Dental Hygienists salary in Pittsburgh, PA
Median pay for dental hygienists in Pittsburgh, PA: $75,040/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $64,510 – $78,460 · about 1,660 employed locally
Below the typical metro median ($81,085) by −$6,045 (-7%).
What it's really worth in Pittsburgh
With Pittsburgh's cost of living at 95 (US=100), that $75,040 has the buying power of about $79,235 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $71,283 · median home $231,356 · median rent $1,527/mo.
How Pittsburgh ranks for this job
On raw pay, Pittsburgh, PA is 162nd of the 184 metros we hold dental hygienists wages for. Once Pittsburgh's cost of living is applied, it ranks 163rd.
Pay and living costs are roughly in step here, so Pittsburgh sits in much the same place whether you look at raw salary or spending power.
What that salary buys in Pittsburgh
A median home in Pittsburgh, PA costs $231,356 — about 3.1× this salary, against a typical US metro figure of 4.7×. Buying is more attainable here than in the average metro on this income.
Median rent of $1,527/mo works out at 24% of gross pay — inside the conventional 30% affordability ceiling.
Where dental hygienists earn more
Pay on its own is only half the picture, so each row shows what rent costs there relative to Pittsburgh.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Pittsburgh | Rent vs Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | $137,450 | +83% | 2.1× |
| San Jose, CA | $135,460 | +81% | 2.4× |
| Santa Maria, CA | $132,360 | +76% | 2.2× |
| Seattle, WA | $129,410 | +72% | 1.5× |
Same job elsewhere in PA
| Metro | Median pay | vs Pittsburgh | Rent vs Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia, PA | $94,060 | +25% | 1.3× |
| Lancaster, PA | $80,120 | +7% | 1× |
| Allentown, PA | $79,020 | +5% | 1.2× |
| York, PA | $78,010 | +4% | 0.9× |
Staying in PA keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires dental hygienists around Pittsburgh
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- UPMC · Healthcare
- Highmark Health · Healthcare
Other jobs in Pittsburgh
Source: US BLS OEWS (May 2023) median annual wage; cost of living from BEA; home price and rent from Zillow; household income from US Census ACS. Rankings are across the 184 metros we hold wage data for in this occupation. Estimates for guidance only. See methodology.