
Santa Cruz ranks 19th of 24 California metro areas for this job; Hanford pays the most ($229,860).
- Hanford$229,860
- El Centro$221,110
- San Francisco$211,930
- Salinas$202,730
- Fresno$201,700
- San Jose$191,900
- Bakersfield$191,640
- San Luis Obispo$190,280
- Oxnard$189,430
- Santa Cruz$172,560
Highest-paying cities for dentists, general
St. Louis, MO pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($261,250).
- St. Louis, MO$261,250
- Portland, ME$261,230
- St. Cloud, MN$249,890
- Macon, GA$244,000
- Mankato, MN$242,180
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Dentists, General salary in Santa Cruz: questions
How much do dentists, general make an hour in Santa Cruz?
$82.96 an hour on average, and $84.59 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level dentists, general salary in Santa Cruz?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $106,520 a year and the 25th percentile is $175,170, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the dentists, general take-home pay in Santa Cruz?
About $117,255 a year ($9,771 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $172,560. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do dentists, general earn more in Santa Cruz than elsewhere?
The average here is 10% less than the U.S. average for this job ($191,350).
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 29-1021; area Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA (42100). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 5.1%.
- 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 1.16, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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