Dental Hygienist Salary
Dental Hygienists earn a median $98,100 a year nationally. Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations
U.S. median
$98,100
$47.16 per hour
Range
$74,880 – $126,050
10th to 90th percentile
Employed
222,740
across the U.S.
▲4.1%
Pay trend: The median for dental hygienists in the U.S. rose from $94,260 (May 2024) to $98,100 (May 2025). That beat inflation (2.4%), a real raise of about 1.7%.
What dental hygienists do
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 education
- Associate's degree
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- None
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +8.0% (faster than average)
- Openings per year
- 15,000
- Self-employed
- 1%
Employment of dental hygienists is projected to grow 8.0% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations. About 15,000 openings are expected each year, on average, including jobs left by workers who retire or switch careers.
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Dental Hygienist take-home pay calculator
Starts at the national median. Pick your state to see your real paycheck.
Your take-home pay
$77,843
per year · effective tax rate 20.6%
$6,487Monthly
$3,243Twice a month
$2,994Every 2 weeks
$37.42Hourly
- Federal income tax$12,752
- Social Security (6.2%)$6,082
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,422
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$77,843
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 0.00% state
Pay by experience
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home (no state tax) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $74,880 | $36.00 | $61,508 |
| 25th percentile | $83,570 | $40.18 | $67,621 |
| Median (50th) | $98,100 | $47.16 | $77,843 |
| 75th percentile | $108,480 | $52.15 | $85,146 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $126,050 | $60.60 | $97,421 |
Best cities for dental hygienists (after tax & cost of living)
| # | Metro area | Median | Take-home | Real value* | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $133,740 | $102,677 | $92,391 | 3,500 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $146,760 | $100,249 | $86,711 | 3,780 |
| 3 | Houston, TX | $104,930 | $82,648 | $83,797 | 3,060 |
| 4 | Portland, OR | $123,100 | $85,463 | $81,069 | 2,380 |
| 5 | Minneapolis, MN | $112,630 | $81,930 | $78,161 | 2,590 |
| 6 | Dallas, TX | $101,870 | $80,496 | $78,083 | 7,050 |
| 7 | Los Angeles, CA | $122,980 | $86,517 | $76,182 | 7,940 |
| 8 | Phoenix, AZ | $102,520 | $78,599 | $76,076 | 3,240 |
| 9 | Atlanta, GA | $100,370 | $74,854 | $74,811 | 4,710 |
| 10 | Philadelphia, PA | $100,820 | $76,662 | $74,753 | 4,180 |
| 11 | Chicago, IL | $100,260 | $74,545 | $71,958 | 6,470 |
| 12 | New York, NY | $109,720 | $80,585 | $71,591 | 14,230 |
| 13 | Boston, MA | $101,990 | $75,700 | $69,921 | 5,150 |
| 14 | Detroit, MI | $84,480 | $64,922 | $64,729 | 3,780 |
| 15 | Miami, FL | $82,780 | $67,066 | $58,750 | 3,460 |
*Take-home pay in U.S.-average dollars (BEA Regional Price Parities).
Highest-paying cities
- San Francisco, CA — $146,760
- Seattle, WA — $133,740
- Portland, OR — $123,100
- Los Angeles, CA — $122,980
- Minneapolis, MN — $112,630
- New York, NY — $109,720
- Houston, TX — $104,930
- Phoenix, AZ — $102,520
- Boston, MA — $101,990
- Dallas, TX — $101,870
- Philadelphia, PA — $100,820
- Atlanta, GA — $100,370
- Chicago, IL — $100,260
- Detroit, MI — $84,480
- Miami, FL — $82,780
Dental Hygienist salary by state
| State | Median | 1-yr change | Take-home | Range | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $137,220 | +7.3% | $96,361 | $86,120 – $155,840 | 320 |
| Alaska | $132,690 | +2.3% | $101,960 | $60,590 – $138,840 | 790 |
| Washington | $131,160 | +4.6% | $100,914 | $107,090 – $162,050 | 6,330 |
| California | $124,930 | +3.2% | $87,643 | $102,090 – $151,920 | 24,500 |
| Oregon | $122,080 | +3.2% | $84,855 | $104,530 – $134,120 | 3,600 |
| Nevada | $115,290 | +11.8% | $89,937 | $99,800 – $129,460 | 1,510 |
| Colorado | $109,580 | +2.7% | $81,806 | $95,680 – $128,900 | 4,270 |
| Maryland | $107,830 | +2.6% | $79,927 | $85,440 – $122,740 | 3,500 |
| New Jersey | $107,040 | +4.3% | $79,504 | $94,260 – $117,730 | 7,230 |
