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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2020

29-1292 Dental Hygienists

Administer oral hygiene care to patients. Assess patient oral hygiene problems or needs and maintain health records. Advise patients on oral health maintenance and disease prevention. May provide advanced care such as providing fluoride treatment or administering topical anesthesia.


National estimates for Dental Hygienists
Industry profile for Dental Hygienists
Geographic profile for Dental Hygienists

National estimates for Dental Hygienists:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Dental Hygienists:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
194,830 1.4 % $ 37.53 $ 78,050 0.6 %

Percentile wage estimates for Dental Hygienists:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 26.06 $ 31.46 $ 37.06 $ 44.05 $ 50.20
Annual Wage (2) $ 54,200 $ 65,440 $ 77,090 $ 91,620 $ 104,420


Industry profile for Dental Hygienists:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Dental Hygienists are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Dental Hygienists, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Dental Hygienists:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Offices of Dentists 183,280 21.65 $ 37.65 $ 78,320
Employment Services 2,950 0.09 $ 36.54 $ 76,000
Offices of Physicians 2,410 0.09 $ 37.41 $ 77,810
Outpatient Care Centers 1,640 0.17 $ 37.49 $ 77,980
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 860 0.04 $ 31.72 $ 65,970

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Dental Hygienists:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Offices of Dentists 183,280 21.65 $ 37.65 $ 78,320
Outpatient Care Centers 1,640 0.17 $ 37.49 $ 77,980
Employment Services 2,950 0.09 $ 36.54 $ 76,000
Offices of Physicians 2,410 0.09 $ 37.41 $ 77,810
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 860 0.04 $ 31.72 $ 65,970

Top paying industries for Dental Hygienists:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals 40 0.01 $ 38.85 $ 80,800
Management of Companies and Enterprises 30 (7) $ 38.69 $ 80,470
Offices of Other Health Practitioners 310 0.03 $ 38.25 $ 79,550
Offices of Dentists 183,280 21.65 $ 37.65 $ 78,320
Outpatient Care Centers 1,640 0.17 $ 37.49 $ 77,980


Geographic profile for Dental Hygienists:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Dental Hygienists are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Dental Hygienists, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in Dental Hygienists:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 17,880 1.09 0.78 $ 52.87 $ 109,970
Texas 13,230 1.09 0.78 $ 37.31 $ 77,590
Florida 11,830 1.40 1.00 $ 32.63 $ 67,870
New York 9,190 1.06 0.75 $ 36.97 $ 76,890
Ohio 8,690 1.69 1.21 $ 33.11 $ 68,880




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Dental Hygienists:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Idaho 1,760 2.45 1.75 $ 36.86 $ 76,670
New Hampshire 1,420 2.29 1.64 $ 39.49 $ 82,150
Alaska 610 2.06 1.47 $ 55.31 $ 115,050
Wyoming 530 2.01 1.43 $ 31.87 $ 66,280
Connecticut 3,070 1.99 1.42 $ 41.16 $ 85,610




Top paying states for Dental Hygienists:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Alaska 610 2.06 1.47 $ 55.31 $ 115,050
California 17,880 1.09 0.78 $ 52.87 $ 109,970
Washington 6,290 1.97 1.41 $ 45.89 $ 95,450
District of Columbia 180 0.26 0.18 $ 45.50 $ 94,650
Nevada 2,430 1.94 1.39 $ 42.96 $ 89,360





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Dental Hygienists:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 9,860 1.12 0.80 $ 41.91 $ 87,160
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 5,700 1.31 0.93 $ 36.84 $ 76,630
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 4,710 0.81 0.58 $ 52.29 $ 108,770
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 4,260 1.64 1.17 $ 40.87 $ 85,020
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 4,150 1.16 0.83 $ 39.94 $ 83,080
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 3,780 1.25 0.89 $ 42.97 $ 89,380
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 3,660 1.46 1.04 $ 29.69 $ 61,760
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 3,450 1.76 1.26 $ 46.75 $ 97,230
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 3,390 1.29 0.92 $ 33.17 $ 69,000
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 3,350 1.13 0.81 $ 37.33 $ 77,640




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Dental Hygienists:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Longview, WA 170 4.59 3.28 $ 48.18 $ 100,210
Coeur d'Alene, ID 220 3.64 2.60 $ 39.44 $ 82,030
Lawrence, KS 150 3.27 2.34 $ 36.31 $ 75,530
Kokomo, IN 110 3.11 2.22 $ 34.89 $ 72,570
Port St. Lucie, FL 420 2.88 2.06 $ 33.43 $ 69,540
Johnson City, TN 210 2.83 2.02 $ 33.44 $ 69,550
Mankato-North Mankato, MN 140 2.80 2.00 $ 36.25 $ 75,400
Twin Falls, ID 130 2.79 1.99 $ 37.22 $ 77,410
Lima, OH 130 2.77 1.98 $ 21.60 $ 44,930
Dover-Durham, NH-ME 140 2.77 1.98 $ 38.05 $ 79,150




Top paying metropolitan areas for Dental Hygienists:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA 170 0.91 0.65 $ 64.30 $ 133,730
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 1,310 1.19 0.85 $ 57.85 $ 120,340
Santa Rosa, CA 420 2.19 1.56 $ 57.20 $ 118,980
Fairbanks, AK 60 1.97 1.41 $ 56.61 $ 117,760
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 2,800 1.20 0.86 $ 56.48 $ 117,470
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA 220 2.46 1.76 $ 56.23 $ 116,960
Vallejo-Fairfield, CA 210 1.56 1.11 $ 55.31 $ 115,050
Napa, CA 140 2.08 1.49 $ 54.75 $ 113,870
Bremerton-Silverdale, WA 170 1.97 1.41 $ 54.28 $ 112,900
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 1,800 1.21 0.86 $ 53.86 $ 112,030

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Dental Hygienists:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area 470 1.95 1.39 $ 30.86 $ 64,190
North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) 420 1.36 0.97 $ 30.31 $ 63,040
North Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 370 1.39 0.99 $ 34.38 $ 71,520
Balance of Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 350 1.41 1.01 $ 25.62 $ 53,290
Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area 350 1.83 1.31 $ 33.31 $ 69,280

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Dental Hygienists:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Southern Vermont nonmetropolitan area 250 2.61 1.86 $ 38.48 $ 80,030
Central New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 230 2.52 1.80 $ 39.17 $ 81,480
Central Oregon nonmetropolitan area 150 2.51 1.79 $ 38.58 $ 80,240
Western Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area 310 2.34 1.67 $ 34.51 $ 71,780
Nevada nonmetropolitan area 210 2.32 1.65 $ 48.72 $ 101,340

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Dental Hygienists:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Alaska nonmetropolitan area (8) (8) (8) $ 58.82 $ 122,340
Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area 130 1.37 0.98 $ 54.58 $ 113,520
Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area 90 1.54 1.10 $ 50.14 $ 104,280
Western Washington nonmetropolitan area 250 2.09 1.49 $ 49.36 $ 102,680
North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area (8) (8) (8) $ 49.15 $ 102,230


About May 2020 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(7) The value is less than .005 percent of industry employment.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2020 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 31, 2021