Dental Hygienists Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for dental hygienists in the U.S. is $98,100 ($47.16 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $98,100
- Mean annual wage
- $98,990
- Median hourly wage
- $47.16
- Employment
- 222,740
222,740 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $74,880 | $36.00 |
| 25th percentile | $83,570 | $40.18 |
| Median (50th) | $98,100 | $47.16 |
| 75th percentile | $108,480 | $52.16 |
| 90th percentile | $126,050 | $60.60 |
Highest-paying states for dental hygienists
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $137,220 | 320 |
| 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 |
Lowest-paying states
- Alabama: $61,160 median annual wage
- Mississippi: $67,280 median annual wage
- West Virginia: $73,840 median annual wage
- Kentucky: $78,830 median annual wage
- Pennsylvania: $80,610 median annual wage
About this occupation
Administer oral hygiene care to patients. Assess patient oral hygiene problems or needs and maintain health records. Advise patients on oral health maintenance and disease prevention. May provide advanced care such as providing fluoride treatment or administering topical anesthesia.
Typical tasks
- Provide clinical services or health education to improve and maintain the oral health of patients or the general public.
- Record and review patient medical histories.
- Maintain patient recall system.
- Examine gums, using probes, to locate periodontal recessed gums and signs of gum disease.
- Remove excess cement from coronal surfaces of teeth.
- Feel and visually examine gums for sores and signs of disease.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: Associate's degree
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 0.6% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 2.8% |
| Some college, no degree | 8.3% |
| Associate's degree | 48.4% |
| Bachelor's degree | 34.3% |
| Master's degree | 3.2% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 2.3% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Related occupations
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- Nurse Practitioners$132,300
- Pharmacists$140,910
- Physical Therapists$102,760
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.