BLS wage data · May 2025
Dental Hygienist Salary by State
Dental hygienists in the US earn a median of $98,100 a year, or $47.16 an hour (BLS, May 2025). Median pay ranges from $61,160 in Alabama to $137,220 in Washington, DC.
How much dental hygienists make: the full range
Half of US dental hygienists earn between $83,570 and $108,480 a year. The top 10% earn more than $126,050. BLS doesn't track starting pay, so the 10th and 25th percentiles are the best guide to entry-level salary.
- 10th percentile
- $74,880
- Bottom 10% earn less
- 25th percentile
- $83,570
- Bottom 25% earn less
- Median
- $98,100
- Half earn more, half less
- 75th percentile
- $108,480
- Top 25% earn more
- 90th percentile
- $126,050
- Top 10% earn more
- Median annual
- $98,100
- Half earn more, half less
- Median hourly
- $47.16
- Mean $47.59
- Average (mean)
- $98,990
- Per year
- Employed
- 222,740
- Wage and salary jobs
Highest and lowest paying states for dental hygienists
Washington, DC pays the most, at $137,220, 40% more than the national median. Alabama pays the least, at $61,160, 38% less than the national median.
Highest median pay
Lowest median pay
Bars start at $0.
Dental hygienist salary by state
Median annual and hourly pay, employment, and rank for all 50 states and DC. Sort the table, or select a state for its pay range, job concentration, and nearby states.
BLS OEWS, May 2025. The number before each state is its rank by median pay among the 49 states and DC with May 2025 data. † Kansas: May 2024 data, not ranked.
| State | Median / year | Median / hour | vs US | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Washington, DC | $137,220 | $65.97 | +40% | 320 |
| 2Alaska | $132,690 | $63.79 | +35% | 790 |
| 3Washington | $131,160 | $63.06 | +34% | 6,330 |
| 4California | $124,930 | $60.06 | +27% | 24,500 |
| 5Oregon | $122,080 | $58.69 | +24% | 3,600 |
| 6Nevada | $115,290 | $55.43 | +18% | 1,510 |
| 7Colorado | $109,580 | $52.68 | +12% | 4,270 |
| 8Maryland | $107,830 | $51.84 | +10% | 3,500 |
| 9New Jersey | $107,040 | $51.46 | +9% | 7,230 |
| 10New York | $106,130 | $51.03 | +8% | 13,660 |
| 11Minnesota | $103,970 | $49.99 | +6% | 4,110 |
| 12Virginia | $102,950 | $49.50 | +5% | 3,770 |
| 13New Hampshire | $101,250 | $48.68 | +3% | 1,360 |
| 14Arizona | $101,010 | $48.56 | +3% | 4,530 |
| 15Connecticut | $100,690 | $48.41 | +3% | 3,240 |
| 16Massachusetts | $100,640 | $48.39 | +3% | 6,850 |
| 17Texas | $99,240 | $47.71 | +1% | 16,380 |
| 18Delaware | $98,910 | $47.55 | +1% | 750 |
| 19Montana | $98,440 | $47.33 | 0% | 860 |
| 20North Carolina | $97,850 | $47.04 | 0% | 6,690 |
| 21Maine | $97,680 | $46.96 | 0% | 1,060 |
| 22Oklahoma | $97,580 | $46.91 | −1% | 2,860 |
| 23Hawaii | $97,570 | $46.91 | −1% | 830 |
| 24Vermont | $97,470 | $46.86 | −1% | 560 |
| 25Illinois | $96,670 | $46.48 | −1% | 8,970 |
| 26Wisconsin | $96,540 | $46.41 | −2% | 5,080 |
| 27New Mexico | $95,940 | $46.12 | −2% | 1,420 |
| 28Georgia | $95,490 | $45.91 | −3% | 7,440 |
| 29Idaho | $94,650 | $45.51 | −4% | 2,060 |
| 30Missouri | $92,750 | $44.59 | −5% | 3,810 |
| 31Nebraska | $92,580 | $44.51 | −6% | 1,280 |
| 32Indiana | $92,330 | $44.39 | −6% | 5,020 |
| 33South Dakota | $92,210 | $44.33 | −6% | 630 |
| 34Florida | $91,980 | $44.22 | −6% | 11,980 |
| 35Utah | $91,120 | $43.81 | −7% | 3,780 |
| 36North Dakota | $90,530 | $43.53 | −8% | 660 |
| 37Ohio | $88,990 | $42.78 | −9% | 8,630 |
| 38Rhode Island | $86,910 | $41.78 | −11% | 770 |
| 39Arkansas | $86,760 | $41.71 | −12% | 1,740 |
| 40Louisiana | $85,240 | $40.98 | −13% | 2,690 |
| 41Wyoming | $85,130 | $40.93 | −13% | 500 |
| 42Tennessee | $84,640 | $40.69 | −14% | 4,570 |
| 43South Carolina | $84,340 | $40.55 | −14% | 3,160 |
| 44Iowa | $84,010 | $40.39 | −14% | 2,440 |
| 45Michigan | $83,790 | $40.28 | −15% | 8,640 |
| —Kansas† | $82,060 | $39.45 | −13% | 2,460 |
| 46Pennsylvania | $80,610 | $38.76 | −18% | 7,970 |
| 47Kentucky | $78,830 | $37.90 | −20% | 2,070 |
| 48West Virginia | $73,840 | $35.50 | −25% | 1,250 |
| 49Mississippi | $67,280 | $32.35 | −31% | 1,140 |
| 50Alabama | $61,160 | $29.41 | −38% | 3,170 |
† Kansas figures are from May 2024 because BLS did not publish May 2025 estimates for Kansas. Kansas is compared with the May 2024 national median ($94,260) and isn't ranked.
