Dental Assistants Salary
The median pay for a dental assistants in Chico, CA is $48,170/year ($23.16/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $61K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 101.2), that's roughly $47,599 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,625/month, about 48.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $48K get you in Chico?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Chico’s Regional Price Parity (101.2). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About dental assistants
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What this looks like in Chico
Dental assistants pay in Chico tracks closely to the national median, $48K locally vs. $48K nationwide, a 0% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,625/month, which is 49.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 101.2) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for dental assistants in metros near Chico, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $47K | $41K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $64K | $56K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $49K | $46K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $58K | $52K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Chico, CA
Entry-level dental assistants (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $48K. Top earners bring in $61K or more, a $22K spread from bottom to top.
Dental Assistants pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Dental Assistants salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | $65K | +36% | 5,980 |
| District of Columbia | $61K | +26% | 630 |
| Maine | $60K | +25% | 1,550 |
| New Hampshire | $60K | +24% | 1,600 |
| Oregon | $59K | +24% | 5,930 |
| Washington | $58K | +21% | 13,050 |
| Massachusetts | $58K | +21% | 9,680 |
| North Dakota | $58K | +20% | 860 |
| Alaska | $58K | +20% | 1,140 |
| Connecticut | $57K | +18% | 3,840 |
| Vermont | $53K | +10% | 580 |
| North Carolina | $50K | +5% | 11,450 |
| Rhode Island | $50K | +4% | 1,050 |
| California | $50K | +4% | 56,220 |
| New Jersey | $49K | +3% | 9,990 |
| Arizona | $49K | +2% | 8,680 |
| Michigan | $49K | +2% | 11,990 |
| Indiana | $49K | +1% | 6,690 |
| Maryland | $49K | +1% | 6,560 |
| Illinois | $49K | +1% | 13,740 |
| Iowa | $48K | +1% | 3,210 |
| Colorado | $48K | +1% | 8,360 |
| New York | $48K | +0% | 19,800 |
| Ohio | $48K | -0% | 12,150 |
| Pennsylvania | $48K | -0% | 12,080 |
| South Dakota | $48K | -0% | 1,290 |
| Kentucky | $48K | -1% | 4,530 |
| Florida | $48K | -1% | 26,620 |
| Delaware | $48K | -1% | 990 |
| Wisconsin | $48K | -1% | 7,760 |
| South Carolina | $47K | -2% | 5,530 |
| Nevada | $47K | -2% | 4,230 |
| Georgia | $47K | -3% | 10,540 |
| Tennessee | $47K | -3% | 7,420 |
| Montana | $47K | -3% | 1,450 |
| Virginia | $47K | -3% | 10,760 |
| Nebraska | $47K | -3% | 2,520 |
| Missouri | $46K | -4% | 6,760 |
| Idaho | $46K | -5% | 2,680 |
| Oklahoma | $46K | -5% | 4,550 |
| Texas | $45K | -5% | 33,230 |
| Wyoming | $45K | -6% | 630 |
| Hawaii | $45K | -7% | 1,960 |
| New Mexico | $44K | -8% | 2,150 |
| Louisiana | $44K | -8% | 4,540 |
| Arkansas | $43K | -11% | 2,950 |
| Mississippi | $39K | -19% | 3,080 |
| Alabama | $39K | -19% | 3,740 |
| West Virginia | $38K | -21% | 1,290 |
| Utah | $38K | -21% | 6,640 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track dental assistants salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Chico numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a dental assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Chico?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $48K, rent takes 49.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,625/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for dental assistants in Chico?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new dental assistants typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,314/month. At HUD’s $1,625/month FMR, rent would take 70% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is dental assistant a high-paying job in Chico?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $48K locally vs. $48K nationally, a 0% difference.
How does Chico compare to the national average for dental assistants?
Chico pays $48K median vs. the U.S. average of $48K — that’s +0%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 101.2), the purchasing-power equivalent is $48K — below the national median.
How much do dental assistants make in Chico, CA?
The median is $48,170 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,560, and experienced dental assistants can clear $60,960. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $48K enough to live in Chico?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,297/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,625/month, which eats 49.3% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a dental assistants salary go in Chico?
Chico has a Regional Price Parity of 101.2 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median dental assistants salary is worth about $47,599 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do dental assistants get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.