Dialysis Technician Salary in California: $55,351 (2026)

Quick Answer:Across California's 158 metropolitan areas, the average median dialysis technician pay sits at $55,351/year heading into 2026 — a figure projected from 2025 BLS OEWS wage data for SOC 29-2099. Because California sits at BEA RPP 113.1 (13% above the U.S. baseline), that statewide median translates to roughly $48,940 in nationally-comparable purchasing power. Highest-paying metros: Sunnyvale ($73,107), Santa Clara ($72,627), San Jose ($71,430).

Dialysis Technician Salary in California - 2025 BLS Data Infographic — California dialysis technician salary overview (2026)

$55,351

Avg Median Salary

$26.61

Avg Hourly Rate

28,119

Metro Employed

158

Cities

In 2026, dialysis technicians in California are projected to earn an average median salary of $55,351, which is significantly higher than the national median of $45,322, reflecting a 22.1% premium. Salary variations across the state are notable; the highest paying city is Sunnyvale at $74,869, while El Centro has the lowest pay at $44,952, creating a substantial gap driven by factors such as cost of living, regional demand for healthcare services, and competition for skilled technicians. California requires dialysis technicians to obtain specific state licensing, which impacts salary levels and job availability. The scope of practice laws may also differ, influencing the responsibilities and expertise required of technicians. The demand for dialysis services continues to grow due to an aging population and rising rates of chronic kidney disease, contributing to a projected annual growth rate of 2.41% for technician employment. The top five cities for dialysis technician salaries in 2026 include Sunnyvale at $74,869, Santa Clara at $74,377, San Jose at $73,151, Oakland at $65,774, and Fremont at $64,324. Overall, California presents a favorable job market for dialysis technicians, with a strong outlook for continued employment opportunities in the coming years.

California Dialysis Technician Salary Range

Entry Level (10th %ile)

$43,251

avg across 158 cities

Median

$55,351

state average

Top Earners (90th %ile)

$97,302

avg across 158 cities

Overall salary range in California: $33,732 (lowest entry-level) to $150,357 (highest top earner)

California vs National Average

California

$55,351

National Median

$45,322

California dialysis technicians earn 22.13% more than the national median (+$10,029/year difference).

California Dialysis Technician Salary Distribution (2026)

Dialysis Technician salaries in California range from $43,251 (entry-level, 10th percentile) to $97,302 (top earners, 90th percentile), with a median of $55,351. The California median is $10,029 above the US national median of $45,322. The average hourly rate is $26.61/hr. Approximately 28,119 dialysis technicians are employed across 158 cities.

2021 BLS Actual

$50,845

2025 BLS Actual

$54,048

2026 Current Est.

$55,351

2021–2027 Growth

+11.5%

Salary Trajectory for Dialysis Technicians in California (2021–2027)

2021–2025: actual BLS OEWS data for this metro area. 2026+: CAGR 2.41% projection.

BLS Actual Estimated Projected

Year	Annual Salary	Status
2021	$50,845	Actual
2022	$52,321	Actual
2023	$54,598	Actual
2024	$59,771	Actual
2025	$54,048	Actual
2026(current)	$55,351	Estimated
2027	$56,685	Projected

Based on 5 years of BLS OEWS data for the California metropolitan area, the median dialysis technician salary grew 6.3% from $50,845 (2021) to $54,048 (2025). At a 2.41% compound annual growth rate, salaries are projected to reach $56,685 by 2027 — a total increase of $5,840 (11.49%) from 2021.

Note: Historical values (2021–2025) are actual BLS OEWS figures for the California metropolitan area, sourced from annual Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys. 2026–2026 figures are current estimates, and 2027 values are projections, calculated using a 2.41% CAGR derived from 5-year BLS historical data. Actual salaries may vary based on employer, experience, certifications, and local market conditions.

Top 5 Highest Paying Cities in California

Sunnyvale

26 employed · $36.00/hr

$74,869

+35.26% vs avg

Santa Clara

32 employed · $35.76/hr

$74,377

+34.37% vs avg

San Jose

1,330 employed · $35.17/hr

$73,151

+32.16% vs avg

Oakland

78 employed · $31.62/hr

$65,774

+18.83% vs avg

Fremont

43 employed · $30.93/hr

$64,324

+16.21% vs avg

Lowest Paying Cities in California

City	Median Salary	vs State Avg	Hourly
El Centro	$44,952	-18.79%	$21.61
Thousand Oaks	$47,014	-15.06%	$22.60
Fresno	$47,043	-15.01%	$22.62
Oxnard	$47,205	-14.72%	$22.69
Merced	$47,377	-14.41%	$22.78

Best Value Cities for Dialysis Technicians in California

When adjusted for local cost of living, these California cities offer the most purchasing power for dialysis technicians.

