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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2018

29-2021 Dental Hygienists

Clean teeth and examine oral areas, head, and neck for signs of oral disease. May educate patients on oral hygiene, take and develop x rays, or apply fluoride or sealants.


National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
215,150 1.2 % $36.30 $75,500 0.5 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $24.97 $30.04 $35.97 $43.08 $48.95
Annual Wage (2) $51,930 $62,490 $74,820 $89,610 $101,820


Industry profile for this occupation: Top

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

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Offices of Dentists 203,550 21.51 $36.43 $75,780
Employment Services 3,020 0.08 $35.17 $73,160
Offices of Physicians 2,230 0.09 $34.56 $71,880
Outpatient Care Centers 1,460 0.16 $36.31 $75,520
Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) 790 0.04 $29.33 $61,010

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Offices of Dentists 203,550 21.51 $36.43 $75,780
Outpatient Care Centers 1,460 0.16 $36.31 $75,520
Other Ambulatory Health Care Services 280 0.09 $27.02 $56,210
Offices of Physicians 2,230 0.09 $34.56 $71,880
Employment Services 3,020 0.08 $35.17 $73,160

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Home Health Care Services (8) (8) $43.17 $89,790
Offices of Dentists 203,550 21.51 $36.43 $75,780
Outpatient Care Centers 1,460 0.16 $36.31 $75,520
Offices of Other Health Practitioners 430 0.05 $36.25 $75,400
Employment Services 3,020 0.08 $35.17 $73,160


Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

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





States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 22,240 1.31 0.88 $48.48 $100,830
Texas 13,850 1.14 0.77 $36.20 $75,300
New York 11,300 1.20 0.81 $36.68 $76,280
Florida 11,110 1.29 0.87 $30.80 $64,070
Pennsylvania 9,640 1.65 1.11 $32.22 $67,010




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Rhode Island 1,270 2.63 1.77 $35.89 $74,650
Idaho 1,700 2.41 1.62 $35.78 $74,430
Connecticut 3,990 2.40 1.62 $40.21 $83,630
Vermont 680 2.22 1.49 $34.85 $72,490
Michigan 9,510 2.20 1.48 $30.83 $64,130




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Alaska 600 1.89 1.27 $54.96 $114,320
California 22,240 1.31 0.88 $48.48 $100,830
Washington 6,010 1.84 1.24 $43.60 $90,690
Arizona 3,200 1.15 0.77 $41.29 $85,890
New Jersey 6,290 1.55 1.04 $41.28 $85,860





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

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 11,300 1.19 0.80 $41.72 $86,790
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 7,250 1.56 1.05 $36.05 $74,970
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 6,610 1.08 0.73 $47.42 $98,640
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 4,760 1.33 0.90 $38.27 $79,610
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 4,450 2.26 1.52 $30.67 $63,790
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 4,410 1.60 1.08 $40.30 $83,810
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 4,220 1.57 1.06 $32.37 $67,340
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 4,070 1.30 0.87 $43.39 $90,260
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 4,010 1.41 0.95 $36.97 $76,890
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 3,720 1.54 1.03 $52.76 $109,750