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 | Average (101.2) | $130,298 |
| Boulder, CO | $130,000 | Average (100.6) | $129,207 |
| Carson City, NV | $121,500 | Below avg (94.9) | $128,046 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $146,760 | Above avg (117.6) | $124,848 |
| Anchorage, AK | $132,740 | Above avg (106.8) | $124,322 |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | $123,020 | Average (99.3) | $123,873 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | $122,480 | Average (98.9) | $123,861 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $139,990 | Above avg (113.1) | $123,820 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $136,210 | Above avg (110.3) | $123,543 |
| Yakima, WA | $120,690 | Average (97.9) | $123,276 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $131,040 | Above avg (107.4) | $121,988 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $118,410 | Average (98.1) | $120,687 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $127,470 | Above avg (105.9) | $120,380 |
| Yuba City, CA | $124,780 | Above avg (103.8) | $120,237 |
| Reno, NV | $117,850 | Average (98.0) | $120,224 |