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Last updated: 21 October 2026. Figures as of: BLS OEWS May 2025 (national, state and industry); BLS Employment Projections 2025–35; CODA 2025–26 Survey of Dental Hygiene Education Programs (ADA Health Policy Institute, 2026); JCNDE 2026 NBDHE Candidate Guide.
Written by WageNorth Editorial. Fact-check: pending human review.
Part 1 of 2: The verdict, dental hygienist salary by state and program cost
In this guide:
- The verdict, dental hygienist salary by state and program cost (this page)
- Pay by experience, schedule and employer, and how to get there: program length, cost and licensing
The numbers
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), dental hygienists earned a median of $98,100 a year ($47.16 an hour) in May 2025.
| Percentile (May 2025) | Annual pay |
|---|---|
| 10th | $74,880 |
| 25th | $83,570 |
| Median (50th) | $98,100 |
| 75th | $108,480 |
| 90th | $126,050 |
There were 222,740 dental hygienist jobs in the May 2025 OEWS survey. BLS projects employment to grow 8.0% from 2025 to 2035, much faster than average, with about 15,000 openings a year. The median for all occupations was $50,980.
The verdict
For most people who can get into an affordable public program and work full time, yes. The median hygienist earned $98,100 in May 2025, and the median total cost of a public program was about $22,000 in CODA’s 2025–26 survey. Even at the 25th percentile ($83,570), pay is well above the $50,980 median for all occupations.
It’s a weaker bet if you’d pay private-program prices, can only work part time, or plan to work in one of the lowest-paying states. All three cut into the payback, and together they can make it slow.
Salary by state, at a glance
| State | Median annual pay, May 2025 |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $137,220 |
| Alaska | $132,690 |
| Washington | $131,160 |
| California | $124,930 |
| Texas | $99,240 |
| Florida | $91,980 |
| Mississippi | $67,280 |
| Alabama | $61,160 |
The full table is below.
Program cost, at a glance
| Program type (CODA 2025–26) | Median total cost, in-district |
|---|---|
| Public | $21,977 |
| Private for-profit | $79,440 |
| Private nonprofit | $88,074 |
| All programs | $24,067 |
These are WageNorth’s medians from CODA’s program-level data; they may not include living costs (Part 2).
Three facts that temper the verdict
- The route usually takes about three years, not two. BLS says programs usually take 3 years to complete. Many programs also require college-level prerequisites before admission.
- Costs vary enormously. CODA’s survey shows total in-district costs from about $4,200 to over $220,000, so the program you choose matters more than the average.
- Many hygienists work part time. BLS says many work part time, and some work for more than one dentist. Annual pay depends heavily on how many days a week you can work.
How hygienist pay compares with other dental roles
Part of the case for the job is where it sits in the dental office. BLS figures for the three main clinical roles:
| BLS occupation | Median pay, May 2025 | Growth 2025–35 | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dental assistants | $48,070 | 7.4% | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Dental hygienists | $98,100 | 8.0% | Associate degree |
| Dentists, general | $170,950 | 5.7% | Doctoral or professional degree |
A hygienist earns about twice the dental assistant median after an associate-level program, while dentistry requires a doctoral degree. That middle position, with roughly two to three years of training for close to $100,000 at the median, is why the verdict above is positive for most people.
What drives pay
- State: medians range from $61,160 (Alabama) to $137,220 (District of Columbia). See the full table below.
- Hours: part-time schedules are common.
- Setting: almost all hygienists work in dentists’ offices, where the median was $98,280 (Part 2).
- Scope of practice: states set what hygienists may do, such as giving local anaesthesia, and supervision rules differ. This can affect the roles available.
General information, not legal, financial or immigration advice. Rules vary by state/province; check the official source or a licensed professional.
In short: yes for most people on a public-program budget working full time: the median is $98,100 against a public-program median cost of about $22,000. State, hours and program type decide how fast it pays off.
State medians, May 2025
| State | Median annual pay | Median hourly | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $137,220 | $65.97 | 320 |
| Alaska | $132,690 | $63.79 | 790 |
| Washington | $131,160 | $63.06 | 6,330 |
| California | $124,930 | $60.06 | 24,500 |
| Oregon | $122,080 | $58.69 | 3,600 |
| Nevada | $115,290 | $55.43 | 1,510 |
| Colorado | $109,580 | $52.68 | 4,270 |
| Maryland | $107,830 | $51.84 | 3,500 |
| New York | $106,130 | $51.03 | 13,660 |
| Texas | $99,240 | $47.71 | 16,380 |
| Illinois | $96,670 | $46.48 | 8,970 |
| Florida | $91,980 | $44.22 | 11,980 |
| Pennsylvania | $80,610 | $38.76 | 7,970 |
| Kentucky | $78,830 | $37.90 | 2,070 |
| West Virginia | $73,840 | $35.50 | 1,250 |
| Mississippi | $67,280 | $32.35 | 1,140 |
| Alabama | $61,160 | $29.41 | 3,170 |
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 state estimates (SOC 29-1292). The table shows the highest-paying areas, the five largest states by employment, and the lowest-paying states. BLS published estimates for 50 of the 51 state-level areas for this occupation.
Reading the gaps
- The West Coast dominates. Washington, California and Oregon are all above $120,000 at the median, and California has the most hygienists by far.
- The largest states vary. Texas ($99,240) is close to the national median, while Florida ($91,980) and Pennsylvania ($80,610) are below it.
- The South and Appalachia are lowest. Alabama’s median ($61,160) is less than half of DC’s.
Scope-of-practice and supervision rules differ by state, which may be one reason for the variation alongside living costs and local demand. BLS doesn’t estimate the causes, so treat these as possible explanations rather than measured effects.
Moving for pay? Check the license first
Licensure is state-by-state. If you plan to train in one state and work in another, check the destination state’s board requirements before you enrol: accepted clinical exams, any jurisprudence exam, and how licensure by credentials works for experienced hygienists. CareerOneStop’s license finder links to each state’s board.
Metro-level data
Pay can differ substantially within a state. The BLS OEWS site publishes metropolitan-area percentiles for dental hygienists, which give a better local benchmark than the state median.
State pay versus the national median
Measured against the national median of $98,100, DC is about 40% higher and Alabama about 38% lower (WageNorth calculations from BLS data). Seven areas have medians above $109,000: DC, Alaska, Washington, California, Oregon, Nevada and Colorado. Hourly figures matter here because of part-time work. Washington’s median hourly rate of $63.06 is more than double Alabama’s $29.41, so the same number of hours can produce very different annual incomes.
BLS also publishes OEWS estimates by metropolitan area, so you can look up dental hygienists (occupation code 29-1292) where you live for a closer local comparison.
In short: state medians range from about $61,000 to $137,000. Check your target state’s pay and licensing rules before choosing where to train.
