Quick answer: Dental Hygienists in the Santa Maria area earn a median $135,990 per year, above the national median of $98,100, and the metro employs about 260 of them (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
| Metric | Santa Maria metro | California | National |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual wage | $135,990 | $124,930 | $98,100 |
| 10th percentile | $106,210 | $102,090 | $74,880 |
| 25th percentile | $122,690 | $109,730 | $83,570 |
| 75th percentile | $138,370 | $132,120 | $108,480 |
| 90th percentile | $151,030 | $151,920 | $126,050 |
| Employment | 260 | 24,500 | 222,740 |
| Location quotient | 0.89 | - | 1.00 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro figures cover the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA metropolitan statistical area.
The Santa Maria median of $135,990 is above the national median of $98,100, and above the California statewide median of $124,930 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The metro’s location quotient of 0.89 means dental hygienists are less concentrated here than in the average U.S. labor market (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Higher concentration generally means more employers competing for the same people, and an easier job change later.
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.
| Metro area | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $122,980 | 7,940 |
| San Francisco | $146,760 | 3,780 |
| Sacramento | $122,540 | 2,200 |
| San Diego | $123,790 | 1,940 |
| Riverside | $105,730 | 1,860 |
| San Jose | $139,990 | 1,620 |
| Fresno | $101,730 | 530 |
| Oxnard | $126,530 | 500 |
Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Licensing is a state matter, not a city one. 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.
See the California licensing and pay overview for the statewide picture, and confirm current requirements with your state dental board.
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 the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA metro area is $135,990, above the national median of $98,100 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA metro area employs about 260 dental hygienists (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Licensing is handled at state level rather than by city. 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. Confirm current requirements with your state dental board.
The academic portion of these programs is widely available online for working adults, while labs, clinical hours or supervised field work are completed in person. Check that the program's accreditation satisfies your state dental board.
The Santa Maria metro median is $135,990 against a statewide median of $124,930 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Compare that gap with the difference in living costs before treating it as a raise.
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/.
