Dental hygienist salary by state
Nationally, dental hygienists earn a median $47.16 an hour ($98,100 a year), across 222,740 jobs. Pay runs from $29.41 an hour at the median in Alabama to $65.97 in District of Columbia.
$47.16
median hourly wage
$98,100
median annual wage
222,740
dental hygienists employed
1.9x
the median for all jobs here
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, all industries.
National pay range
| Measure | Hourly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $36.00 | $74,880 |
| 25th percentile | $40.18 | $83,570 |
| Median | $47.16 | $98,100 |
| 75th percentile | $52.16 | $108,480 |
| 90th percentile | $60.60 | $126,050 |
| Mean (average) | $47.59 | $98,990 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, all industries.
Reading these numbers
The median is the middle hygienist: half earn more, half earn less. The 25th to 75th percentile band is where the middle half of hygienists fall. BLS annual wages are the hourly rate times 2,080 hours, so a hygienist working four days a week earns less in a year than the annual figure shows.
Figures cover all employers, mostly dental offices, and include part-time workers at their hourly rate. They do not include bonuses paid separately, benefits or temp agency markups.
All states, ranked by median hourly wage
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $65.97 | $137,220 | 320 |
| 2 | Alaska | $63.79 | $132,690 | 790 |
| 3 | Washington | $63.06 | $131,160 | 6,330 |
| 4 | California | $60.06 | $124,930 | 24,500 |
| 5 | Oregon | $58.69 | $122,080 | 3,600 |
| 6 | Nevada | $55.43 | $115,290 | 1,510 |
| 7 | Colorado | $52.68 | $109,580 | 4,270 |
| 8 | Maryland | $51.84 | $107,830 | 3,500 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $51.46 | $107,040 | 7,230 |
| 10 | New York | $51.03 | $106,130 | 13,660 |
| 11 | Minnesota | $49.99 | $103,970 | 4,110 |
| 12 | Virginia | $49.50 | $102,950 | 3,770 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $48.68 | $101,250 | 1,360 |
| 14 | Arizona | $48.56 | $101,010 | 4,530 |
| 15 | Connecticut | $48.41 | $100,690 | 3,240 |
| 16 | Massachusetts | $48.39 | $100,640 | 6,850 |
| 17 | Texas | $47.71 | $99,240 | 16,380 |
| 18 | Delaware | $47.55 | $98,910 | 750 |
| 19 | Montana | $47.33 | $98,440 | 860 |
| 20 | North Carolina | $47.04 | $97,850 | 6,690 |
| 21 | Maine | $46.96 | $97,680 | 1,060 |
| 22 | Hawaii | $46.91 | $97,570 | 830 |
| 23 | Oklahoma | $46.91 | $97,580 | 2,860 |
| 24 | Vermont | $46.86 | $97,470 | 560 |
| 25 | Illinois | $46.48 | $96,670 | 8,970 |
| 26 | Wisconsin | $46.41 | $96,540 | 5,080 |
| 27 | New Mexico | $46.12 | $95,940 | 1,420 |
| 28 | Georgia | $45.91 | $95,490 | 7,440 |
| 29 | Idaho | $45.51 | $94,650 | 2,060 |
| 30 | Missouri | $44.59 | $92,750 | 3,810 |
| 31 | Nebraska | $44.51 | $92,580 | 1,280 |
| 32 | Indiana | $44.39 | $92,330 | 5,020 |
| 33 | South Dakota | $44.33 | $92,210 | 630 |
| 34 | Florida | $44.22 | $91,980 | 11,980 |
| 35 | Utah | $43.81 | $91,120 | 3,780 |
| 36 | North Dakota | $43.53 | $90,530 | 660 |
| 37 | Ohio | $42.78 | $88,990 | 8,630 |
| 38 | Rhode Island | $41.78 | $86,910 | 770 |
| 39 | Arkansas | $41.71 | $86,760 | 1,740 |
| 40 | Louisiana | $40.98 | $85,240 | 2,690 |
| 41 | Wyoming | $40.93 | $85,130 | 500 |
| 42 | Tennessee | $40.69 | $84,640 | 4,570 |
| 43 | South Carolina | $40.55 | $84,340 | 3,160 |
| 44 | Iowa | $40.39 | $84,010 | 2,440 |
| 45 | Michigan | $40.28 | $83,790 | 8,640 |
| 46 | Pennsylvania | $38.76 | $80,610 | 7,970 |
| 47 | Kentucky | $37.90 | $78,830 | 2,070 |
| 48 | West Virginia | $35.50 | $73,840 | 1,250 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $32.35 | $67,280 | 1,140 |
| 50 | Alabama | $29.41 | $61,160 | 3,170 |
BLS did not publish a statewide dental hygienist estimate for Kansas in May 2025; its page shows the metro areas BLS did publish.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, all industries.
Common questions
How much does a dental hygienist make an hour?
The national median is $47.16 an hour in May 2025 BLS data. Ten percent of hygienists earn less than $36.00 and ten percent earn more than $60.60.
How much does a dental hygienist make a year?
The national median annual wage is $98,100 and the mean is $98,990 (May 2025). BLS annual figures assume full-time, year-round hours (2,080 hours), and many hygienists work part time, so actual yearly earnings vary with hours worked.
Which state pays dental hygienists the most?
District of Columbia, with a median of $65.97 an hour, followed by Alaska ($63.79) and Washington ($63.06).
Which state pays dental hygienists the least?
Alabama, with a median of $29.41 an hour, among the states BLS published.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, all industries.
Hiring a dental hygienist in your state?
Short on hygiene coverage for a day, a leave or for good? Send the details once. A dental staffing service or recruiter that covers your area follows up with you directly.
- Temp days, ongoing part time, or a permanent hire
- Takes about a minute
- No obligation to hire