Dental Hygienists
Dental Hygienists (SOC 29-1292) earn a median $98,100 a year ($47.16 an hour) in the United States, with 222,740 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is District of Columbia.
What dental hygienists do
Dental hygienists administer oral hygiene care to patients, assess oral hygiene problems and needs, and maintain health records. A visit includes recording and reviewing the patient's medical history, feeling and visually examining the gums for sores and signs of disease, and using probes to find receded gums and signs of gum disease. The hygienist cleans calcareous deposits, accretions and stains from the teeth and beneath the gum margins with dental instruments, and charts conditions of decay and disease for the dentist's diagnosis and treatment. Exposing and developing x-ray film is among the listed tasks. Equally important is teaching: providing clinical services or health education that improves and maintains the oral health of patients or the general public, and advising on oral health maintenance and disease prevention. The SOC notes that hygienists may provide advanced care such as fluoride treatment or topical anesthesia. They keep skills current through continuing education courses. About three in four respondents report an associate degree. Dental hygienists differ from dentists, who diagnose and treat disease.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report an associate degree as the typical level of education for this occupation (75 percent).
Also called: Dental Hygienist, Dental Nurse, Hygienist, Licensed Dental Hygienist, Oral Hygienist.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $36.00 | $40.18 | $47.16 | $52.16 | $60.60 | $47.59 | 222,740 |
| Annual | $74,880 | $83,570 | $98,100 | $108,480 | $126,050 | $98,990 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where dental hygienists earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $41.40 | $50.23 | $65.97 | $66.69 | $74.92 | $61.50 | 320 | 0.45 | 0.31 |
| Annual | $86,120 | $104,470 | $137,220 | $138,710 | $155,840 | $127,910 | ||||
| Alaska | Hourly | $29.13 | $62.66 | $63.79 | $65.60 | $66.75 | $58.92 | 790 | 2.43 | 1.70 |
| Annual | $60,590 | $130,340 | $132,690 | $136,450 | $138,840 | $122,560 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $51.49 | $58.65 | $63.06 | $64.75 | $77.91 | $63.24 | 6,330 | 1.78 | 1.24 |
| Annual | $107,090 | $122,000 | $131,160 | $134,670 | $162,050 | $131,530 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $49.08 | $52.76 | $60.06 | $63.52 | $73.04 | $61.59 | 24,500 | 1.35 | 0.94 |
| Annual | $102,090 | $109,730 | $124,930 | $132,120 | $151,920 | $128,110 | ||||
| Oregon | Hourly | $50.26 | $52.71 | $58.69 | $60.80 | $64.48 | $57.92 | 3,600 | 1.83 | 1.28 |
| Annual | $104,530 | $109,640 | $122,080 | $126,460 | $134,120 | $120,470 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $49.08 | $52.76 | $60.06 | $63.52 | $73.04 | $61.59 | 24,500 | 1.35 | 0.94 |
| Annual | $102,090 | $109,730 | $124,930 | $132,120 | $151,920 | $128,110 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $34.39 | $41.00 | $47.71 | $51.60 | $56.68 | $46.27 | 16,380 | 1.16 | 0.81 |
| Annual | $71,530 | $85,280 | $99,240 | $107,320 | $117,890 | $96,240 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $37.35 | $43.25 | $51.03 | $58.53 | $60.89 | $49.83 | 13,660 | 1.41 | 0.98 |
| Annual | $77,680 | $89,960 | $106,130 | $121,740 | $126,640 | $103,640 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $36.52 | $38.56 | $44.22 | $46.18 | $47.61 | $42.46 | 11,980 | 1.21 | 0.84 |
| Annual | $75,960 | $80,190 | $91,980 | $96,060 | $99,040 | $88,320 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $35.71 | $38.17 | $46.48 | $48.94 | $56.93 | $44.15 | 8,970 | 1.47 | 1.03 |
| Annual | $74,280 | $79,400 | $96,670 | $101,800 | $118,410 | $91,820 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $52.62 | $62.60 | $70.56 | $74.48 | $75.28 | $86.79 | 3,780 | 1.59 | 1.11 |
