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How Much Does a Dental Hygienist Make?

A dental hygienist in the US earns a median salary of $98,100 a year, or $47.16 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The average is $98,990, and the middle half earn between $83,570 and $108,480.

Median a year $98,100
Median an hour $47.16
Median a month $8,175
Average a year $98,990

Dental hygienist pay range

What dental hygienists earn at each point of the pay scale. The 10th percentile is a rough guide to starting pay.

Percentile A year An hour
10th (lowest 10%) $74,880 $36.00
25th $83,570 $40.18
Median (50th) $98,100 $47.16
75th $108,480 $52.16
90th (top 10%) $126,050 $60.60

The median is 92% more than the $50,980 median for all US jobs. About 222,740 people work as dental hygienists in the US.

After tax and by period

A week
$1,887
Every two weeks
$3,773
Twice a month
$4,088
A month
$8,175

At the median salary, before tax.

Dental hygienist salary by state

Sorted by average pay. Washington pays dental hygienists the most, at $131,530 a year on average.

State Average Median Jobs After tax
Washington $131,530 $131,160 6,330 After tax
California $128,110 $124,930 24,500 After tax
District of Columbia $127,910 $137,220 320 After tax
Alaska $122,560 $132,690 790 After tax
Oregon $120,470 $122,080 3,600 After tax
Nevada $114,360 $115,290 1,510 After tax
Colorado $110,030 $109,580 4,270 After tax
Maryland $109,090 $107,830 3,500 After tax
Virginia $105,120 $102,950 3,770 After tax
New Jersey $104,410 $107,040 7,230 After tax
Minnesota $103,830 $103,970 4,110 After tax
New York $103,640 $106,130 13,660 After tax
New Hampshire $102,640 $101,250 1,360 After tax
Massachusetts $102,160 $100,640 6,850 After tax
Arizona $101,450 $101,010 4,530 After tax
Delaware $100,660 $98,910 750 After tax
Connecticut $98,720 $100,690 3,240 After tax
Oklahoma $98,000 $97,580 2,860 After tax
Vermont $97,540 $97,470 560 After tax
Montana $96,730 $98,440 860 After tax
Maine $96,440 $97,680 1,060 After tax
Texas $96,240 $99,240 16,380 After tax
Idaho $95,500 $94,650 2,060 After tax
New Mexico $94,890 $95,940 1,420 After tax
Wisconsin $94,180 $96,540 5,080 After tax
Hawaii $93,660 $97,570 830 After tax
North Carolina $93,640 $97,850 6,690 After tax
Illinois $91,820 $96,670 8,970 After tax
Georgia $91,220 $95,490 7,440 After tax
Ohio $89,900 $88,990 8,630 After tax
North Dakota $89,750 $90,530 660 After tax
Indiana $89,660 $92,330 5,020 After tax
South Dakota $89,180 $92,210 630 After tax
Nebraska $88,990 $92,580 1,280 After tax
Rhode Island $88,660 $86,910 770 After tax
Missouri $88,430 $92,750 3,810 After tax
Florida $88,320 $91,980 11,980 After tax
Utah $87,770 $91,120 3,780 After tax
Tennessee $87,420 $84,640 4,570 After tax
Iowa $86,640 $84,010 2,440 After tax
Michigan $85,940 $83,790 8,640 After tax
Arkansas $85,660 $86,760 1,740 After tax
South Carolina $84,980 $84,340 3,160 After tax
Pennsylvania $84,260 $80,610 7,970 After tax
Louisiana $83,160 $85,240 2,690 After tax
Wyoming $82,320 $85,130 500 After tax
Kentucky $78,950 $78,830 2,070 After tax
West Virginia $71,290 $73,840 1,250 After tax
Mississippi $68,630 $67,280 1,140 After tax
Guam $63,410 $62,970 40
Puerto Rico $61,280 $59,320 –
Alabama $60,850 $61,160 3,170 After tax

A dash means BLS did not publish that figure for the state.

Other healthcare practitioners jobs

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (published 2026), for “Dental Hygienists” (SOC 29-1292). Wages are before tax and leave out self-employed workers. All job salaries

About the Job Salaries

Job Salaries shows what more than 500 US jobs pay, from nurses and electricians to software developers and truck drivers. Each job has its median and average salary, hourly and monthly pay, the pay range from the lowest-paid 10% to the top 10%, and a table of pay in every state. The figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, the largest survey of US pay, in its latest release.

How to use it

  1. 1 Search for a job or pick one from the list.
  2. 2 Read the median salary, hourly pay and the pay range.
  3. 3 Check the salary by state to see where the job pays most.
  4. 4 Open the take-home pay calculator to see the salary after tax.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a dental hygienist make an hour?

The median hourly wage for a dental hygienist is $47.16, and the average is $47.59. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $36.00 an hour and the top 10% over $60.60.

How much does a dental hygienist make a month?

At the median salary of $98,100, a dental hygienist earns about $8,175 a month before tax, or $3,773 every two weeks.

Which state pays dental hygienists the most?

Washington has the highest average pay for a dental hygienist, at $131,530 a year. Next are California and District of Columbia. Pay is usually higher where living costs are higher, so compare take-home pay too.

What is the starting salary for a dental hygienist?

The lowest-paid 10% of dental hygienists earn less than $74,880 a year, and the lowest 25% less than $83,570. That is a fair guide to starting pay, which depends on the state, the employer and your experience.

How much do the highest-paid dental hygienists make?

The top 10% earn more than $126,050 a year, and the top 25% more than $108,480.