| New York | $106,130 | +11.1% | $78,271 | $77,680 – $126,640 | 13,660 |
| Minnesota | $103,970 | +5.1% | $76,426 | $82,110 – $120,270 | 4,110 |
| Virginia | $102,950 | +4.1% | $76,150 | $86,730 – $125,560 | 3,770 |
| New Hampshire | $101,250 | +4.7% | $80,059 | $86,400 – $122,980 | 1,360 |
| Arizona | $101,010 | +3.6% | $77,574 | $91,480 – $121,910 | 4,530 |
| Connecticut | $100,690 | +4.6% | $75,702 | $87,190 – $106,020 | 3,240 |
| Massachusetts | $100,640 | −0.1% | $74,818 | $93,510 – $117,380 | 6,850 |
| Texas | $99,240 | +5.0% | $78,645 | $71,530 – $117,890 | 16,380 |
| Delaware | $98,910 | −0.8% | $73,226 | $93,580 – $112,940 | 750 |
| Montana | $98,440 | +3.9% | $73,882 | $83,060 – $104,780 | 860 |
| North Carolina | $97,850 | +9.1% | $74,272 | $77,270 – $103,850 | 6,690 |
| Maine | $97,680 | +10.1% | $72,059 | $83,420 – $108,680 | 1,060 |
| Oklahoma | $97,580 | +1.8% | $73,632 | $81,290 – $119,760 | 2,860 |
| Hawaii | $97,570 | +0.8% | $71,585 | $78,800 – $104,000 | 830 |
| Vermont | $97,470 | −2.0% | $73,427 | $81,010 – $110,010 | 560 |
| Illinois | $96,670 | +0.2% | $72,197 | $74,280 – $118,410 | 8,970 |
| Wisconsin | $96,540 | +15.1% | $73,010 | $80,370 – $110,240 | 5,080 |
| New Mexico | $95,940 | −0.5% | $72,954 | $82,180 – $105,440 | 1,420 |
| Georgia | $95,490 | +14.4% | $71,674 | $74,610 – $103,650 | 7,440 |
| Idaho | $94,650 | +11.4% | $71,508 | $85,610 – $103,340 | 2,060 |
| Missouri | $92,750 | +11.4% | $70,658 | $59,880 – $99,400 | 3,810 |
| Nebraska | $92,580 | +9.7% | $70,627 | $67,600 – $98,080 | 1,280 |
| Indiana | $92,330 | +2.3% | $71,090 | $74,970 – $102,280 | 5,020 |
| South Dakota | $92,210 | +9.4% | $73,700 | $73,480 – $98,290 | 630 |
| Florida | $91,980 | +13.4% | $73,538 | $75,960 – $99,040 | 11,980 |
| Utah | $91,120 | +10.3% | $69,799 | $78,830 – $99,570 | 3,780 |
| North Dakota | $90,530 | +9.1% | $72,012 | $82,890 – $98,530 | 660 |
| Ohio | $88,990 | +9.0% | $69,770 | $76,260 – $102,950 | 8,630 |
| Rhode Island | $86,910 | +4.9% | $67,329 | $83,800 – $100,520 | 770 |
| Arkansas | $86,760 | +3.6% | $66,695 | $62,170 – $97,730 | 1,740 |
| Louisiana | $85,240 | +5.4% | $66,625 | $49,900 – $98,330 | 2,690 |
| Wyoming | $85,130 | +3.5% | $68,719 | $61,020 – $99,350 | 500 |
| Tennessee | $84,640 | +3.5% | $68,374 | $76,190 – $98,300 | 4,570 |
| South Carolina | $84,340 | +3.2% | $64,260 | $65,700 – $97,220 | 3,160 |
| Iowa | $84,010 | +1.5% | $65,390 | $78,320 – $95,810 | 2,440 |
| Michigan | $83,790 | +3.5% | $64,466 | $77,230 – $96,970 | 8,640 |
| Pennsylvania | $80,610 | −1.1% | $63,064 | $63,130 – $103,540 | 7,970 |
| Kentucky | $78,830 | +1.8% | $61,645 | $61,280 – $98,770 | 2,070 |
| West Virginia | $73,840 | +1.6% | $58,152 | $59,950 – $83,430 | 1,250 |
| Mississippi | $67,280 | +1.5% | $54,202 | $58,810 – $83,320 | 1,140 |
| Alabama | $61,160 | +2.2% | $48,529 | $48,960 – $72,410 | 3,170 |
Related jobs
| Job | Median salary | Education | Growth 2025–35 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners, All Other | $115,210 | Master's degree | +5.5% |
| Acupuncturist | $76,040 | Master's degree | +8.6% |
| Speech-Language Pathologist | $97,870 | Master's degree | +16.6% |
| Registered Nurse | $97,550 | Bachelor's degree | +5.6% |
| Occupational Therapist | $100,330 | Master's degree | +14.8% |
| Audiologist | $95,780 | Doctoral or professional degree | +11.0% |
| Physical Therapist | $102,760 | Doctoral or professional degree | +11.9% |
| Radiation Therapist | $105,310 | Associate's degree | +2.8% |
| Respiratory Therapist | $82,280 | Associate's degree | +8.5% |
| Chiropractor | $79,200 | Doctoral or professional degree | +8.7% |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a dental hygienist make?
The national median salary for dental hygienists is $98,100 a year ($47.16 an hour). The lowest-paid 10% earn under $74,880 and the top 10% earn over $126,050. Source: BLS, May 2025.
Which state pays dental hygienists the most?
District of Columbia has the highest median pay at $137,220. After taxes and local prices, Seattle, WA offers the best real take-home pay of any metro area.
How many dental hygienists are there in the U.S.?
About 222,740 people work as dental hygienists nationwide.