City	Nominal Salary	CoL Index	Adjusted Salary
San Jose	$73,151	110.423	$66,246
Sunnyvale	$74,869	113.1	$66,197
Santa Clara	$74,377	113.1	$65,762
Oakland	$65,774	113.1	$58,156
Vallejo	$62,148	108.479	$57,290

Adjusted salary = nominal salary × (100 / CoL index). CoL index: 100 = national average. Lower index = lower cost of living.

Salary by Experience Level in California

Experience Level	Estimated Annual	Est. Hourly	Description
Entry Level (0-2 years)	$43,251	$20.79	10th percentile, new graduates
Mid Career (3-7 years)	$55,351	$26.61	50th percentile, median salary
Experienced (7+ years)	$97,302	$46.78	90th percentile, top earners

Estimates based on BLS percentile data averaged across California metro areas. Individual pay varies by employer, certifications, and specialization.

All 158 Cities in California

#	City	Median Salary	Hourly	Entry (P10)	Top (P90)	Employed
1	Sunnyvale	$74,869	$36.00	$55,814	$116,047	26
2	Santa Clara	$74,377	$35.76	$54,664	$115,285	32
3	San Jose	$73,151	$35.17	$52,820	$150,357	1,330
4	Oakland	$65,774	$31.62	$47,561	$101,949	78
5	Fremont	$64,324	$30.93	$44,302	$99,702	43
6	San Francisco	$64,310	$30.92	$48,647	$98,827	3,070
7	Vallejo	$62,148	$29.87	$47,052	$84,714	310
8	Santa Rosa	$58,552	$28.15	$45,845	$113,804	200
9	Napa	$58,038	$27.90	$33,732	$77,576	80
10	Petaluma	$57,992	$27.88	$45,671	$89,887	12
11	Folsom	$56,770	$27.29	$41,417	$87,994	17
12	Sacramento	$56,389	$27.11	$43,744	$99,899	1,660
13	Roseville	$56,157	$27.00	$43,781	$87,042	35
14	Santa Ana	$56,003	$26.92	$39,273	$86,805	69
15	Fontana	$54,967	$26.42	$38,594	$85,198	32
16	Irvine	$54,906	$26.40	$40,874	$85,105	72
17	Pomona	$54,638	$26.27	$40,513	$84,689	36
18	Simi Valley	$54,608	$26.26	$40,608	$84,643	23
19	San Luis Obispo	$54,595	$26.25	$41,392	$74,800	90
20	Escondido	$54,595	$26.25	$40,632	$84,622	31
21	Santa Cruz	$54,532	$26.22	$40,816	$91,347	130
22	Fairfield	$54,496	$26.20	$40,346	$84,470	25
23	Chula Vista	$54,388	$26.15	$37,325	$84,301	51
24	San Diego	$54,324	$26.11	$43,006	$87,309	2,010
25	Anaheim	$54,310	$26.11	$38,808	$84,181	51
26	Fullerton	$54,296	$26.10	$39,715	$84,158	25
27	Daly City	$54,250	$26.08	$39,606	$84,087	20
28	El Monte	$54,232	$26.07	$39,783	$84,060	20
29	Vista	$54,203	$26.06	$39,714	$84,014	24
30	Concord	$54,189	$26.05	$39,684	$83,994	29
31	Clovis	$54,108	$26.01	$39,495	$83,868	19
32	Garden Grove	$54,053	$25.99	$39,150	$83,783	37
33	Temecula	$54,040	$25.98	$39,337	$83,761	25
34	Santa Clarita	$54,004	$25.96	$40,419	$83,706	41
35	Lancaster	$53,933	$25.93	$39,090	$83,596	40
36	Inglewood	$53,933	$25.93	$39,090	$83,596	21
37	Carlsbad	$53,871	$25.90	$41,479	$83,500	23
38	Corona	$53,865	$25.90	$38,878	$83,490	24
39	Richmond	$53,856	$25.89	$38,697	$83,477	25
40	Rialto	$53,831	$25.88	$38,854	$83,438	17
41	Torrance	$53,762	$25.85	$38,481	$83,331	26