| Annual | $109,460 | $130,200 | $146,760 | $154,920 | $156,580 | $180,520 | ||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $61.84 | $63.02 | $67.30 | $74.89 | $75.41 | $68.68 | 1,620 | 1.43 | 0.99 |
| Annual | $128,620 | $131,080 | $139,990 | $155,770 | $156,850 | $142,850 | ||||
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | Hourly | $62.51 | $64.99 | $65.49 | $65.73 | $72.87 | $65.89 | 310 | 1.50 | 1.05 |
| Annual | $130,010 | $135,170 | $136,210 | $136,710 | $151,580 | $137,050 | ||||
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | Hourly | $51.06 | $58.99 | $65.38 | $66.52 | $72.61 | $62.88 | 260 | 1.27 | 0.89 |
| Annual | $106,210 | $122,690 | $135,990 | $138,370 | $151,030 | $130,790 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $61.36 | $63.87 | $64.30 | $77.02 | $78.30 | $67.90 | 3,500 | 1.68 | 1.17 |
| Annual | $127,620 | $132,850 | $133,740 | $160,190 | $162,850 | $141,230 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $41.09 | $50.96 | $52.75 | $58.51 | $60.89 | $52.51 | 14,230 | 1.50 | 1.05 |
| Annual | $85,460 | $105,990 | $109,720 | $121,700 | $126,640 | $109,220 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $27.31 | $51.72 | $59.12 | $62.78 | $66.01 | $53.88 | 7,940 | 1.27 | 0.88 |
| Annual | $56,800 | $107,570 | $122,980 | $130,570 | $137,310 | $112,080 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $24.13 | $42.91 | $48.98 | $55.96 | $57.72 | $46.74 | 7,050 | 1.74 | 1.21 |
| Annual | $50,190 | $89,240 | $101,870 | $116,400 | $120,060 | $97,220 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $35.71 | $41.50 | $48.20 | $49.20 | $56.93 | $46.03 | 6,470 | 1.43 | 1.00 |
| Annual | $74,280 | $86,330 | $100,260 | $102,340 | $118,410 | $95,740 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $46.09 | $47.35 | $49.03 | $51.35 | $56.53 | $50.03 | 5,150 | 1.91 | 1.33 |
| Annual | $95,860 | $98,480 | $101,990 | $106,820 | $117,570 | $104,070 | ||||
Top industries employing dental hygienists
Offices of Dentists employ 95.0% of dental hygienists nationally (211,560 jobs) at a median $98,280 a year ($47.25 an hour), followed by Outpatient Care Centers (1.1%) and Offices of Physicians (1.0%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offices of Dentists NAICS 621200 | 211,560 | 95.0% | $98,280 | $47.25 |
| Outpatient Care Centers NAICS 621400 | 2,410 | 1.1% | $94,880 | $45.62 |
| Offices of Physicians NAICS 621100 | 2,250 | 1.0% | $91,160 | $43.83 |
| Employment Services NAICS 561300 | 1,920 | 0.9% | $102,340 | $49.20 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999100 | 910 | 0.4% | $81,940 | $39.40 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (222,740). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $77,810 for dental hygienists in May 2021 and $98,100 in May 2025, with employment of 207,190 and 222,740.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $77,810 | $37.41 | 207,190 |
| May 2022 | $81,400 | $39.14 | 214,700 |
| May 2023 | $87,530 | $42.08 | 211,630 |
| May 2024 | $94,260 | $45.32 | 219,070 |
| May 2025 | $98,100 | $47.16 | 222,740 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
50 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia profile | $65.97 | $137,220 | $86,120 | $155,840 | 320 | 0.45 | 0.31 |
| 2 | Alaska profile | $63.79 | $132,690 | $60,590 | $138,840 | 790 | 2.43 | 1.70 |
| 3 | Washington profile | $63.06 | $131,160 | $107,090 | $162,050 | 6,330 | 1.78 | 1.24 |
| 4 | California profile | $60.06 | $124,930 | $102,090 | $151,920 | 24,500 | 1.35 | 0.94 |
| 5 | Oregon profile | $58.69 | $122,080 | $104,530 | $134,120 | 3,600 | 1.83 | 1.28 |
| 6 | Nevada profile | $55.43 | $115,290 | $99,800 | $129,460 | 1,510 | 0.97 | 0.68 |
| 7 | Colorado profile | $52.68 | $109,580 | $95,680 | $128,900 | 4,270 | 1.49 | 1.04 |
| 8 | Maryland profile | $51.84 | $107,830 | $85,440 | $122,740 | 3,500 | 1.27 | 0.88 |
| 9 | New Jersey profile | $51.46 | $107,040 | $94,260 | $117,730 | 7,230 | 1.69 | 1.18 |
