North Carolina · May 2025 wage survey
Dental hygienist salary in North Carolina
Dental hygienists in North Carolina earn a median $47.04 an hour, or $97,850 a year, 0.3% below the national median of $47.16. North Carolina ranks 20 of 50 on median hourly pay. About 6,690 hygienists work in the state. Inside the state, the area median runs from $39.61 in Jacksonville, NC to $48.78 in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC.
- Median hourly
- $47.04
- Median annual
- $97,850
- Rank among states
- 20 of 50
- Against U.S. median
- −0.3%U.S. is $47.16
Middle half (25th to 75th)10th to 90th percentileMedianComparison
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, all industries.
Percentiles
| Percentile | Hourly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $37.15 | $77,270 |
| 25th percentile | $40.46 | $84,150 |
| Median | $47.04 | $97,850 |
| 75th percentile | $48.53 | $100,930 |
| 90th percentile | $49.93 | $103,850 |
| Mean (average) | $45.02 | $93,640 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, all industries.
Against the national figures
| North Carolina | United States | |
|---|---|---|
| Median hourly | $47.04 | $47.16 |
| Median annual | $97,850 | $98,100 |
| 90th percentile hourly | $49.93 | $60.60 |
| Median, all occupations (annual) | $47,970 | $50,980 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, all industries.
License rulesNorth Carolina dental hygienist licenseExams, fees, local anesthesia and nitrous rules, supervision and license by credential, each cited to the board.Pay by metro and rural area
19 areas with a published median. Sort by any column.
| # | Area | Median hourly | Median annual | Middle half earn (hourly)$20$55 | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $48.78 | $101,460 | $39.99 to $49.29 | 350 |
| 2 | Asheville, NC | $48.64 | $101,170 | $47.16 to $50.24 | 300 |
| 3 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $47.54 | $98,890 | $45.13 to $48.15 | 940 |
| 4 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $47.50 | $98,800 | $46.96 to $49.54 | 1,220 |
| 5 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $47.30 | $98,390 | $46.48 to $48.78 | 1,910 |
| 6 | Burlington, NC | $46.73 | $97,210 | $45.68 to $49.08 | 100 |
| 7 | Wilmington, NC | $46.49 | $96,700 | $39.87 to $48.52 | 440 |
| 8 | Winston-Salem, NC | $46.12 | $95,930 | $44.86 to $47.40 | 500 |
| 9 | Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | $46.11 | $95,900 | $39.86 to $46.93 | 70 |
| 10 | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $45.21 | $94,050 | $39.85 to $47.06 | 170 |
| 11 | Greenville, NC | $45.09 | $93,790 | $37.12 to $46.06 | 110 |
| 12 | Eastern North Carolina (nonmetro) | $44.88 | $93,340 | $39.75 to $46.06 | 270 |
| 13 | Fayetteville, NC | $44.87 | $93,330 | $38.57 to $46.06 | 220 |
| 14 | Central North Carolina (nonmetro) | $44.73 | $93,030 | $35.00 to $46.25 | 250 |
| 15 | Rocky Mount, NC | $42.49 | $88,390 | $35.25 to $46.38 | 50 |
| 16 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $40.51 | $84,250 | $36.31 to $46.42 | 390 |
| 17 | Western North Carolina (nonmetro) | $40.43 | $84,080 | $37.69 to $46.35 | 340 |
| 18 | Goldsboro, NC | $40.07 | $83,350 | $37.74 to $44.58 | 70 |
| 19 | Jacksonville, NC | $39.61 | $82,380 | $37.38 to $43.59 | 120 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, all industries. Metro figures cover the whole metro area, including any part in a neighboring state.
How common the job is
North Carolina has 1.35 dental hygienist jobs per 1,000 jobs, a location quotient of 0.95 (1.00 is the national share; below 1 means hygienists make up a smaller share of jobs here than nationally).
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, all industries.
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- Median hygienist pay, North Carolina
- $47.04/hr
- 75th percentile
- $48.53/hr
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, all industries.
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