42	Santa Maria	$53,676	$25.81	$44,042	$111,425	260
43	Elk Grove	$53,660	$25.80	$38,407	$83,172	25
44	Oceanside	$53,647	$25.80	$38,378	$83,154	28
45	Whittier	$53,631	$25.79	$40,905	$83,128	22
46	San Rafael	$53,627	$25.79	$40,840	$83,122	11
47	Rancho Cucamonga	$53,579	$25.76	$38,221	$83,047	46
48	Hayward	$53,549	$25.75	$38,154	$83,001	23
49	Long Beach	$53,538	$25.74	$37,128	$82,984	89
50	Woodland	$53,535	$25.74	$40,619	$82,979	15
51	Buena Park	$53,527	$25.74	$40,654	$82,966	20
52	Encinitas	$53,523	$25.74	$40,644	$82,960	16
53	Downey	$53,518	$25.73	$37,923	$82,953	22
54	Dublin	$53,489	$25.72	$40,564	$82,908	14
55	Redlands	$53,472	$25.70	$40,524	$82,882	16
56	Chino	$53,443	$25.69	$40,399	$82,836	17
57	Westminster	$53,426	$25.68	$40,195	$82,811	21
58	Santa Monica	$53,422	$25.68	$40,350	$82,805	20
59	San Mateo	$53,416	$25.68	$37,851	$82,794	21
60	Tulare	$53,401	$25.67	$40,298	$82,771	17
61	San Buenaventura	$53,382	$25.66	$41,800	$82,742	19
62	Los Angeles	$53,361	$25.64	$42,781	$108,136	9,940
63	Moreno Valley	$53,346	$25.64	$39,153	$82,687	53
64	Mission Viejo	$53,346	$25.64	$40,224	$82,687	23
65	Pleasanton	$53,338	$25.64	$40,204	$82,675	16
66	Pasadena	$53,262	$25.60	$40,208	$82,557	35
67	Santee	$53,226	$25.59	$39,935	$82,499	9
68	Glendale	$53,177	$25.56	$41,318	$82,425	36
69	Mountain View	$53,150	$25.55	$39,756	$82,382	13
70	Pittsburg	$53,146	$25.55	$39,528	$82,376	19
71	Novato	$53,129	$25.54	$39,652	$82,350	11
72	Costa Mesa	$53,109	$25.53	$39,853	$82,318	23
73	Berkeley	$53,054	$25.51	$41,030	$82,233	23
74	Huntington Beach	$53,040	$25.50	$41,159	$82,213	50
75	Hanford	$53,009	$25.49	$39,824	$72,709	120
76	Jurupa Valley	$52,994	$25.48	$41,050	$82,141	24
77	Hemet	$52,979	$25.47	$39,350	$82,117	14
78	Union City	$52,974	$25.47	$39,339	$82,109	11
79	West Covina	$52,969	$25.47	$40,990	$82,101	25
80	Chino Hills	$52,953	$25.46	$39,235	$82,078	21
81	Gilroy	$52,877	$25.42	$39,111	$81,960	10
82	Modesto	$52,856	$25.42	$39,752	$73,998	410
83	San Marcos	$52,849	$25.41	$38,827	$81,916	17
84	Tustin	$52,803	$25.39	$38,718	$81,844	18
85	San Ramon	$52,798	$25.39	$38,925	$81,838	19
86	Eastvale	$52,748	$25.36	$38,807	$81,760	10
87	Salinas	$52,747	$25.36	$43,123	$83,822	200
88	Murrieta	$52,746	$25.36	$40,527	$81,757	25
89	Vacaville	$52,746	$25.36	$40,527	$81,757	15
90	Brentwood	$52,723	$25.35	$38,748	$81,720	13
91	Hesperia	$52,698	$25.34	$38,689	$81,682	14
92	Lake Elsinore	$52,694	$25.34	$38,679	$81,676	18
93	Citrus Heights	$52,626	$25.31	$38,523	$81,571	19
94	Bakersfield	$52,585	$25.27	$41,510	$112,471	530
95	El Cajon	$52,579	$25.27	$38,425	$81,498	18
96	San Clemente	$52,564	$25.27	$38,322	$81,474	10
97	Bellflower	$52,542	$25.26	$38,326	$81,441	11
98	Palmdale	$52,520	$25.25	$39,951	$81,406	29
99	La Mirada	$52,519	$25.25	$41,191	$81,405	10
