Best colleges for Dentistry in California
Ranked by graduates a year
University of Southern California, University of the Pacific and Loma Linda University award the most Dentistry degrees and certificates in California: 180, 172 and 125 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 7 California colleges offer Dentistry and award 783 degrees and certificates a year in all.
Dentistry, also known as dental medicine, is a specialized field within health professions focused on the study, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases related to the teeth, gums, and mouth. This program is ideal for individuals…
7 institutions offering Dentistry in California
Graduate earnings are not yet reported for these institutions; ordered by graduates a year.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Southern California Los Angeles Private not-for-profit | — | 180 | 92% | $26,873 | — |
| 2 | University of the Pacific Stockton Private not-for-profit | — | 172 | 69% | $23,964 | — |
| 3 | Loma Linda University Loma Linda Private not-for-profit | — | 125 | — | — | — |
| 4 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles Public | — | 109 | 93% | — | — |
| 5 | University of California-San Francisco San Francisco Public Graduate only | — | 89 | — | — | — |
| 6 | Western University of Health Sciences Pomona Private not-for-profit Graduate only | — | 73 | — | — | — |
| 7 | California Northstate University Elk Grove Private for-profit | — | 35 | 100% | — | — |
Colleges awarding the most Dentistry degrees in California
Top 5 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Southern California Los Angeles Private not-for-profit | 180 | Not reported |
| 2 | University of the Pacific Stockton Private not-for-profit | 172 | Not reported |
| 3 | Loma Linda University Loma Linda Private not-for-profit | 125 | Not reported |
| 4 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles Public | 109 | Not reported |
| 5 | California Northstate University Elk Grove Private for-profit | 35 | Not reported |
ShowHide the other 2 California colleges offering Dentistry
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of California-San Francisco (Graduate only) | San Francisco | Public | 89 |
| Western University of Health Sciences (Graduate only) | Pomona | Private not-for-profit | 73 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Dentists, General (SOC 29-1021).
Top skills
What Dentists, General earn in California
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Dentistry programs in California.
Which California colleges award the most Dentistry degrees?+
University of Southern California (180 graduates a year), University of the Pacific (172 graduates a year) and Loma Linda University (125 graduates a year) award the most Dentistry degrees and certificates in California, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 7 California colleges offer Dentistry.
How much do Dentists, General earn in California?+
The average annual wage for Dentists, General in California is $170,690 (median $165,950), across about 16,770 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Dentistry program?+
Dentistry, also known as dental medicine, is a specialized field within health professions focused on the study, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases related to the teeth, gums, and mouth. This program is ideal for individuals…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop critical thinking, active listening, speaking, reading comprehension, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for Dentists, General?+
The national job outlook is about +4.1% growth with around 3,900 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A Doctoral or professional degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
Explore every U.S. college in one conversation
Clema turns plain-language questions into sourced answers across every U.S. institution — earnings, aid, acceptance, graduation, safety, and athletics from IPEDS, College Scorecard, and 10+ federal datasets, built in.
Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card