What affects dental hygienist pay
Where you live
State is the biggest factor BLS measures. The top-paying state's median is $76,060 higher than the lowest-paying state's. Open any state above for its full range and how it compares with neighbors.
Your schedule
BLS notes that many dental hygienists work part time, and some work for more than one dentist. Annual figures assume full-time hours, and benefits such as paid leave and retirement may go only to full-time staff.
Temp and PRN (as-needed) shifts pay by the shift, and BLS has no wage series for them. See how temp and PRN work pays.
Where you work
The largest employers of dental hygienists (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook).
| Setting | Share of jobs, 2025 (Employment Projections) | Median pay, May 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Offices of dentists | 94% | $98,280 |
| Offices of physicians | 1% | $91,160 |
| Government, excluding state and local education and hospitals | 1% | $80,830 |
BLS doesn't publish pay by years of experience. The percentile range above shows the spread from newer to top earners.
Job growth and openings
BLS projects dental hygienist jobs to grow 8% from 2025 to 2035, which it rates “much faster than average.” That's about 15,000 openings a year, many from hygienists who retire or change careers.
- Projected growth
- 8%
- 2025–2035
- New jobs
- +17,900
- Over 10 years
- Openings a year
- ~15,000
- Growth plus replacements
- Jobs in 2025
- 225,300
- BLS Employment Projections
Why two job counts? The 225,300 figure comes from BLS Employment Projections. The 222,740 in the wage survey (OEWS) leaves out self-employed hygienists and is measured differently. Weighing the career as a whole? Read whether dental hygiene is a good career.
Dental hygienist salary FAQ
How much do dental hygienists make?
Dental hygienists in the US earn a median of $98,100 a year, or $47.16 an hour, according to BLS data for May 2025. The average (mean) is $98,990 a year.
How much do dental hygienists make an hour?
The median hourly wage is $47.16 and the mean is $47.59 (BLS, May 2025). BLS figures annual pay as the hourly wage times 2,080 hours, so part-time hygienists earn less per year than these annual numbers.
What is the entry-level salary for a dental hygienist?
BLS doesn't publish starting salaries. The closest guide is the low end of the pay range: 10% of dental hygienists earn less than $74,880 a year, and 25% earn less than $83,570. Where you live matters more, so check your state's figures. See pay by state
Which states pay dental hygienists the most?
The highest median pay is in Washington, DC ($137,220), Alaska ($132,690), Washington ($131,160), California ($124,930), and Oregon ($122,080) (BLS, May 2025).
Which states pay dental hygienists the least?
The lowest median pay is in Alabama ($61,160), Mississippi ($67,280), and West Virginia ($73,840).
Is the job outlook good for dental hygienists?
Yes. BLS projects employment to grow 8% from 2025 to 2035 (much faster than average), with about 15,000 openings a year. Is dental hygiene a good career?
Do temp dental hygienists make more?
BLS doesn't publish separate pay for temp or PRN (as-needed) hygienists, so temp rates you see come from staffing apps and agencies. Compare a posted hourly rate with your state's hourly median, and remember that benefits are often only for full-time staff. How temping works
What's the difference between median and average salary?
The median is the middle: half of hygienists earn more and half earn less. The average (mean) adds everyone up and divides, so a few very high earners pull it up. Nationally they're close: $98,100 median vs $98,990 mean.
Sources and method
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Dental Hygienists (SOC 29-1292), May 2025 estimates
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Dental Hygienists. Job outlook 2025–2035, number of jobs, and pay by work setting
- Data retrieved September 28, 2026. BLS publishes new wage estimates once a year.
- Annual pay is hourly pay times 2,080 hours. Employment excludes self-employed workers and is rounded by BLS.
- “vs US” compares each state's median with the national median, rounded to the nearest whole percent.
- Kansas figures are from May 2024 because BLS did not publish May 2025 estimates for Kansas. Kansas is compared with the May 2024 national median ($94,260) and isn't ranked.
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