Dental Hygienists
Salary, job outlook, AI risk & career information
Dental Hygienists in the United States earn a median salary of $98,100 per year — about $47 per hour, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Roughly 222K people work in this occupation nationwide, with projected employment growth of +7%.
AI & Automation Risk
The core of this occupation involves high-precision manual dexterity and physical procedures performed on patients in a clinical setting, which AI cannot replicate. While AI may assist with peripheral tasks like analyzing X-rays or automating patient documentation, the primary work of cleaning teeth and conducting physical exams remains insulated from automation.
Salary by City — What You Actually Take Home
Real purchasing power = salary adjusted for cost of living. Higher = more money in your pocket.
| City | Local Salary | Cost of Living | Real Purchasing Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fairbanks-College, AKBEST VALUE | $131,860 | Above avg (103.2) | $127,761 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $146,760 | Above avg (115.6) | $126,941 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $139,990 | Above avg (110.4) | $126,776 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $136,210 | Above avg (107.8) | $126,373 |
| Yakima, WA | $120,690 | Below avg (95.5) | $126,317 |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | $123,020 | Average (97.5) | $126,116 |
| Anchorage, AK | $132,740 | Above avg (105.4) | $125,915 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $135,990 | Above avg (108.8) | $124,993 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $127,470 | Average (102.4) | $124,430 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $131,040 | Above avg (105.6) | $124,083 |
| Carson City, NV | $121,500 | Average (98.1) | $123,815 |
| Boulder, CO | $130,000 | Above avg (105.2) | $123,572 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | $122,480 | Average (100.1) | $122,383 |
| El Centro, CA | $115,870 | Below avg (95.2) | $121,745 |
| Bellingham, WA | $124,850 | Above avg (103.3) | $120,822 |