100	Apple Valley	$52,510	$25.24	$38,248	$81,390	19
101	Menifee	$52,494	$25.23	$39,945	$81,366	20
102	Yucaipa	$52,472	$25.22	$38,160	$81,331	14
103	Norwalk	$52,469	$25.22	$39,833	$81,327	22
104	Rancho Cordova	$52,422	$25.20	$38,043	$81,253	20
105	Montebello	$52,371	$25.18	$37,927	$81,175	16
106	Compton	$52,350	$25.17	$37,824	$81,143	25
107	Yuba City	$52,342	$25.16	$45,673	$87,363	80
108	Porterville	$52,313	$25.15	$37,790	$81,085	11
109	Lompoc	$52,306	$25.15	$40,721	$81,074	8
110	Hawthorne	$52,225	$25.11	$37,587	$80,949	13
111	Antioch	$52,208	$25.10	$39,235	$80,921	17
112	Burbank	$52,203	$25.10	$37,574	$80,915	22
113	Stockton	$52,090	$25.05	$41,600	$73,052	310
114	Ontario	$52,089	$25.04	$38,015	$80,738	42
115	Alhambra	$52,083	$25.04	$41,424	$80,728	13
116	Livermore	$52,083	$25.04	$39,691	$80,728	21
117	Orange	$52,067	$25.03	$38,966	$80,704	21
118	South Gate	$52,065	$25.03	$41,170	$80,701	25
119	Victorville	$52,054	$25.03	$38,936	$80,684	30
120	West Sacramento	$52,037	$25.02	$41,101	$80,657	9
121	Poway	$52,023	$25.01	$40,027	$80,636	8
122	San Leandro	$51,953	$24.98	$41,061	$80,527	23
123	Indio	$51,894	$24.95	$40,762	$80,436	23
124	Lake Forest	$51,894	$24.95	$40,762	$80,436	14
125	Carson	$51,802	$24.91	$40,756	$80,294	21
126	Rocklin	$51,794	$24.90	$40,737	$80,280	10
127	Newport Beach	$51,706	$24.85	$40,529	$80,144	12
128	Redwood City	$51,702	$24.85	$40,466	$80,138	13
129	Turlock	$51,689	$24.85	$40,437	$80,118	17
130	Manteca	$51,672	$24.84	$40,449	$80,092	13
131	Perris	$51,668	$24.84	$40,228	$80,086	12
132	Madera	$51,626	$24.82	$40,340	$80,020	8
133	Baldwin Park	$51,534	$24.77	$40,071	$79,878	19
134	Palo Alto	$51,534	$24.77	$40,123	$79,878	15
135	Lakewood	$51,513	$24.76	$40,074	$79,846	19
136	San Bernardino	$51,459	$24.74	$35,523	$79,761	33
137	Riverside	$51,395	$24.71	$41,257	$70,636	2,450
138	Lodi	$51,371	$24.70	$40,056	$79,625	14
139	Beaumont	$51,363	$24.69	$39,510	$79,613	9
140	Tracy	$51,349	$24.69	$39,691	$79,592	14
141	Alameda	$51,333	$24.68	$39,652	$79,566	12
142	Laguna Niguel	$51,321	$24.67	$39,412	$79,547	16
143	Milpitas	$51,295	$24.66	$39,563	$79,507	16
144	Camarillo	$51,187	$24.61	$39,309	$79,339	13
145	Oakley	$51,166	$24.60	$37,956	$79,307	8
146	Davis	$51,153	$24.59	$39,178	$79,287	14
147	Upland	$51,115	$24.58	$38,933	$79,228	18
148	La Habra	$51,040	$24.54	$38,916	$79,112	16
149	Chico	$51,027	$24.53	$43,186	$67,500	160
150	Lynwood	$51,019	$24.53	$38,919	$79,079	16
151	Brea	$50,148	$24.11	$39,643	$77,729	10
152	Redding	$48,584	$23.36	$39,563	$91,257	80
153	Visalia	$47,539	$22.86	$40,680	$72,322	200
154	Merced	$47,377	$22.78	$37,211	$67,500	100
155	Oxnard	$47,205	$22.69	$41,572	$70,384	370
156	Fresno	$47,043	$22.62	$37,499	$78,685	910
157	Thousand Oaks	$47,014	$22.60	$36,707	$72,872	32
158	El Centro	$44,952	$21.61	$35,489	$58,200	110

