Dental Hygienists Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for dental hygienists is $98,100, or $47.16 per hour. About 222,740 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $137,220 in District of Columbia to $61,160 in Alabama.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 50 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $137,220 | $65.97 | 320 | 0.31 |
| 2 | Alaska | $132,690 | $63.79 | 790 | 1.70 |
| 3 | Washington | $131,160 | $63.06 | 6,330 | 1.24 |
| 4 | California | $124,930 | $60.06 | 24,500 | 0.94 |
| 5 | Oregon | $122,080 | $58.69 | 3,600 | 1.28 |
| 6 | Nevada | $115,290 | $55.43 | 1,510 | 0.68 |
| 7 | Colorado | $109,580 | $52.68 | 4,270 | 1.04 |
| 8 | Maryland | $107,830 | $51.84 | 3,500 | 0.88 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $107,040 | $51.46 | 7,230 | 1.18 |
| 10 | New York | $106,130 | $51.03 | 13,660 | 0.98 |
| 11 | Minnesota | $103,970 | $49.99 | 4,110 | 0.97 |
| 12 | Virginia | $102,950 | $49.50 | 3,770 | 0.64 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $101,250 | $48.68 | 1,360 | 1.39 |
| 14 | Arizona | $101,010 | $48.56 | 4,530 | 0.98 |
| 15 | Connecticut | $100,690 | $48.41 | 3,240 | 1.33 |
| 16 | Massachusetts | $100,640 | $48.39 | 6,850 | 1.31 |
| 17 | Texas | $99,240 | $47.71 | 16,380 | 0.81 |
| 18 | Delaware | $98,910 | $47.55 | 750 | 1.09 |
| 19 | Montana | $98,440 | $47.33 | 860 | 1.17 |
| 20 | North Carolina | $97,850 | $47.04 | 6,690 | 0.95 |
| 21 | Maine | $97,680 | $46.96 | 1,060 | 1.16 |
| 22 | Oklahoma | $97,580 | $46.91 | 2,860 | 1.17 |
| 23 | Hawaii | $97,570 | $46.91 | 830 | 0.92 |
| 24 | Vermont | $97,470 | $46.86 | 560 | 1.28 |
| 25 | Illinois | $96,670 | $46.48 | 8,970 | 1.03 |
| 26 | Wisconsin | $96,540 | $46.41 | 5,080 | 1.21 |
| 27 | New Mexico | $95,940 | $46.12 | 1,420 | 1.14 |
| 28 | Georgia | $95,490 | $45.91 | 7,440 | 1.06 |
| 29 | Idaho | $94,650 | $45.51 | 2,060 | 1.68 |
| 30 | Missouri | $92,750 | $44.59 | 3,810 | 0.91 |
| 31 | Nebraska | $92,580 | $44.51 | 1,280 | 0.88 |
| 32 | Indiana | $92,330 | $44.39 | 5,020 | 1.09 |
| 33 | South Dakota | $92,210 | $44.33 | 630 | 0.96 |
| 34 | Florida | $91,980 | $44.22 | 11,980 | 0.84 |
| 35 | Utah | $91,120 | $43.81 | 3,780 | 1.52 |
| 36 | North Dakota | $90,530 | $43.53 | 660 | 1.08 |
| 37 | Ohio | $88,990 | $42.78 | 8,630 | 1.09 |
| 38 | Rhode Island | $86,910 | $41.78 | 770 | 1.07 |
| 39 | Arkansas | $86,760 | $41.71 | 1,740 | 0.93 |
| 40 | Louisiana | $85,240 | $40.98 | 2,690 | 0.97 |
| 41 | Wyoming | $85,130 | $40.93 | 500 | 1.24 |
| 42 | Tennessee | $84,640 | $40.69 | 4,570 | 0.97 |
| 43 | South Carolina | $84,340 | $40.55 | 3,160 | 0.96 |
| 44 | Iowa | $84,010 | $40.39 | 2,440 | 1.09 |
| 45 | Michigan | $83,790 | $40.28 | 8,640 | 1.37 |
| 46 | Pennsylvania | $80,610 | $38.76 | 7,970 | 0.92 |
| 47 | Kentucky | $78,830 | $37.90 | 2,070 | 0.72 |
| 48 | West Virginia | $73,840 | $35.50 | 1,250 | 1.25 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $67,280 | $32.35 | 1,140 | 0.68 |
| 50 | Alabama | $61,160 | $29.41 | 3,170 | 1.05 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do dental hygienists make?
The median annual wage for dental hygienists in the United States is $98,100, or $47.16 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $74,880, and the top 10% earn $126,050.
How many dental hygienists are employed in the U.S.?
About 222,740 people work as dental hygienists nationwide.
Which state pays dental hygienists the most?
District of Columbia pays the most at a median of $137,220, followed by Alaska ($132,690) and Washington ($131,160).
Which state pays dental hygienists the least?
Alabama has the lowest median at $61,160.
Where are dental hygienists jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Alaska at 1.70×.