Contents
Dental Hygienist Salary
| Percentile | 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| Hourly Wage | $22.38 | $27.95 | $33.75 | $40.66 | $46.29 |
| Annual Wage | $46,600 | $58,100 | $70,200 | $84,600 | $96,300 |
How much do dental hygienists make? Dental hygienists are trained to provide dental care to patients. Dental hygienists generally work in an office setting, where they clean teeth using specialized dental tools, examine patients for dental problems and provide preventive care. They are also charged with educating patients on maintenance of their teeth. Dental hygienists have an associate’s degree in dental hygiene and must be licensed in the state where they practice. A breakdown of the full process of becoming a Dental Hygienist can be found here.
Dental Hygienist Salary
According to figures from the U.S. Department of Labor, the lowest 10% of dental hygienists earn under $ 46,540 per year, whereas the top 10% earn over $ 96,280 per year. The median annual income, which is defined as that amount where half the dental hygienists earned less than this figure and half earned more, is $70,210.
Variables Impacting Salary
There are many variables impacting salary earnings for dental hygienists. Here are a few considerations for someone interested in becoming a dental hygienist to keep in mind.
- Full vs. Part Time Employment
Approximately half of the dental hygienists employed in 2012 worked on a part-time basis. Dental hygienists working part time may not be privy to some of the benefits typically afforded to full-time employees, such as annual leave and retirement plans.
- Specialties
Dental hygienists are not given many opportunities to pursue specialized training or education. In some states they are allowed to perform duties above and beyond typical dental hygienist tasks; in these cases, additional job duties like performing temporary fillings may lead to higher salary levels.
- Geographic Area of Practice
The geographic area of practice can impact the salary earned by dental hygienists. States with the highest salaries include California, Oregon, Alaska and Washington.
Employment Opportunities
Dental hygienists typically work under the guidance of a dentist in a dental office setting, although there are some dental hygienists working in outpatient care settings. They may work for several different dentists within one dental practice. Dental hygienists interested in working with children may seek employment with a dentist who specializes in pediatric practice. In such cases, their job duties will also include providing education in proper dental care.
Job Outlook
The job outlook for dental hygienists is very good, as job opportunities are expected to increase by 33% between 2012 and 2022.
Salary Data
Top Paying Industries
| Industry | Employment | % of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean salary |
| Other Ambulatory Health Care Services | 150 | 0.06 | $40.08 | $83,360 |
| Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations | – | – | $34.90 | $72,600 |
| Offices of Dentists | 183,380 | 21.25 | $34.55 | $71,860 |
| Employment Services | 1,710 | 0.05 | $33.33 | $69,330 |
| Facilities Support Services | 30 | 0.02 | $32.94 | $68,510 |
Salary By State
| State | 10% | 25% | Median | 75% | 90% | Jobs (2010) | Jobs (2020) | Outlook |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $33,700 | $39,400 | $45,400 | $53,300 | $58,700 | 3,030 | 4,350 | +44% |
| Alaska | $50,100 | $60,200 | $77,500 | $90,100 | $102,400 | 550 | 730 | +34% |
| Arizona | $63,100 | $76,500 | $83,200 | $89,700 | $93,600 | 2,950 | 4,510 | +53% |
| Arkansas | $33,600 | $42,000 | $58,300 | $72,500 | $85,700 | 1,230 | 1,440 | +17% |
| California | $58,000 | $81,200 | $98,500 | $111,100 | $118,600 | 19,900 | 23,300 | +17% |
