Dental Hygienist Salary Calculator
Find out what dental hygienists earn in your state or city, based on official BLS data. Includes a cost of living adjuster so you can see how far your income actually goes.
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Select a state above to see salary data for dental hygienists in your area.
Data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES), May 2025
Dental Hygienist Salary Overview 2026
Dental hygienist compensation varies significantly depending on where you practice. Nationally, the median annual salary is $98,100 per year ($47.16/hr), but salaries range from $74,880 at the entry level to $126,050 for top earners. Location alone can shift your pay by $50,000 or more per year.
The Pacific Coast and Mountain West pay the most, while parts of the Southeast and Puerto Rico fall well below the national median. The calculator above shows the full 10th through 90th percentile range for any state or metro area in the BLS dataset.
Highest-Paying States for Dental Hygienists (2026)
Frequently Asked Questions
The national median annual salary for a dental hygienist is $98,100 per year, or $47.16 per hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics OES survey for May 2025. The middle 50% of hygienists earn between $83,570 and $108,480 annually. Entry-level hygienists (10th percentile) start around $74,880/yr, while top earners (90th percentile) make $126,050/yr or more.
The five highest-paying states for dental hygienists are District of Columbia ($137,220/yr), Alaska ($132,690/yr), Washington ($131,160/yr), California ($124,930/yr), and Oregon ($122,080/yr). These markets combine high cost of living with strong demand for dental professionals, particularly in urban metro areas. Nevada, Colorado, Maryland, New Jersey, and New York round out the top ten.
The national median hourly rate for dental hygienists is $47.16/hr. Entry-level hygienists typically earn around $36.00/hr, while experienced professionals in the top 10% earn $60.60/hr or more. In high-demand states like Alaska and Washington, median hourly rates regularly exceed $63/hr. Use the calculator above to look up the exact range for your state or metro area.
The biggest factors are geographic location and cost of living, years of experience, type of practice (private, DSO, specialty), and whether the position is full-time, part-time, or per diem. Additional certifications such as local anesthesia administration, nitrous oxide, or laser therapy can also command a premium. Hygienists who pick up flexible temp shifts through staffing platforms often earn more per hour than permanent employees.
Dental hygienists can increase their earnings by relocating to a higher-paying state or metro area, earning additional certifications, moving into specialty practices such as periodontics or pediatric dentistry, and supplementing their income with temp shifts through GoTu. Per-diem rates on GoTu often run above full-time hourly rates because practices pay a premium for same-day or short-notice coverage.
Yes. All salary figures are sourced directly from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) program, May 2025 release. The dataset covers 222,740 employed dental hygienists across 51 states and 469 metro and nonmetro areas. BLS publishes updated OES data annually each spring.