SOC 29-1292 · Modesto, CA metro

Dental Hygienists Salary in Modesto, CA

The average salary for dental hygienists in Modesto, California is $120,670 a year ($58.02 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $123,910: half of the 390 people in this job in the Modesto, CA metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 22% more than the U.S. average for this job ($98,990).

$120,670average per year

$58.02 / hourMedian $123,910Take-home ≈ $86,591

  • $103K10th
  • $108K25th
  • $124KMedian
  • $128K75th
  • $134K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

390people in this job
+22%vs U.S. average
#15 of 25California metros
104cost of living (U.S. = 100)
Advertisement

Dental Hygienists pay range in Modesto

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $103,450 a year or less, while the top 10% make $133,640 or more. The middle half of dental hygienists in Modesto earn between $107,630 and $128,140.

  • $103K10th
  • $108K25th
  • $124KMedian
  • $128K75th
  • $134K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$120,670$10,056$58.01
Median$123,910$10,326$59.57
Entry level (25th percentile)$107,630$8,969$51.75
Experienced (75th percentile)$128,140$10,678$61.61

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.

Dental Hygienists pay in Modesto vs. California and the U.S.

Dental hygienists in Modesto earn 6% less than the California average ($128,110) and 22% more than the U.S. average ($98,990). At the median the gap is +26% against the U.S. median of $98,100.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Modesto$120,670$123,910$103,450$133,640390
California$128,110$124,930$102,090$151,92024,500
United States$98,990$98,100$74,880$126,050222,740

State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.

Dental Hygienists salary after taxes in Modesto

On the average salary of $120,670, a single filer in Modesto takes home about $86,591 a year, or $7,216 a month and $3,330 every two weeks. Taxes take 28% of gross pay.

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.

California paycheck calculator: try your own salary

Advertisement

Is Modesto a good place for dental hygienists? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Modesto area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 104.1), so the average $120,670 buys what about $115,908 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.4 times the median wage of all jobs in Modesto ($50,610). A typical home costs $468,302, or 3.9 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $120,670 is worth in another city

Dental Hygienists salary in other California cities

Modesto ranks 15th of 25 California metro areas for this job; San Francisco pays the most ($180,520).

All Dental Hygienists salaries in California

Highest-paying cities for dental hygienists

San Francisco, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($180,520).

Dental Hygienists salary by city

Advertisement

Does this match what you are paid?

Anonymous, no account. Results update as visitors answer.

Share your pay anonymously

Reviewed before it counts. Dental Hygienists in Modesto, CA.

Dental Hygienists salary in Modesto: questions

How much do dental hygienists make an hour in Modesto?

$58.02 an hour on average, and $59.57 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level dental hygienists salary in Modesto?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $103,450 a year and the 25th percentile is $107,630, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the dental hygienists take-home pay in Modesto?

About $86,591 a year ($7,216 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $120,670. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.

Do dental hygienists earn more in Modesto than elsewhere?

The average here is 22% more than the U.S. average for this job ($98,990).

Sources and how to read this page

  • Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 29-1292; area Modesto, CA (33700). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.7%.
  • U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
  • Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
  • Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
  • Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
  • Job concentration: location quotient 1.40, this job is 1.4 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.

Read the full methodology. Spotted an error? Tell us.