More California Salary Data

Hourly Rates

Explore dialysis technician hourly pay in California cities.

Sunnyvale →Santa Clara →San Jose →

Entry Level

Starting salaries for new dialysis technicians.

Sunnyvale →Santa Clara →San Jose →

Senior / Experienced

Top earner salaries for experienced dialysis technicians.

Sunnyvale →Santa Clara →San Jose →

Compare Cities in California

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View all comparisons →

Explore More Dialysis Technician Salary Data

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much do dialysis technicians make in California in 2026?

The average median dialysis technician salary in California is $55,351/year across 158 metro areas, based on estimated 2026 (projected from 2025 BLS data). Salaries range from $44,952 in El Centro to $74,869 in Sunnyvale. This makes California one of the higher-paying states, at 22.13% above the national median of $45,322. The state employs approximately 28,119 dialysis technicians.

What is the highest paying city for dialysis technicians in California?

Sunnyvale offers the highest dialysis technician salary in California at $74,869/year ($36.00/hr), based on estimated 2026 (projected from 2025 BLS data). The top 3 highest-paying cities are Sunnyvale ($74,869), Santa Clara ($74,377), San Jose ($73,151). Higher pay in these metros is typically driven by cost of living, demand for dialysis services, and competition among employers for licensed dialysis technicians.

How does California dialysis technician pay compare to the national average?

California's average dialysis technician salary of $55,351 is 22.13% above the national median of $45,322 in 2026. The state employs approximately 28,119 dialysis technicians across 158 metropolitan areas. When comparing salaries, consider cost-of-living differences — a lower nominal salary in an affordable area may provide better purchasing power than a higher salary in an expensive metro.

What is the entry-level dialysis technician salary in California?

Entry-level dialysis technicians (10th percentile) in California earn approximately $43,251/year on average, based on estimated 2026 (projected from 2025 BLS data). Starting salaries range from $33,732 in lower-paying areas to $55,814 in the highest-paying metros. New graduates should expect salaries at the lower end and can typically reach the area median within 3–5 years of clinical experience.

How many dialysis technicians are employed in California?

California employs approximately 28,119 dialysis technicians across 158 metropolitan areas, based on the latest BLS data. This makes California one of the larger employers of dialysis technicians nationally. Demand continues to grow as the dialysis field expands and the population ages.

Which California city offers the best value for dialysis technicians?

When adjusted for cost of living, San Jose offers the highest purchasing power for dialysis technicians in California, with an adjusted salary of $66,246 (nominal: $73,151, CoL index: 110.423). This means your dollar goes 9% less far compared to the national average, making it important to negotiate higher base pay.

Written by Jessica Tran, CCRN

Career Analyst

Jessica has over 10 years as a dialysis technician. She specializes in chronic kidney disease management. She works at a community hospital.

Clinically reviewed by Michael Robinson, RNData verified by Amina Patel, BSN

Methodology & Data Source

Statewide salary figures on this page are 2026 projections based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2026 release. A 2.41% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), derived from 6-year national BLS wage trends, was applied to each metro area's reported salary to estimate current 2026 dialysis technician compensation across California. State averages are employment-weighted across 158 metro areas — larger metro areas with more dialysis technicianscontribute proportionally more to the average, producing figures that better reflect typical compensation. Individual pay varies by city, employer, certifications, and experience.

Data Sources & Methodology

Source: BLS, OEWS, 5-year dataset (2021–2025). Per-city data from annual BLS metropolitan area surveys.

2026 figures are projected from 2025 BLS data using a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.41%, derived from historical BLS wage trends for dialysis technicians (SOC 29-2099).

Compiled and verified by Jessica Tran, CCRN, a licensed dialysis technician with 10+ years of clinical experience. · View source data at BLS.gov

Last verified: June 3, 2026

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