Top paying cities for dental assistants, hygienists

Several cities in California were among the top paying metropolitan areas for dental assistants and hygienists, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics updated wage and salary data for several dental specialties and roles March 31 to reflect 2021 information.

Top paying metropolitan areas for dental assistants and hygienists:

Dental assistants:

1. San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, Calif.: $55,150
2. Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.-Bloomington, Wis.: $55,020
3. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, Calif.: $54,590
4. Santa Rosa, Calif.: $52,550
5. Rochester, Minn.: $52,510
6. Barnstable, Mass.: $52,380
7. Boston-Cambridge, Mass.-Nashua, N.H.: $52,330
8. Bismarck, N.D.: $52,240
9. Fairbanks, Alaska: $51,940
10. Portsmouth, N.H.-Maine: $51,110

Dental hygienists: 

1. Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, Calif.: $125,750
2. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, Calif.: $122,660
3. San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, Calif.: $119,320
4. Anchorage, Ala.: $116,270
5. Santa Rosa, Calif.: $115,730
6. Santa Cruz-Watsonville, Calif.: $114,370
7. Fairbanks, Ala..: $113,880
8. Napa, Calif.: $112,520
9. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, Wash.: $111,600
10. Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, Calif.: $111,240