Dental Hygienist Salary by State (May 2025 BLS Data)
By The College Match Editorial Team · Data: May 2025 · Updated October 2026
Dental hygienists earn a median of $98,100 a year nationally, but pay depends heavily on location: from $61,160 in Alabama to $137,220 in District of Columbia.
Dental hygienists clean teeth, examine patients for signs of oral disease and teach patients about oral health. The table below covers 49 states and DC (BLS does not publish figures for the rest), using the latest wage survey from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
U.S. median
$98,100
Highest: District of Columbia
$137,220
Lowest: Alabama
$61,160
Employed in the U.S.
222,740
Dental Hygienist pay in every state
Sorted by median annual wage. "Typical range" is the 10th to 90th percentile: 80% of dental hygienists in the state earn within it.
| Rank | State | Median | Average | Typical range | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $137,220 | $127,910 | $86,120 – $155,840 | 320 |
| 2 | Alaska | $132,690 | $122,560 | $60,590 – $138,840 | 790 |
| 3 | Washington | $131,160 | $131,530 | $107,090 – $162,050 | 6,330 |
| 4 | California | $124,930 | $128,110 | $102,090 – $151,920 | 24,500 |
| 5 | Oregon | $122,080 | $120,470 | $104,530 – $134,120 | 3,600 |
| 6 | Nevada | $115,290 | $114,360 | $99,800 – $129,460 | 1,510 |
| 7 | Colorado | $109,580 | $110,030 | $95,680 – $128,900 | 4,270 |
| 8 | Maryland | $107,830 | $109,090 | $85,440 – $122,740 | 3,500 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $107,040 | $104,410 | $94,260 – $117,730 | 7,230 |
| 10 | New York | $106,130 | $103,640 | $77,680 – $126,640 | 13,660 |
| 11 | Minnesota | $103,970 | $103,830 | $82,110 – $120,270 | 4,110 |
| 12 | Virginia | $102,950 | $105,120 | $86,730 – $125,560 | 3,770 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $101,250 | $102,640 | $86,400 – $122,980 | 1,360 |
| 14 | Arizona | $101,010 | $101,450 | $91,480 – $121,910 | 4,530 |
| 15 | Connecticut | $100,690 | $98,720 | $87,190 – $106,020 | 3,240 |
| 16 | Massachusetts | $100,640 | $102,160 | $93,510 – $117,380 | 6,850 |
| 17 | Texas | $99,240 | $96,240 | $71,530 – $117,890 | 16,380 |
| 18 | Delaware | $98,910 | $100,660 | $93,580 – $112,940 | 750 |
| 19 | Montana | $98,440 | $96,730 | $83,060 – $104,780 | 860 |
| 20 | North Carolina | $97,850 | $93,640 | $77,270 – $103,850 | 6,690 |
| 21 | Maine | $97,680 | $96,440 | $83,420 – $108,680 | 1,060 |
| 22 | Oklahoma | $97,580 | $98,000 | $81,290 – $119,760 | 2,860 |
| 23 | Hawaii | $97,570 | $93,660 | $78,800 – $104,000 | 830 |
| 24 | Vermont | $97,470 | $97,540 | $81,010 – $110,010 | 560 |
| 25 | Illinois | $96,670 | $91,820 | $74,280 – $118,410 | 8,970 |
| 26 | Wisconsin | $96,540 | $94,180 | $80,370 – $110,240 | 5,080 |
| 27 | New Mexico | $95,940 | $94,890 | $82,180 – $105,440 | 1,420 |
| 28 | Georgia | $95,490 | $91,220 | $74,610 – $103,650 | 7,440 |
| 29 | Idaho | $94,650 | $95,500 | $85,610 – $103,340 | 2,060 |
| 30 | Missouri | $92,750 | $88,430 | $59,880 – $99,400 | 3,810 |
| 31 | Nebraska | $92,580 | $88,990 | $67,600 – $98,080 | 1,280 |
| 32 | Indiana | $92,330 | $89,660 | $74,970 – $102,280 | 5,020 |
| 33 | South Dakota | $92,210 | $89,180 | $73,480 – $98,290 | 630 |
| 34 | Florida | $91,980 | $88,320 | $75,960 – $99,040 | 11,980 |
| 35 | Utah | $91,120 | $87,770 | $78,830 – $99,570 | 3,780 |
| 36 | North Dakota | $90,530 | $89,750 | $82,890 – $98,530 | 660 |
| 37 | Ohio | $88,990 | $89,900 | $76,260 – $102,950 | 8,630 |
| 38 | Rhode Island | $86,910 | $88,660 | $83,800 – $100,520 | 770 |
| 39 | Arkansas | $86,760 | $85,660 | $62,170 – $97,730 | 1,740 |
| 40 | Louisiana | $85,240 | $83,160 | $49,900 – $98,330 | 2,690 |
| 41 | Wyoming | $85,130 | $82,320 | $61,020 – $99,350 | 500 |
| 42 | Tennessee | $84,640 | $87,420 | $76,190 – $98,300 | 4,570 |
| 43 | South Carolina | $84,340 | $84,980 | $65,700 – $97,220 | 3,160 |
| 44 | Iowa | $84,010 | $86,640 | $78,320 – $95,810 | 2,440 |
| 45 | Michigan | $83,790 | $85,940 | $77,230 – $96,970 | 8,640 |
| 46 | Pennsylvania | $80,610 | $84,260 | $63,130 – $103,540 | 7,970 |
| 47 | Kentucky | $78,830 | $78,950 | $61,280 – $98,770 | 2,070 |
| 48 | West Virginia | $73,840 | $71,290 | $59,950 – $83,430 | 1,250 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $67,280 | $68,630 | $58,810 – $83,320 | 1,140 |
| 50 | Alabama | $61,160 | $60,850 | $48,960 – $72,410 | 3,170 |
| United States | $98,100 | $98,990 | $74,880 – $126,050 | 222,740 |
Common questions
How much do dental hygienists make in the U.S.?
The national median annual wage for dental hygienists was $98,100 in May 2025, with an average of $98,990. The middle 80% earned between $74,880 and $126,050.
Which state pays dental hygienists the most?
District of Columbia has the highest median wage at $137,220 a year. Of the 50 areas (states plus DC) with published figures, 19 pay above the national median.
Which state pays dental hygienists the least?
Alabama has the lowest median wage at $61,160 a year. Lower pay often comes with a lower cost of living, so compare against local living costs.
Which state employs the most dental hygienists?
California employs the most, about 24,500.
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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025, occupation code 29-1292. Figures are annual wages for employed dental hygienists and exclude the self-employed. Some states' figures are not published by BLS and show as n/a. See our editorial standards for how we build these pages.