Dental Hygienists · Tennessee

Dental Hygienists Salary in Tennessee

Dental Hygienists in Tennessee earn a median annual wage of $84,640 —13.7% below the national median of $98,100. That ranks TN #42 of 50 covered states and territories for this occupation.

Median annual
$84,640
Median hourly
$40.69
Entry level (P10)
$76,190
10th percentile
Top 10% (P90)
$98,300
90th percentile
Employment
4,570
1.4 per 1,000 jobs
vs U.S. median
-13.7%
U.S. $98,100

Wage distribution

How earnings are spread across workers in this occupation, from the 10th to the 90th percentile.

10th percentile90th percentile
$76,190
$80,380
$84,640
$94,240
$76,190$84,640$98,300
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $84,640.

Employment concentration (0.97×) is close to the national average.

Highest-paying states for dental hygienists

All 50 states ranked by median annual wage. Tennessee is highlighted.

#StateMedian annual Median hourlyEmploymentLocation quotient
1District of Columbia$137,220$65.973200.31
2Alaska$132,690$63.797901.70
3Washington$131,160$63.066,3301.24
4California$124,930$60.0624,5000.94
5Oregon$122,080$58.693,6001.28
6Nevada$115,290$55.431,5100.68
7Colorado$109,580$52.684,2701.04
8Maryland$107,830$51.843,5000.88
9New Jersey$107,040$51.467,2301.18
10New York$106,130$51.0313,6600.98

Related occupations in Tennessee

Occupations in the same job family, compared within Tennessee.

OccupationTennessee medianU.S. median
Registered Nurses$81,500$97,550
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$58,870$64,400
Pharmacy Technicians$41,920$45,750
Physicians, All Other$301,290$265,930
Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$62,070$62,930
Nurse Practitioners$117,590$132,300

Frequently asked questions

How much do dental hygienists make in Tennessee?

The median annual wage for dental hygienists in Tennessee is $84,640, or $40.69 per hour. That is 13.7% below the national median of $98,100.

What is the entry-level dental hygienists salary in Tennessee?

Workers at the 10th percentile earn $76,190 per year ($36.63/hour). The 25th percentile is $80,380.

How many people work as dental hygienists in Tennessee?

About 4,570 people work in this occupation in Tennessee, or 1.4 per 1,000 jobs statewide.

Is Tennessee a good state for dental hygienists?

Tennessee ranks #42 of 50 states by median wage for this occupation. Employment concentration (0.97x) is close to the national average.

Which state pays dental hygienists the most?

District of Columbia has the highest median wage at $137,220 per year, followed by Alaska ($132,690) and Washington ($131,160).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, cross-industry estimates. Retrieved 2026-10-26. Figures are rounded by BLS to the nearest dollar (annual) and cent (hourly). Percentile wages describe the distribution of workers, not the pay range for a single job posting. bls.gov/oes