| 10 | New York profile | $51.03 | $106,130 | $77,680 | $126,640 | 13,660 | 1.41 | 0.98 |
| 11 | Minnesota profile | $49.99 | $103,970 | $82,110 | $120,270 | 4,110 | 1.39 | 0.97 |
| 12 | Virginia profile | $49.50 | $102,950 | $86,730 | $125,560 | 3,770 | 0.92 | 0.64 |
| 13 | New Hampshire profile | $48.68 | $101,250 | $86,400 | $122,980 | 1,360 | 1.99 | 1.39 |
| 14 | Arizona profile | $48.56 | $101,010 | $91,480 | $121,910 | 4,530 | 1.40 | 0.98 |
| 15 | Connecticut profile | $48.41 | $100,690 | $87,190 | $106,020 | 3,240 | 1.91 | 1.33 |
| 16 | Massachusetts profile | $48.39 | $100,640 | $93,510 | $117,380 | 6,850 | 1.88 | 1.31 |
| 17 | Texas profile | $47.71 | $99,240 | $71,530 | $117,890 | 16,380 | 1.16 | 0.81 |
| 18 | Delaware profile | $47.55 | $98,910 | $93,580 | $112,940 | 750 | 1.56 | 1.09 |
| 19 | Montana profile | $47.33 | $98,440 | $83,060 | $104,780 | 860 | 1.68 | 1.17 |
| 20 | North Carolina profile | $47.04 | $97,850 | $77,270 | $103,850 | 6,690 | 1.35 | 0.95 |
| 21 | Maine profile | $46.96 | $97,680 | $83,420 | $108,680 | 1,060 | 1.66 | 1.16 |
| 22 | Oklahoma profile | $46.91 | $97,580 | $81,290 | $119,760 | 2,860 | 1.67 | 1.17 |
| 23 | Hawaii profile | $46.91 | $97,570 | $78,800 | $104,000 | 830 | 1.32 | 0.92 |
| 24 | Vermont profile | $46.86 | $97,470 | $81,010 | $110,010 | 560 | 1.83 | 1.28 |
| 25 | Illinois profile | $46.48 | $96,670 | $74,280 | $118,410 | 8,970 | 1.47 | 1.03 |
| 26 | Wisconsin profile | $46.41 | $96,540 | $80,370 | $110,240 | 5,080 | 1.73 | 1.21 |
| 27 | New Mexico profile | $46.12 | $95,940 | $82,180 | $105,440 | 1,420 | 1.63 | 1.14 |
| 28 | Georgia profile | $45.91 | $95,490 | $74,610 | $103,650 | 7,440 | 1.52 | 1.06 |
| 29 | Idaho profile | $45.51 | $94,650 | $85,610 | $103,340 | 2,060 | 2.40 | 1.68 |
| 30 | Missouri profile | $44.59 | $92,750 | $59,880 | $99,400 | 3,810 | 1.30 | 0.91 |
| 31 | Nebraska profile | $44.51 | $92,580 | $67,600 | $98,080 | 1,280 | 1.25 | 0.88 |
| 32 | Indiana profile | $44.39 | $92,330 | $74,970 | $102,280 | 5,020 | 1.57 | 1.09 |
| 33 | South Dakota profile | $44.33 | $92,210 | $73,480 | $98,290 | 630 | 1.38 | 0.96 |
| 34 | Florida profile | $44.22 | $91,980 | $75,960 | $99,040 | 11,980 | 1.21 | 0.84 |
| 35 | Utah profile | $43.81 | $91,120 | $78,830 | $99,570 | 3,780 | 2.18 | 1.52 |
| 36 | North Dakota profile | $43.53 | $90,530 | $82,890 | $98,530 | 660 | 1.55 | 1.08 |
| 37 | Ohio profile | $42.78 | $88,990 | $76,260 | $102,950 | 8,630 | 1.55 | 1.09 |
| 38 | Rhode Island profile | $41.78 | $86,910 | $83,800 | $100,520 | 770 | 1.53 | 1.07 |
| 39 | Arkansas profile | $41.71 | $86,760 | $62,170 | $97,730 | 1,740 | 1.33 | 0.93 |
| 40 | Louisiana profile | $40.98 | $85,240 | $49,900 | $98,330 | 2,690 | 1.39 | 0.97 |
| 41 | Wyoming profile | $40.93 | $85,130 | $61,020 | $99,350 | 500 | 1.78 | 1.24 |
| 42 | Tennessee profile | $40.69 | $84,640 | $76,190 | $98,300 | 4,570 | 1.40 | 0.97 |
| 43 | South Carolina profile | $40.55 | $84,340 | $65,700 | $97,220 | 3,160 | 1.37 | 0.96 |
| 44 | Iowa profile | $40.39 | $84,010 | $78,320 | $95,810 | 2,440 | 1.57 | 1.09 |
| 45 | Michigan profile | $40.28 | $83,790 | $77,230 | $96,970 | 8,640 | 1.96 | 1.37 |
| 46 | Pennsylvania profile | $38.76 | $80,610 | $63,130 | $103,540 | 7,970 | 1.31 | 0.92 |
| 47 | Kentucky profile | $37.90 | $78,830 | $61,280 | $98,770 | 2,070 | 1.04 | 0.72 |
| 48 | West Virginia profile | $35.50 | $73,840 | $59,950 | $83,430 | 1,250 | 1.78 | 1.25 |
| 49 | Mississippi profile | $32.35 | $67,280 | $58,810 | $83,320 | 1,140 | 0.98 | 0.68 |
| 50 | Alabama profile | $29.41 | $61,160 | $48,960 | $72,410 | 3,170 | 1.50 | 1.05 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (29-1290), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 29-1292 Dental Hygienists.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 29-1292, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 29-1292.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.