Dental hygienist pay in San Diego, CA
Dental hygienists in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area earn a typical $123,790 a year. The middle half earn $121,380 to $126,820, and the top 10% earn more than $130,530. About 1,940 people do this job there.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (occupation: Dental Hygienists, SOC 29-1292).
Pay range
| Bottom 10% earn less than | $108,320 |
| 25th percentile | $121,380 |
| Median (typical) | $123,790 |
| 75th percentile | $126,820 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $130,530 |
Typical pay here ranks No. 4 of 50 large metros for dental hygienists before taxes and prices.
After taxes and cost of living
At the typical $123,790, a single filer keeps about $88,600 a year after federal, Social Security, Medicare, and California state income tax. Prices in San Diego are 12% above the US average, so that take-home buys what $79,200 would in a typical US city. That ranks San Diego No. 13 of 50 large metros for dental hygienists after cost of living.
Where dental hygienists’ pay goes furthest
- Seattle, WA$133,740 typical · worth $92.4k
- San Jose, CA$139,990 typical · worth $88.9k
- San Francisco, CA$146,760 typical · worth $88.4k
- Las Vegas, NV$109,210 typical · worth $85.5k
All 50 metros for dental hygienists →
Where does your salary land?
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Common questions
How much does a dental hygienist make in San Diego, CA?
The typical (median) dental hygienist in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area earns $123,790 a year. The middle half earn between $121,380 and $126,820, and the top 10% earn more than $130,530. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
What is a good salary for a dental hygienist in San Diego?
Anything above $123,790 pays more than half of dental hygienists in San Diego. $126,820 or more puts you in the top quarter, and $130,530 in the top 10%. Experience and employer move where you should be in that range.
How much does a dental hygienist in San Diego take home after taxes?
At the typical $123,790, a single filer keeps about $88,600 a year ($7,380 a month) after federal, Social Security, Medicare, California state income tax. With local prices 12% above the US average, that buys what $79,200 would in a typical US city.
Where do dental hygienists get paid the most after cost of living?
Among the 50 largest US metros, typical dental hygienist pay goes furthest after taxes and prices in Seattle, WA, San Jose, CA, San Francisco, CA. San Diego, CA ranks No. 13.
More: Dental hygienist pay in every large metro · Pay for other jobs in San Diego, CA
Local prices: BEA regional price parities, 2024. Updated November 2026.