That puts hygienists close to six figures with an associate's degree, which is the usual entry route. The catch is hours: BLS says many hygienists work part time, and its annual figures assume a full-time year, so the hourly rate is often the better guide to what a hygienist actually takes home.
How much do dental hygienists make?
BLS counted 222,740 dental hygienist jobs in May 2025. Their pay spread:
| Measure (May 2025) | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earned less than | $74,880 | |
| 25th percentile | $83,570 | |
| Median | $98,100 | $47.16 |
| Average (mean) | $98,990 | $47.59 |
| 75th percentile | $108,480 | |
| Top 10% earned more than | $126,050 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025, occupation 29-1292, from the BLS national data file downloaded October 27, 2026.
The range is narrow for a health job. Even the lowest-paid 10% earned close to $75,000 on a full-time basis, and the median works out to about $8,175 a month before tax.
Dental hygienist vs dentist and dental assistant pay
| Job (BLS title) | Jobs | Median, May 2025 | Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dentists, all other specialists | 5,230 | $224,990 | $247,930 |
| Dentists, general | 124,390 | $170,950 | $191,350 |
| Dental hygienists | 222,740 | $98,100 | $98,990 |
| Dental assistants | 387,790 | $48,070 | $50,200 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025, national estimates.
A hygienist at the median earns about twice as much as a dental assistant and a little under 60% of what a general dentist earns. The difference with assistants comes down to licensing: every state requires hygienists to be licensed, which usually means an accredited dental hygiene program plus written and clinical exams, according to BLS.
Dental hygienist salary by state
Dental hygienist salary by state
Median annual wage and number of jobs in each state for dental hygienists, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The national median is $98,100.
Click or tap a state, or use Tab and Enter. These are wages paid in May 2025 to dental hygienists, BLS occupation 29-1292. BLS counts straight-time pay, so overtime is not included. Many hygienists work part time; BLS annual figures assume full-time hours.
All 50 state figures
| State | Median | Average | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| $137,220 | $127,910 | 320 | |
| $132,690 | $122,560 | 790 | |
| $131,160 | $131,530 | 6,330 | |
| $124,930 | $128,110 | 24,500 | |
| $122,080 | $120,470 | 3,600 | |
| $115,290 | $114,360 | 1,510 | |
| $109,580 | $110,030 | 4,270 | |
| $107,830 | $109,090 | 3,500 | |
| $107,040 | $104,410 | 7,230 | |
| $106,130 | $103,640 | 13,660 | |
| $103,970 | $103,830 | 4,110 | |
| $102,950 | $105,120 | 3,770 | |
| $101,250 | $102,640 | 1,360 | |
| $101,010 | $101,450 | 4,530 | |
| $100,690 | $98,720 | 3,240 | |
| $100,640 | $102,160 | 6,850 | |
| $99,240 | $96,240 | 16,380 | |
| $98,910 | $100,660 | 750 | |
| $98,440 | $96,730 | 860 | |
| $97,850 | $93,640 | 6,690 | |
| $97,680 | $96,440 | 1,060 | |
| $97,580 | $98,000 | 2,860 | |
| $97,570 | $93,660 | 830 | |
| $97,470 | $97,540 | 560 | |
| $96,670 | $91,820 | 8,970 | |
| $96,540 | $94,180 | 5,080 | |
| $95,940 | $94,890 | 1,420 | |
| $95,490 | $91,220 | 7,440 | |
| $94,650 | $95,500 | 2,060 | |
| $92,750 | $88,430 | 3,810 | |
| $92,580 | $88,990 | 1,280 | |
| $92,330 | $89,660 | 5,020 | |
| $92,210 | $89,180 | 630 | |
| $91,980 | $88,320 | 11,980 | |
| $91,120 | $87,770 | 3,780 | |
| $90,530 | $89,750 | 660 | |
| $88,990 | $89,900 | 8,630 | |
| $86,910 | $88,660 | 770 | |
| $86,760 | $85,660 | 1,740 | |
| $85,240 | $83,160 | 2,690 | |
| $85,130 | $82,320 | 500 | |
| $84,640 | $87,420 | 4,570 | |
| $84,340 | $84,980 | 3,160 | |
| $84,010 | $86,640 | 2,440 | |
| $83,790 | $85,940 | 8,640 | |
| $80,610 | $84,260 | 7,970 | |
| $78,830 | $78,950 | 2,070 | |
| $73,840 | $71,290 | 1,250 | |
| $67,280 | $68,630 | 1,140 | |
| $61,160 | $60,850 | 3,170 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, occupation 29-1292, from the BLS state data file downloaded October 27, 2026. Boundaries: US Census via us-atlas.
