Insights / Hardest metros by occupation / District of Columbia
10 metros where Dental Hygienists are hardest to fill
Brief Columbia Washington as $119,170 while the manager still has the draft.
Start Columbia Minneapolis from $112,630 before the calendar invite goes out.
Anchor Columbia San Jose at $139,990 before the recruiter refreshes the ad.
Keep Columbia San Diego near $123,790 and the intake can see the figure.
Each metro
1Washington, DC
- Score
- 7.6
- Band
- Hard
- Location quotient
- 0.49
- Jobs per 1,000
- 0.702
- Metro median
- $119,170
- Pay ratio
- 1.21
2Minneapolis, MN
- Score
- 7.5
- Band
- Hard
- Location quotient
- 0.93
- Jobs per 1,000
- 1.326
- Metro median
- $112,630
- Pay ratio
- 1.15
3San Jose, CA
- Score
- 7.4
- Band
- Hard
- Location quotient
- 0.99
- Jobs per 1,000
- 1.425
- Metro median
- $139,990
- Pay ratio
- 1.43
4San Diego, CA
- Score
- 7.3
- Band
- Hard
- Location quotient
- 0.88
- Jobs per 1,000
- 1.264
- Metro median
- $123,790
- Pay ratio
- 1.26
5Los Angeles, CA
- Score
- 7.3
- Band
- Hard
- Location quotient
- 0.88
- Jobs per 1,000
- 1.265
- Metro median
- $122,980
- Pay ratio
- 1.25
6Seattle, WA
- Score
- 7.3
- Band
- Hard
- Location quotient
- 1.17
- Jobs per 1,000
- 1.680
- Metro median
- $133,740
- Pay ratio
- 1.36
7San Francisco, CA
- Score
- 7.3
- Band
- Hard
- Location quotient
- 1.11
- Jobs per 1,000
- 1.591
- Metro median
- $146,760
- Pay ratio
- 1.50
8Oxnard, CA
- Score
- 7.2
- Band
- Hard
- Location quotient
- 1.07
- Jobs per 1,000
- 1.533
- Metro median
- $126,530
- Pay ratio
- 1.29
9Portland, OR
- Score
- 7.1
- Band
- Hard
- Location quotient
- 1.38
- Jobs per 1,000
- 1.971
- Metro median
- $123,100
- Pay ratio
- 1.25
10Denver, CO
- Score
- 7.1
- Band
- Hard
- Location quotient
- 0.91
- Jobs per 1,000
- 1.307
- Metro median
- $113,760
- Pay ratio
- 1.16
Ranked table
Swipe the table sideways. The same figures are in the blocks above.
| Rank | Metro | Score | Band | Location quotient | Jobs per 1,000 | Metro median | Pay ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington, DC | 7.6 | Hard | 0.49 | 0.702 | $119,170 | 1.21 |
| 2 | Minneapolis, MN | 7.5 | Hard | 0.93 | 1.326 | $112,630 | 1.15 |
| 3 | San Jose, CA | 7.4 | Hard | 0.99 | 1.425 | $139,990 | 1.43 |
| 4 | San Diego, CA | 7.3 | Hard | 0.88 | 1.264 | $123,790 | 1.26 |
| 5 | Los Angeles, CA | 7.3 | Hard | 0.88 | 1.265 | $122,980 | 1.25 |
| 6 | Seattle, WA | 7.3 | Hard | 1.17 | 1.680 | $133,740 | 1.36 |
| 7 | San Francisco, CA | 7.3 | Hard | 1.11 | 1.591 | $146,760 | 1.50 |
| 8 | Oxnard, CA | 7.2 | Hard | 1.07 | 1.533 | $126,530 | 1.29 |
| 9 | Portland, OR | 7.1 | Hard | 1.38 | 1.971 | $123,100 | 1.25 |
| 10 | Denver, CO | 7.1 | Hard | 0.91 | 1.307 | $113,760 | 1.16 |
Takeaways
- Show Columbia Los Angeles wage $122,980 so the huddle hears the cell.
- Name Columbia Seattle wage $133,740 rather than a statewide average.
- Put Columbia San Francisco wage $146,760 so finance sees the same cell.
- State Columbia Oxnard as $126,530 so the handoff names the cell.
For recruiters
- Give Columbia Portland figure $123,100 while the draft is still open.
- Pin Columbia Washington beside $119,170 inside the Hiring Pack with the figure.
FAQ
- Are these posted wages or open jobs?
- No. The table is a government survey or a designation file.
- What should a recruiter do first?
- Follow the recruiter note on this page.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
Related hiring pages
Methodology
Rows are the scored metro pages for Dental Hygienists (29-1292) with the highest public market difficulty score, up to 10. Metros under 500 workers are not scored. A metro page is scored only when OEWS employment for that occupation is at least 500. Below that, the page stays up and is left off this ranking. Postsecondary teaching occupations and medical scientists are left off even when they are scored. Nominal weights, before a missing shortage match is rescaled, are projected openings divided by 2025 employment 18%, projected growth 22%, the metro median divided by the U.S. median 40%, how common the occupation is locally compared with the country 8% (the location-quotient column; a lower figure means a thinner local bench), a matching HRSA shortage designation 8%, and statewide all-industry JOLTS for December 2025 4%. Bands are Standard under 4, Elevated from 4 up to 7, and Hard at 7 and above. The District of Columbia total-nonfarm job openings rate for December 2025 is 4.5. The U.S. rate is 4.0. Both are all-industry JOLTS rates. The article is tagged to District of Columbia because that state holds the leading metro, so the publishing calendar does not stack it with another District of Columbia article the same day. Rounded figures in the prose: $119,170 is stated as about $119.2K. a comparison of 1.21 is stated as 21 percent. $98,100 is stated as about $98.1K.
Sources
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics · May 2025
- BLS Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, total nonfarm · December 2025
Run this opening as a Hiring Pack
The figures above are public statistics. A Hiring Pack starts from the role and the city on the req. One pack is $24.00. Starter is $149 a month for 30 packs and 3 users, Team is $299 for 100 packs and 10 users, and Pro is $699 for 300 packs and 25 users. Annual billing is 20% off, so those monthly prices are $119, $239, and $559. Enterprise is self-serve at $1,499, $2,499, and $3,999 a month.
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