Dentists salary in Bakersfield, CA
Median pay for dentists in Bakersfield, CA: $163,710/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $95,330 – $239,200 · about 320 employed locally
Below the typical metro median ($165,500) by −$1,790 (-1%).
What it's really worth in Bakersfield
With Bakersfield's cost of living at 102 (US=100), that $163,710 has the buying power of about $159,890 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $63,883 · median home $364,264 · median rent $1,788/mo.
How Bakersfield ranks for this job
On raw pay, Bakersfield, CA is 93rd of the 171 metros we hold dentists wages for. Once Bakersfield's cost of living is applied, it ranks 119th.
The headline number flatters Bakersfield. Once housing and everyday costs are taken into account, dentists here keep less of what they earn than the raw salary implies.
What that salary buys in Bakersfield
A median home in Bakersfield, CA costs $364,264 — about 2.2× this salary, against a typical US metro figure of 4.7×. Buying is more attainable here than in the average metro on this income.
Median rent of $1,788/mo works out at 13% of gross pay — inside the conventional 30% affordability ceiling.
Where dentists earn more
Pay on its own is only half the picture, so each row shows what rent costs there relative to Bakersfield.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Bakersfield | Rent vs Bakersfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte, NC | $239,200 | +46% | 1× |
| Salem, OR | $226,010 | +38% | 0.9× |
| Anchorage, AK | $225,170 | +38% | 1× |
| Phoenix, AZ | $219,600 | +34% | 1× |
Same job elsewhere in CA
| Metro | Median pay | vs Bakersfield | Rent vs Bakersfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salinas, CA | $216,140 | +32% | 1.6× |
| San Jose, CA | $206,850 | +26% | 2× |
| San Francisco, CA | $202,130 | +23% | 1.8× |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | $202,020 | +23% | 1.6× |
Staying in CA keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires dentists around Bakersfield
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- Kern Medical · Healthcare
- Adventist Health Bakersfield · Healthcare
Other jobs in Bakersfield
Source: US BLS OEWS (May 2023) median annual wage; cost of living from BEA; home price and rent from Zillow; household income from US Census ACS. Rankings are across the 171 metros we hold wage data for in this occupation. Estimates for guidance only. See methodology.