BLS dental hygienist pay by percentile and state, part-time and multi-office schedules, and take-home after 2026 tax
Dental hygienists earned a median of $47.16 an hour in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' count of 222,740. BLS also quotes $98,100 a year, but that assumes 2,080 hours, and many hygienists work part time, so the hourly rate is the number to compare. The bottom tenth earned under $36.00 and the top tenth over $60.60.
This is the BLS line for dental hygienists (SOC 29-1292) on employers' payrolls; dental assistants are a separate, lower-paid occupation. Take-home assumes a single filer with 2026 federal tax and FICA and no state tax.
| Pay level | Hourly | Annual | Monthly | Take-home a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $36.00 | $74,880 | $6,240 | $61,508 |
| 25th percentile | $40.18 | $83,570 | $6,964 | $67,621 |
| Median | $47.16 | $98,100 | $8,175 | $77,843 |
| 75th percentile | $52.16 | $108,480 | $9,040 | $85,146 |
| 90th percentile | $60.60 | $126,050 | $10,504 | $97,421 |
Hygienists in Washington, D.C. ($65.97), Alaska ($63.79) and Washington state ($63.06) earn more than twice Alabama's $29.41, the lowest. California, with the most hygienists, pays $60.06.
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $65.97 | $137,220 | 320 |
| Alaska | $63.79 | $132,690 | 790 |
| Washington | $63.06 | $131,160 | 6,330 |
| California | $60.06 | $124,930 | 24,500 |
| Oregon | $58.69 | $122,080 | 3,600 |
| Nevada | $55.43 | $115,290 | 1,510 |
| Colorado | $52.68 | $109,580 | 4,270 |
| Maryland | $51.84 | $107,830 | 3,500 |
| New Jersey | $51.46 | $107,040 | 7,230 |
| New York | $51.03 | $106,130 | 13,660 |
| Minnesota | $49.99 | $103,970 | 4,110 |
| Virginia | $49.50 | $102,950 | 3,770 |
| New Hampshire | $48.68 | $101,250 | 1,360 |
| Arizona | $48.56 | $101,010 | 4,530 |
| Connecticut | $48.41 | $100,690 | 3,240 |
| Massachusetts | $48.39 | $100,640 | 6,850 |
| Texas | $47.71 | $99,240 | 16,380 |
| Delaware | $47.55 | $98,910 | 750 |
| Montana | $47.33 | $98,440 | 860 |
| North Carolina | $47.04 | $97,850 | 6,690 |
| Maine | $46.96 | $97,680 | 1,060 |
| Hawaii | $46.91 | $97,570 | 830 |
| Oklahoma | $46.91 | $97,580 | 2,860 |
| Vermont | $46.86 | $97,470 | 560 |
| Illinois | $46.48 | $96,670 | 8,970 |
| Wisconsin | $46.41 | $96,540 | 5,080 |
| New Mexico | $46.12 | $95,940 | 1,420 |
| Georgia | $45.91 | $95,490 | 7,440 |
| Idaho | $45.51 | $94,650 | 2,060 |
| Missouri | $44.59 | $92,750 | 3,810 |
| Nebraska | $44.51 | $92,580 | 1,280 |
| Indiana | $44.39 | $92,330 | 5,020 |
| South Dakota | $44.33 | $92,210 | 630 |
| Florida | $44.22 | $91,980 | 11,980 |
| Utah | $43.81 | $91,120 | 3,780 |
| North Dakota | $43.53 | $90,530 | 660 |
| Ohio | $42.78 | $88,990 | 8,630 |
| Rhode Island | $41.78 | $86,910 | 770 |
| Arkansas | $41.71 | $86,760 | 1,740 |
| Louisiana | $40.98 | $85,240 | 2,690 |
| Wyoming | $40.93 | $85,130 | 500 |
| Tennessee | $40.69 | $84,640 | 4,570 |
| South Carolina | $40.55 | $84,340 | 3,160 |
| Iowa | $40.39 | $84,010 | 2,440 |
| Michigan | $40.28 | $83,790 | 8,640 |
| Pennsylvania | $38.76 | $80,610 | 7,970 |
| Kentucky | $37.90 | $78,830 | 2,070 |
| West Virginia | $35.50 | $73,840 | 1,250 |
| Mississippi | $32.35 | $67,280 | 1,140 |
| Alabama | $29.41 | $61,160 | 3,170 |
Dentists' offices employ 94% of hygienists (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook), at a median of $98,280. Physicians' offices pay $91,160 and government clinics $80,830.
| Industry | Median annual wage |
|---|---|
| Offices of dentists | $98,280 |
| Offices of physicians | $91,160 |
| Government, excluding state and local education and hospitals | $80,830 |
Many dental hygienists work part time: dentists may hire a hygienist for only a few days a week, so some work for more than one dentist (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook). That makes the annual figure misleading for many hygienists — BLS's annual wage is the hourly rate times 2,080 hours. Set your real weekly hours in the calculator to see what the hourly rate means for your year.
Hourly hygienists are non-exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act and owed time and a half after 40 hours a week with one employer (U.S. Department of Labor). Part-time hygienists working a few days a week at one practice rarely reach that line.
Hygienists usually need an associate's degree in dental hygiene from a program that typically takes 3 years, and every state requires a license — generally the accredited degree plus written and clinical exams, with continuing education to keep it; many jobs also require CPR certification (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook). Hygienists in research, teaching and public health usually need a bachelor's or master's.
More ways to work with your dental hygienist pay:
$47.16 an hour ($98,100 a year) at the BLS median for May 2025. The middle half earned $40.18 to $52.16 an hour.
District of Columbia ($65.97 an hour, $137,220 a year), then Alaska and Washington; Alabama pays least among the 50 states where BLS released a figure (BLS, May 2025).
Multiply the hourly rate by the hours you actually work. At the BLS median, three 8-hour days a week for 50 weeks is shown in the worked example on this page; enter your own days in the calculator.
Hourly hygienists are non-exempt under the FLSA and owed time and a half after 40 hours in a workweek with their employer (U.S. Department of Labor). Many hygienists work part time, so they rarely reach it.
Tax rules, limits and pay data change. Check the current figures with the primary source before acting on them.