How Much Does a Dental Hygienist Make? Dental Hygienist Salary Data for 2026

According to the 2024 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for dental hygienists (SOC 29-2021), the national median annual wage was $81,040, or approximately $38.96 per hour.

BLS wage percentiles for dental hygienists:

• 10th percentile: ~$55,000/year
• 25th percentile: ~$66,000/year
• 50th percentile (median): $81,040/year
• 75th percentile: ~$97,000/year
• 90th percentile: ~$106,000+/year

One important context for these figures: many dental hygienists work part-time schedules — three to four days per week is common — and the BLS annual wage figures reflect annualized pay for workers in each wage bracket, including part-time workers when reported on an hourly basis.

A dental hygienist earning $45/hour working four days per week, 48 weeks per year, would generate annual income significantly different from a full-time equivalent at the same hourly rate.

Hourly rates, which BLS also reports, may be a more useful comparison for part-time workers.

To see exactly how wages like $38 an hour translate to annual, monthly, and after-tax take-home, our guide on $38 an hour is how much a year breaks down every pay period. For other rates in the range above, browse our hourly wage conversion guide index.

Dental hygienist compensation increases with years of clinical experience, patient volume, and specialized skills such as local anesthesia administration or laser therapy. The following ranges reflect typical national estimates for full-time equivalent employment:

Dental hygienists working in high-paying states such as Washington, California, Alaska, and Delaware may earn toward or above the upper end of these ranges.

The dental assistant salary and the dentist salary represent the floor and ceiling of the dental team pay range., while those in lower-wage markets in the rural South or Mountain West may earn closer to entry-level figures even with significant experience.

Geographic variation in dental hygienist pay is among the widest of any allied health profession. According to BLS OEWS state-level data, the top-paying states for dental hygienists include:

• Washington (WA): The highest-paying state for dental hygienists, with a median annual wage of approximately $116,650 — well above the national median of $81,040. Washington's dental hygienist scope-of-practice laws are among the most expansive in the country, which may contribute to higher compensation.
• California (CA): Among the top-paying states; high cost of living and strong demand in urban dental markets drive wages above the national median.
• Delaware (DE): Consistently appears in BLS top-paying state data for dental hygienists; a smaller state with concentrated healthcare employment.
• Alaska (AK): High cost-of-living compensation premium and limited provider supply in many communities support above-median wages.

By contrast, states in the rural South, Mountain West, and parts of the Midwest often pay dental hygienists near or below the national median, reflecting lower costs of living and less competitive dental labor markets.

The cost of living in Washington State and the cost of living in California provide important context for evaluating whether top-state salaries translate to superior purchasing power.

Several factors meaningfully influence what a dental hygienist may earn beyond base state wages and years of experience:

• Part-time vs. full-time scheduling: Dental hygiene is one of the healthcare professions where part-time employment is most common. Many dental practices employ hygienists three or four days per week to match patient scheduling needs. Hygienists who work at multiple practice locations can assemble full-time equivalent hours at competitive hourly rates. The prevalence of part-time work means that comparing annual salary figures can be misleading — hourly rate is often the more meaningful metric for comparison.
• Scope of practice by state: State dental practice acts govern what dental hygienists are authorized to do — including whether they may administer local anesthesia, apply sealants, provide unsupervised community dental care, or practice in dental hygienist-owned practices. States with expanded scope of practice typically support higher hygienist wages. California, Washington, and Colorado are among the states with more expansive hygienist scope of practice.
• Practice type: Private dental practices — particularly higher-volume or fee-for-service practices — tend to pay competitive rates to retain quality hygienists. Corporate dental group practices (DSOs) may offer more structured pay but sometimes at lower rates than independent private practices in the same market. Periodontal specialist practices often pay hygienists above general dentistry rates due to the complexity of periodontal maintenance work.
• State licensure requirements: All dental hygienists must hold a state license to practice. Licensure typically requires completing an accredited dental hygiene program (associate's or bachelor's degree), passing the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination (NBDHE), and passing a clinical examination approved by the dental board in the state of practice. Licenses are state-specific, though the American Dental Hygienists' Association (ADHA) has advocated for greater license portability.

According to the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook for dental hygienists, employment in this occupation is projected to grow 9% from 2023 to 2033 — faster than the average for all occupations.

The BLS projects approximately 16,700 dental hygienist job openings per year over the decade, driven by population growth, an aging population requiring more preventive and restorative dental care, and growing public awareness of the connection between oral health and overall health.

Demand is expected to remain strong across private dental practices, community health centers, and expanded dental access programs.

Entry into dental hygiene requires completion of an accredited dental hygiene program — most commonly a two- to three-year associate degree, though bachelor's degree programs are available and may support broader career advancement opportunities in public health, education, or management roles.

Understanding how to negotiate salary is valuable when accepting new practice positions, and using a Roth IRA alongside any employer-sponsored retirement plan maximizes long-term savings.

Hygienists should also review savings benchmarks relative to part-time income to ensure financial resilience.