Dental Hygienist salary in the U.S.
Dental Hygienists in the U.S. earn a median of $98,100 a year ($47.16 an hour), based on BLS data for 222,740 workers.
Pay ranges from $74,880 for the lowest-paid 10% to $126,050 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $98,990, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for dental hygienists in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $74,880 | $36.00 |
| 25th percentile | $83,570 | $40.18 |
| Median | $98,100 | $47.16 |
| 75th percentile | $108,480 | $52.16 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $126,050 | $60.60 |
| Average (mean) | $98,990 | $47.59 |
Half of dental hygienists earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $8,175 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $4,087.50 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $3,773.08 |
| Weekly | $1,886.54 |
| Hourly | $47.16 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Dental Hygienist salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $137,220 | 320 |
| Alaska | $132,690 | 790 |
| Washington | $131,160 | 6,330 |
| California | $124,930 | 24,500 |
| Oregon | $122,080 | 3,600 |
| Nevada | $115,290 | 1,510 |
| Colorado | $109,580 | 4,270 |
| Maryland | $107,830 | 3,500 |
| New Jersey | $107,040 | 7,230 |
| New York | $106,130 | 13,660 |
| Minnesota | $103,970 | 4,110 |
| Virginia | $102,950 | 3,770 |
| New Hampshire | $101,250 | 1,360 |
| Arizona | $101,010 | 4,530 |
| Connecticut | $100,690 | 3,240 |
| Massachusetts | $100,640 | 6,850 |
| Texas | $99,240 | 16,380 |
| Delaware | $98,910 | 750 |
| Montana | $98,440 | 860 |
| North Carolina | $97,850 | 6,690 |
| Maine | $97,680 | 1,060 |
| Oklahoma | $97,580 | 2,860 |
| Hawaii | $97,570 | 830 |
| Vermont | $97,470 | 560 |
| Illinois | $96,670 | 8,970 |
| Wisconsin | $96,540 | 5,080 |
| New Mexico | $95,940 | 1,420 |
| Georgia | $95,490 | 7,440 |
| Idaho | $94,650 | 2,060 |
| Missouri | $92,750 | 3,810 |
| Nebraska | $92,580 | 1,280 |
| Indiana | $92,330 | 5,020 |
| South Dakota | $92,210 | 630 |
| Florida | $91,980 | 11,980 |
| Utah | $91,120 | 3,780 |
| North Dakota | $90,530 | 660 |
| Ohio | $88,990 | 8,630 |
| Rhode Island | $86,910 | 770 |
| Arkansas | $86,760 | 1,740 |
| Louisiana | $85,240 | 2,690 |
| Wyoming | $85,130 | 500 |
| Tennessee | $84,640 | 4,570 |
| South Carolina | $84,340 | 3,160 |
| Iowa | $84,010 | 2,440 |
| Michigan | $83,790 | 8,640 |
| Pennsylvania | $80,610 | 7,970 |
| Kentucky | $78,830 | 2,070 |
| West Virginia | $73,840 | 1,250 |
| Mississippi | $67,280 | 1,140 |
| Guam | $62,970 | 40 |
| Alabama | $61,160 | 3,170 |
| Puerto Rico | $59,320 | n/a |
Best-paying metro areas for dental hygienists
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $146,760 | 3,780 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $139,990 | 1,620 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $136,210 | 310 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $135,990 | 260 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $133,740 | 3,500 |
| Anchorage, AK | $132,740 | 490 |
| Fairbanks-College, AK | $131,860 | 70 |
| Napa, CA | $131,370 | 100 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $131,040 | 190 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $130,600 | 220 |
| Boulder, CO | $130,000 | 300 |
| Vallejo, CA | $128,570 | 270 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $127,470 | 130 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $126,530 | 500 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $125,670 | 220 |
Metro areas with the most dental hygienists
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 14,230 | $109,720 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 7,940 | $122,980 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 7,050 | $101,870 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 6,470 | $100,260 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 5,150 | $101,990 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 4,710 | $100,370 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 4,180 | $100,820 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 3,780 | $84,480 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 3,780 | $146,760 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 3,500 | $133,740 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 3,460 | $82,780 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 3,240 | $102,520 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 3,060 | $104,930 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 2,590 | $112,630 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 2,380 | $123,100 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | $97,550 | $46.90 |
| Physicians, All Other | $265,930 | $127.85 |
| Nurse Practitioner | $132,300 | $63.61 |
| Pharmacist | $140,910 | $67.75 |
| Physical Therapist | $102,760 | $49.40 |
| Speech-Language Pathologist | $97,870 | $47.05 |
| Occupational Therapist | $100,330 | $48.24 |
| Physician Assistant | $135,880 | $65.33 |
| Respiratory Therapist | $82,280 | $39.56 |
| Dentists, General | $170,950 | $82.19 |
| Family Medicine Physician | $244,180 | $117.39 |
| Veterinarian | $130,100 | $62.55 |
| Dietitians and Nutritionists | $76,400 | $36.73 |
| General Internal Medicine Physician | $256,560 | $123.35 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 29-1292. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a dental hygienist make in the U.S.?
The median salary for dental hygienists in the U.S. is $98,100 a year, or $47.16 an hour. Pay ranges from $74,880 for the lowest-paid 10% to $126,050 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid dental hygienists make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of dental hygienists in the U.S. earn at least $126,050 a year. The top 25% earn $108,480 or more.
What is the starting pay for dental hygienists in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $74,880 a year, and a quarter of dental hygienists earn $83,570 or less.
How many dental hygienists work in the U.S.?
About 222,740 dental hygienists are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.