| Colorado | $61,200 | $70,600 | $81,300 | $89,000 | $93,500 | 3,520 | 4,680 | +33% |
| Connecticut | $62,300 | $73,800 | $84,200 | $92,900 | $108,500 | 3,270 | 3,850 | +18% |
| Delaware | $53,300 | $63,200 | $70,000 | $77,200 | $87,800 | 570 | 720 | +26% |
| District of Columbia | $69,200 | $81,000 | $89,300 | $97,900 | $113,800 | 490 | 670 | +36% |
| Florida | $36,000 | $50,300 | $61,900 | $70,600 | $76,100 | 9,850 | 12,990 | +32% |
| Georgia | $47,400 | $54,600 | $66,400 | $80,700 | $90,700 | 6,470 | 8,710 | +35% |
| Hawaii | $47,400 | $63,000 | $69,600 | $76,400 | $87,700 | 970 | 1,130 | +17% |
| Idaho | $49,400 | $64,300 | $73,200 | $84,600 | $91,700 | 1,210 | 1,570 | +30% |
| Illinois | $34,800 | $46,700 | $66,100 | $80,900 | $90,000 | 8,670 | 10,500 | +21% |
| Iowa | $52,200 | $61,400 | $67,500 | $73,400 | $79,000 | 1,960 | 2,530 | +29% |
| Kansas | $42,000 | $58,700 | $66,800 | $73,200 | $79,500 | 1,730 | 2,340 | +35% |
| Kentucky | $42,100 | $49,500 | $56,500 | $65,500 | $73,200 | 1,690 | 2,280 | +35% |
| Louisiana | $36,000 | $45,400 | $62,600 | $71,800 | $82,600 | 1,650 | 1,960 | +19% |
| Maine | $49,200 | $57,900 | $67,500 | $75,300 | $93,000 | 1,060 | 1,210 | +14% |
| Maryland | $51,100 | $67,500 | $80,900 | $89,700 | $95,200 | 2,640 | 3,420 | +30% |
| Massachusetts | $63,700 | $70,400 | $80,300 | $89,400 | $95,000 | 5,910 | 7,020 | +19% |
| Michigan | $43,300 | $52,600 | $61,500 | $69,800 | $74,800 | 8,610 | 10,400 | +21% |
| Minnesota | $56,300 | $63,400 | $69,000 | $74,500 | $85,000 | 4,140 | 5,170 | +25% |
| Mississippi | $29,900 | $40,800 | $51,400 | $59,700 | $69,300 | 1,480 | 1,750 | +18% |
| Missouri | $51,000 | $59,800 | $68,900 | $79,400 | $94,300 | 2,620 | 3,210 | +22% |
| Montana | $54,100 | $63,000 | $68,700 | $74,500 | $81,700 | 730 | 950 | +31% |
| Nebraska | $45,700 | $55,200 | $65,400 | $72,500 | $77,500 | 1,030 | 1,250 | +21% |
| Nevada | $78,500 | $83,100 | $91,000 | $102,000 | $114,000 | 1,270 | 1,450 | +14% |
| New Hampshire | $63,500 | $68,300 | $76,800 | $86,500 | $92,500 | 1,170 | 1,480 | +27% |
| New Jersey | $65,900 | $75,400 | $82,800 | $89,500 | $93,500 | 4,650 | 5,330 | +15% |
| New Mexico | $50,800 | $63,200 | $73,400 | $90,700 | $107,900 | 1,030 | 1,260 | +23% |
| New York | $49,000 | $56,300 | $67,500 | $80,500 | $92,300 | 9,660 | 12,260 | +27% |
| North Carolina | $49,100 | $56,100 | $65,500 | $73,200 | $81,800 | 5,910 | 7,680 | +30% |
| North Dakota | $36,300 | $45,400 | $57,400 | $67,400 | $73,200 | 600 | 710 | +19% |
| Ohio | $50,500 | $57,200 | $65,500 | $72,300 | $76,900 | 7,480 | 9,430 | +26% |
| Oklahoma | $29,400 | $36,700 | $63,100 | $75,900 | $90,200 | 1,730 | 2,100 | +21% |
| Oregon | $65,500 | $72,000 | $81,000 | $88,900 | $93,700 | 3,180 | 3,820 | 0% |
| Pennsylvania | $43,700 | $52,000 | $60,400 | $70,500 | $77,800 | 8,400 | 9,830 | +17% |
| Rhode Island | $60,500 | $64,400 | $69,900 | $75,600 | $87,200 | 890 | 1,040 | +17% |
| South Carolina | $38,300 | $48,400 | $55,500 | $63,400 | $73,300 | 2,430 | 3,380 | +39% |
| South Dakota | $45,900 | $51,000 | $56,600 | $63,600 | $71,000 | 510 | 640 | +25% |
| Tennessee | $40,200 | $52,000 | $62,800 | $71,700 | $80,400 | 3,370 | 4,540 | +35% |
| Texas | $45,000 | $62,400 | $70,600 | $81,700 | $91,600 | 10,630 | 14,180 | +33% |
| Utah | $53,900 | $62,600 | $67,800 | $72,900 | $76,500 | 2,420 | 3,650 | +51% |
| Vermont | $51,800 | $57,000 | $65,500 | $73,700 | $85,100 | 530 | 570 | +7% |
| Virginia | $58,700 | $69,200 | $82,800 | $95,600 | $111,800 | 4,470 | 6,740 | +51% |
| Washington | $76,000 | $81,800 | $90,200 | $101,400 | $114,100 | 5,700 | 6,790 | +19% |
| West Virginia | $37,700 | $43,000 | $50,700 | $58,300 | $66,200 | 890 | 1,020 | +15% |
| Wisconsin | $50,100 | $55,200 | $63,000 | $70,000 | $74,100 | 4,890 | 5,790 | +19% |
| Wyoming | $52,100 | $60,100 | $66,800 | $72,900 | $77,100 | 410 | 530 | +29% |
