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Dental hygienist salary in California

Updated October 30, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$124,930median pay per year in California, or $60.06 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $102,090lowest 10% earn less
  2. $109,73025th percentile
  3. $124,930median
  4. $132,12075th percentile
  5. $151,920top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $98,100[3]

The median pay for dental hygienists in California was $124,930 a year in May 2025[1]. That was $26,830 higher than the US median[6].

Jobs in CA
24,500[4]
Rank by median pay
4 of 50[5]
Compared with US median
+27.3%[6]

How much do dental hygienists make in California?

Half of the dental hygienists in California earned more than $124,930 a year, and half earned less[1]. That works out to $60.06 an hour[1]. The average was a little higher, at $128,110 a year[7]. The US median for the job was $98,100[3], so California sits 27.3% above it[6].

Compared with all jobs in the state, the gap is wide. The median for all occupations in California was $58,240[8]. Dental hygienists earned $66,690 more at the median[9]. Among the 49 states and DC with a published median, California had the 4th highest[5].

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $102,090 a year, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $151,920[2]. By metro area, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont had the highest median, at $146,760[10]. OEWS only counts people paid a wage or salary. It leaves out the self-employed and business owners, and it does not add bonuses or the cost of benefits[11].

California vs US pay

Pay for dental hygienists in California next to the national figures[1][3].

CAUS
Median per year$124,930[1]$98,100[3]
Median per hour$60.06[1]$47.16[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$102,090[2]$74,880[12]
Top 10% earn more than$151,920[2]$126,050[12]
Jobs24,500[4]222,740[3]

Pay by metro area in California

Metro areas in California with the most jobs for dental hygienists, and the median pay in each[13].

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA[13]$122,9807,940
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$146,7603,780
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$122,5402,200
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$123,7901,940
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$105,7301,860
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$139,9901,620
Fresno, CA$101,730530
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA$126,530500

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for dental hygienists in the states that border California, highest first[14].

StateMedian per yearJobs
Oregon[14]$122,0803,600
Nevada$115,2901,510
Arizona$101,0104,530

Median pay for dental hygienists in every state

Job outlook and training

Across the US, jobs for dental hygienists are projected to grow 8% from 2025 to 2035[15]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: associate's degree[16].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does a dental hygienist make in California?
The median was $124,930 a year in May 2025[1]. The average was $128,110 a year[7].
How much does a dental hygienist make an hour in California?
The median hourly wage was $60.06[1]. The 10th percentile wage was $49.08 an hour and the 90th percentile wage was $73.04[17].
Which city in California pays dental hygienists the most?
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont had the highest median annual wage of the 25 metro areas with a published figure, at $146,760[10]. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara followed among the larger metros listed, at $139,990[13].
Is California a good state for dental hygienists?
California had the 4th highest median annual wage for the job among the 49 states and DC with a published median[5]. Its median was 27.3% above the US median[6].
What do you need to become a dental hygienist in California?
Across the US, the typical entry education is an associate's degree, with no work experience or on-the-job training needed[16]. This is a US figure, not one for California.

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Dental Hygienists in California was $124,930 per year and $60.06 per hour. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Dental Hygienists in California: 10th percentile $102,090, 25th percentile $109,730, 75th percentile $132,120, 90th percentile $151,920. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less, the 90th means 10% earned more. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Dental Hygienists in the US as a whole was $98,100 per year and $47.16 per hour, with about 222,740 jobs nationwide. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 24,500 people worked as Dental Hygienists in California (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: California had the 4th highest median annual wage for Dental Hygienists out of the 49 states and DC with a published median. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Dental Hygienists in California ($124,930) was $26,830 (27.3%) higher than the US median ($98,100). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Dental Hygienists in California was $128,110 per year and $61.59 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in California was $58,240. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Dental Hygienists in California was $66,690 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($58,240). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 25 metro areas in or partly in California with a published median for Dental Hygienists, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA had the highest median annual wage, $146,760. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Dental Hygienists in the US: 10th percentile $74,880, 25th percentile $83,570, 75th percentile $108,480, 90th percentile $126,050. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Dental Hygienists in states that border California (highest first): Oregon $122,080; Nevada $115,290; Arizona $101,010. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state): employment of Dental Hygienists is projected to grow 8% nationwide from 2025 to 2035, with about 15,000 openings a year on average. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%. BLS Employment Projections
  16. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state), typical path into Dental Hygienists: education needed for entry: Associate's degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  17. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Dental Hygienists in California: 10th percentile $49.08, 25th percentile $52.76, 75th percentile $63.52, 90th percentile $73.04. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only California. Job outlook and entry requirements are national (US) figures: BLS does not publish them by state in our sources. Figures labelled “CareerFacts calculation” are simple differences between the BLS numbers shown.