Quick answer: Dental Hygienists in California earn a median $124,930 per year, above the national median of $98,100 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The state employs about 24,500 of them. Licensing runs through your state dental board.
| Metric | California | National | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual wage | $124,930 | $98,100 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| 10th percentile | $102,090 | $74,880 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| 25th percentile | $109,730 | $83,570 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| 75th percentile | $132,120 | $108,480 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| 90th percentile | $151,920 | $126,050 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Employment | 24,500 | 222,740 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Location quotient | 0.94 | 1.00 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Projected change (2024-34) | not published by state | 7.0% | BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34 |
The California median of $124,930 sits above the national median of $98,100 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Percentiles matter more than the midpoint when you are deciding whether a degree pays for itself: the 10th percentile is roughly where people start, and the 90th is what the top of the local market looks like after years of experience.
A location quotient of 0.94 puts California slightly below the national average, so the occupation is a little less common here than in the typical state (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The measure compares how concentrated the occupation is here against the national average of 1.00.
| Metro area | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $146,760 | 3,780 |
| San Jose | $139,990 | 1,620 |
| Santa Rosa | $136,210 | 310 |
| Santa Maria | $135,990 | 260 |
| Napa | $131,370 | 100 |
| Santa Cruz | $130,600 | 220 |
| Vallejo | $128,570 | 270 |
| Oxnard | $126,530 | 500 |
| San Luis Obispo | $125,670 | 220 |
| Stockton | $125,130 | 480 |
Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Hygiene is hired practice by practice, so the local density of dental offices is what determines how many chairs are open in a given market.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), dental hygienists wages in California vary by metro area.
| Metro Area | Employment | Median Annual Wage | Avg. Annual Wage | Entry Level (10th pctile) | Experienced (90th pctile) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | 7,940 | $122,980 | $112,080 | $56,800 | $137,310 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | 3,780 | $146,760 | $180,520 | $109,460 | $156,580 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | 2,200 | $122,540 | $122,740 | $119,720 | $127,610 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 1,940 | $123,790 | $121,860 | $108,320 | $130,530 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | 1,860 | $105,730 | $110,980 | $102,140 | $126,940 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | 1,620 | $139,990 | $142,850 | $128,620 | $156,850 |
| Fresno | 530 | $101,730 | $103,550 | $86,120 | $128,970 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | 500 | $126,530 | $123,800 | $107,880 | $128,290 |
| Stockton-Lodi | 480 | $125,130 | $121,550 | $105,080 | $133,240 |
| Modesto | 390 | $123,910 | $120,670 | $103,450 | $133,640 |
| Bakersfield-Delano | 340 | $114,380 | $109,420 | $97,090 | $121,280 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | 310 | $136,210 | $137,050 | $130,010 | $151,580 |
| Vallejo | 270 | $128,570 | $126,900 | $108,780 | $148,430 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | 260 | $135,990 | $130,790 | $106,210 | $151,030 |
| Salinas | 240 | $122,370 | $121,560 | $105,280 | $138,260 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | 220 | $125,670 | $129,690 | $106,190 | $147,480 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | 220 | $130,600 | $129,740 | $106,880 | $145,600 |
| Visalia | 200 | $98,240 | $104,970 | $97,520 | $121,700 |
| Chico | 150 | $118,800 | $117,350 | $100,650 | $128,180 |
| Redding | 130 | $118,130 | $115,570 | $104,130 | $128,370 |
| Merced | 100 | $117,400 | $117,540 | $102,760 | $130,100 |
| Napa | 100 | $131,370 | $131,610 | $110,100 | $150,530 |
| Hanford-Corcoran | 80 | $113,160 | $113,190 | $102,190 | $129,660 |
| Yuba City | 60 | $124,780 | $121,890 | $104,560 | $131,010 |
| El Centro | 40 | $115,870 | $116,110 | $103,290 | $130,840 |
Wages reflect survey data and vary based on experience, credentials, employer, and local market conditions. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May .
Bakersfield * Chico * Fresno * Los Angeles * Merced * Modesto * Napa * Oxnard * Redding * Riverside * Sacramento * Salinas * San Diego * San Francisco * San Jose * San Luis Obispo * Santa Cruz * Santa Maria * Santa Rosa * Stockton * Vallejo * Visalia
Dental hygienists are licensed by state dental boards. The national framework is graduation from a program accredited by CODA, the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination, and a clinical examination. Scope of practice - including whether a hygienist may work without a dentist physically present - is set state by state and is one of the biggest practical differences between them.
Requirements are set at state level and are amended periodically. Before you enroll in any program, confirm with your state dental board that the specific program you are considering satisfies the education requirement, and ask what it accepts from any training you have already completed. Get the answer in writing.
Most people reading this already have a job in the field, and the practical question is whether the credential can be earned without leaving it. Programs designed for working adults deliver the academic portion online or in the evening, while any labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience happen in person and locally. Prior college credit, military training, apprenticeship coursework and industry certifications can all shorten the path, so request a written transfer credit evaluation before you commit to any school.
Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.
We first gather the schools closest to the city or state page you are viewing, then rank that local group by BOC Score, with the highest at the top. The BOC Score is computed from federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data; schools without enough data to score appear last.
Schools without enough federal outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
The median annual wage for dental hygienists in California is $124,930, above the national median of $98,100 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle of the range runs from $109,730 at the 25th percentile to $132,120 at the 75th.
California holds about 24,500 dental hygienist jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Nationally the occupation employs 222,740, and BLS projects about 15,300 openings per year through 2034 (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34).
Dental hygienists are licensed by state dental boards. The national framework is graduation from a program accredited by CODA, the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination, and a clinical examination. Scope of practice - including whether a hygienist may work without a dentist physically present - is set state by state and is one of the biggest practical differences between them. Requirements are set at the state level and change periodically, so confirm the current rules with your state dental board before you enroll in any program.
Often yes. Programs built for working adults deliver coursework online or in the evenings, though any required labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience are completed in person. Confirm that the program's accreditation satisfies your state dental board.
Among California metro areas with published data, San Francisco reports the highest median at $146,760 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
On pay, the state median of $124,930 sits above the national $98,100 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). A location quotient of 0.94 means the occupation is less concentrated here than in the average state. Weigh that against cost of living and how concentrated the work is near where you actually want to live.
Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