The 10 highest median wages in May 2025:
| State | Median wage, May 2025 | Hygienist jobs |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. The District of Columbia, at $137,220 for 320 jobs, would top the list.
The lowest state medians were Alabama ($61,160), Mississippi ($67,280), West Virginia ($73,840), Kentucky ($78,830) and Pennsylvania ($80,610). An Alaska hygienist at the median earned about 2.2 times as much as one in Alabama.
The West Coast dominates. Washington, California and Oregon all pay more than $120,000 at the median, and California alone has 24,500 hygienist jobs, more than any other state. Texas (16,380 jobs, $99,240), New York (13,660, $106,130) and Florida (11,980, $91,980) follow.
Highest-paying metro areas for dental hygienists
| Metro area | Median wage, May 2025 | Hygienist jobs |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $146,760 | 3,780 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $139,990 | 1,620 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $133,740 | 3,500 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $123,790 | 1,940 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $123,100 | 2,380 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $122,980 | 7,940 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $122,540 | 2,200 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $119,170 | 2,200 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $116,130 | 1,900 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $113,760 | 2,100 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025, metropolitan areas with at least 1,000 hygienist jobs.
Unlike many jobs, hygienist pay in big Sun Belt metros is close to or above the national median: $104,930 in Houston, $102,520 in Phoenix, $101,870 in Dallas and $100,370 in Atlanta. Miami is the exception among large metros, at $82,780, and Birmingham, Alabama, is the lowest-paid metro with at least 1,000 jobs, at $61,730.
Where dental hygienists work
| Industry | Jobs | Median wage, May 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Offices of dentists | 211,560 | $98,280 |
| Outpatient care centers | 2,410 | $94,880 |
| Offices of physicians | 2,250 | $91,160 |
| Employment services (staffing agencies) | 1,920 | $102,340 |
| Federal government | 910 | $81,940 |
| Local government | 630 | $84,020 |
| Colleges and universities | 550 | $86,020 |
| Hospitals | 500 | $92,760 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025, national industry estimates.
About 95% of hygienist jobs are in dentists' offices. Temp and staffing agencies pay the highest median of the larger settings, $102,340, which fits a job where many hygienists fill in for several practices. Government and university jobs pay less but usually come with fuller benefits.
Job outlook for dental hygienists
BLS projects employment of dental hygienists to grow 8% from 2025 to 2035, from 225,300 to 243,200 jobs, much faster than the average for all occupations. It expects about 15,000 openings a year, most of them to replace hygienists who retire or change careers. BLS ties part of the growth to state laws that increasingly let hygienists work at the top of their training.
How to become a dental hygienist
BLS says hygienists typically need an associate's degree in dental hygiene, and programs usually take 3 years. Every state requires a license, and most require a degree from an accredited program plus written and clinical exams. Bachelor's and master's degrees are mainly needed for research, teaching or public health roles.
How I checked these numbers
Every pay and job figure comes from the BLS May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data files, which I downloaded on October 27, 2026, for occupation 29-1292. The outlook and training figures come from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. BLS annual wages are full-time equivalents and do not include benefits.
Related reading
Sources & methodology
Observations retain their source, period and definition. Uncertainty is preserved; missing values are not zero.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025: national, state and metropolitan area data files (BLS) ↗
BLS
Accessed 2026-10-25.
- Occupational Outlook Handbook: Dental Hygienists (BLS) ↗
BLS
Accessed 2026-10-27.