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Dental hygienist salary by state (2025)

What hygienists earn in each state, the range from new graduate to top earner, and what that pay is worth once local prices are taken into account.

Quick answer

The median dental hygienist in the US earns $47.16/hr, about $98,093 a year full time (BLS, May 2025). District of Columbia has the highest state median at $65.97/hr; Alabama the lowest at $29.41/hr.

Data updated: May 2025

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States with a full BLS percentile breakdown for this role.

Part-time is common for hygienists. Annual figures use your hours x 52 weeks.

Expected range

$83,574 – $108,493

Dental hygienist, mid career (3–9 years), nationally.

Typical for your level

$98,093

BLS 50th percentile.

National median

$98,093

All dental hygienists in the US.

Half of dental hygienists in the US earn more than $47.16 an hour.

Pay by state

BLS May 2025, highest median first. Price-adjusted = median hourly ÷ BEA price parity. States with a link have a full page.
StateMedian hourlyMedian annualPrice-adjusted hourlyEmployed
District of Columbia$65.97/hr$137,218$60.03/hr320
Alaska$63.79/hr$132,683$62.32/hr790
Washington$63.06/hr$131,165$58.93/hr6,330
California$60.06/hr$124,925$54.24/hr24,500
Oregon$58.69/hr$122,075$56.78/hr3,600
Nevada$55.43/hr$115,294$55.44/hr1,510
Colorado$52.68/hr$109,574$51.12/hr4,270
Maryland$51.84/hr$107,827$49.39/hr3,500
New Jersey$51.46/hr$107,037$47.30/hr7,230
New York$51.03/hr$106,142$47.28/hr13,660
Minnesota$49.99/hr$103,979$50.69/hr4,110
Virginia$49.50/hr$102,960$48.96/hr3,770
New Hampshire$48.68/hr$101,254$46.73/hr1,360
Arizona$48.56/hr$101,005$48.23/hr4,530
Connecticut$48.41/hr$100,693$46.72/hr3,240
Massachusetts$48.39/hr$100,651$45.76/hr6,850
Texas$47.71/hr$99,237$49.16/hr16,380
Delaware$47.55/hr$98,904$47.64/hr750
Montana$47.33/hr$98,446$50.01/hr860
North Carolina$47.04/hr$97,843$49.87/hr6,690
Maine$46.96/hr$97,677$48.39/hr1,060
Hawaii$46.91/hr$97,573$42.66/hr830
Oklahoma$46.91/hr$97,573$53.40/hr2,860
Vermont$46.86/hr$97,469$47.84/hr560
Illinois$46.48/hr$96,678$46.50/hr8,970
Wisconsin$46.41/hr$96,533$49.32/hr5,080
New Mexico$46.12/hr$95,930$50.02/hr1,420
Georgia$45.91/hr$95,493$47.68/hr7,440
Idaho$45.51/hr$94,661$47.66/hr2,060
Missouri$44.59/hr$92,747$49.10/hr3,810
Nebraska$44.51/hr$92,581$49.40/hr1,280
Indiana$44.39/hr$92,331$47.56/hr5,020
South Dakota$44.33/hr$92,206$50.04/hr630
Florida$44.22/hr$91,978$42.76/hr11,980
Utah$43.81/hr$91,125$44.31/hr3,780
North Dakota$43.53/hr$90,542$48.93/hr660
Ohio$42.78/hr$88,982$46.11/hr8,630
Rhode Island$41.78/hr$86,902$40.85/hr770
Arkansas$41.71/hr$86,757$47.98/hr1,740
Louisiana$40.98/hr$85,238$46.46/hr2,690
Wyoming$40.93/hr$85,134$44.16/hr500
Tennessee$40.69/hr$84,635$44.29/hr4,570
South Carolina$40.55/hr$84,344$43.25/hr3,160
Iowa$40.39/hr$84,011$46.02/hr2,440
Michigan$40.28/hr$83,782$41.86/hr8,640
Pennsylvania$38.76/hr$80,621$39.72/hr7,970
Kentucky$37.90/hr$78,832$42.04/hr2,070
West Virginia$35.50/hr$73,840$39.67/hr1,250
Mississippi$32.35/hr$67,288$37.20/hr1,140
Alabama$29.41/hr$61,173$33.11/hr3,170

Kansas is missing because BLS did not publish a hygienist estimate for it in this release.

Method and sources

Wages are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 release, occupation 29-1292 (Dental Hygienists). BLS reports hourly percentiles; annual figures are hourly x 2,080 hours, the same conversion BLS uses.

The price-adjusted figure divides pay by the state's Regional Price Parity from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024), where 100 is the national average.

The calculator maps experience to percentile bands: entry level reads the 10th to 25th percentile, mid career the 25th to 75th, senior the 75th to 90th. BLS does not publish pay by years of experience, so treat the bands as a guide, not a quote.

Figures cover wage and salary workers. Self-employed hygienists are not in the survey.

For information only. Not legal, tax or financial advice.

Common questions

What is the average dental hygienist salary?

The national mean is $47.59/hr and the median is $47.16/hr, about $98,093 a year at 40 hours a week (BLS, May 2025).

Which state pays dental hygienists the most?

District of Columbia, with a median of $65.97/hr. Adjusted for prices the order changes; the table on this page shows both.

What do dental hygienists make per hour?

Half of US hygienists earn between $40.18/hr and $52.16/hr an hour. The 10th percentile is $36.00/hr and the 90th is $60.60/hr.

How many dental hygienists are there in the US?

BLS counts 222,740 employed dental hygienists. Self-employed hygienists are not included.