Dental hygienist pay by city
Across the 50 largest US metros, typical dental hygienist pay ranges from $61,730 in Birmingham, AL to $146,760 in San Francisco, CA. After taxes and local prices, it goes furthest in Seattle, WA, San Jose, CA, San Francisco, CA.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (occupation: Dental Hygienists, SOC 29-1292).
| Rank | Metro | Typical pay | Worth after taxes and prices |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $133,740 | $92,400 |
| 2 | San Jose, CA | $139,990 | $88,900 |
| 3 | San Francisco, CA | $146,760 | $88,400 |
| 4 | Las Vegas, NV | $109,210 | $85,500 |
| 5 | Austin, TX | $105,480 | $84,600 |
| 6 | Houston, TX | $104,930 | $83,800 |
| 7 | San Antonio, TX | $98,480 | $82,500 |
| 8 | Sacramento, CA | $122,540 | $82,300 |
| 9 | Cincinnati, OH | $102,940 | $81,100 |
| 10 | Oklahoma City, OK | $97,110 | $81,100 |
| 11 | Portland, OR | $123,100 | $80,900 |
| 12 | Denver, CO | $113,760 | $79,900 |
| 13 | San Diego, CA | $123,790 | $79,200 |
| 14 | Richmond, VA | $104,250 | $78,600 |
| 15 | Washington, DC | $119,170 | $78,500 |
| 16 | Minneapolis, MN | $112,630 | $78,200 |
| 17 | Dallas, TX | $101,870 | $78,100 |
| 18 | Baltimore, MD | $116,130 | $78,100 |
| 19 | Nashville, TN | $94,030 | $77,900 |
| 20 | Los Angeles, CA | $122,980 | $77,600 |
| 21 | Milwaukee, WI | $98,780 | $76,800 |
| 22 | Charlotte, NC | $98,390 | $76,700 |
| 23 | St. Louis, MO | $97,650 | $76,700 |
| 24 | Raleigh, NC | $98,800 | $76,300 |
| 25 | Phoenix, AZ | $102,520 | $76,100 |
| 26 | Columbus, OH | $96,880 | $76,100 |
| 27 | Jacksonville, FL | $94,960 | $76,000 |
| 28 | Indianapolis, IN | $97,470 | $75,800 |
| 29 | Tampa, FL | $95,870 | $75,600 |
| 30 | Kansas City, MO | $92,750 | $75,400 |
| 31 | Virginia Beach, VA | $98,890 | $75,100 |
| 32 | Atlanta, GA | $100,370 | $74,800 |
| 33 | Riverside, CA | $105,730 | $72,900 |
| 34 | Orlando, FL | $92,560 | $72,900 |
| 35 | Hartford, CT | $98,950 | $72,600 |
| 36 | Chicago, IL | $100,260 | $72,000 |
| 37 | Cleveland, OH | $88,990 | $71,900 |
| 38 | Philadelphia, PA | $100,820 | $71,000 |
| 39 | Salt Lake City, UT | $94,330 | $70,300 |
| 40 | Boston, MA | $101,990 | $69,900 |
| 41 | Memphis, TN | $78,580 | $69,500 |
| 42 | New York, NY | $109,720 | $68,200 |
| 43 | Providence, RI | $89,310 | $67,700 |
| 44 | Grand Rapids, MI | $84,290 | $66,500 |
| 45 | Louisville, KY | $81,390 | $66,100 |
| 46 | Buffalo, NY | $82,470 | $65,800 |
| 47 | Detroit, MI | $84,480 | $62,700 |
| 48 | Pittsburgh, PA | $75,960 | $60,800 |
| 49 | Miami, FL | $82,780 | $58,700 |
| 50 | Birmingham, AL | $61,730 | $52,800 |
“Worth” is take-home pay at the typical salary (single filer, 2026 income taxes), divided by local prices, so every city is in the same typical-US-city dollars.
Common questions
Which city pays dental hygienists the most?
Before taxes, San Francisco, CA has the highest typical dental hygienist pay among the 50 largest US metros: $146,760 a year. The lowest is Birmingham, AL at $61,730. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
Where does dental hygienist pay go furthest after cost of living?
After federal, state, and local income taxes and local prices, typical dental hygienist pay goes furthest in Seattle, WA, San Jose, CA, San Francisco, CA. It goes the least far in Birmingham, AL, where it's worth about $52,800 in typical-US-city dollars.