2027 Salary Guide · Healthcare · Dental
A full-time dental hygienist at the national median earned $98,100 in May 2025, according to BLS, which works out to $47.16 an hour. At current wage growth that is about $104,500 in 2027. Location matters more than almost anything else: the San Francisco Bay Area median is $146,760, roughly $70,800 above Pittsburgh's.
Local pay
The five highest medians among the 29 metros are all on the West Coast: the Bay Area ($146,760), Seattle ($133,740), San Diego ($123,790), Portland ($123,100) and Los Angeles ($122,980). New York has the most hygienists, about 14,230, at a $109,720 median. Pittsburgh is lowest at $75,960, with Buffalo and Miami close behind.
| Metro area | Median | 10th – 90th | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco Bay Area | $146,760 +50% | $109,460 – $156,580 | 3,780 |
| Seattle | $133,740 +36% | $127,620 – $162,850 | 3,500 |
| San Diego | $123,790 +26% | $108,320 – $130,530 | 1,940 |
| Portland | $123,100 +25% | $107,650 – $147,470 | 2,380 |
| Los Angeles | $122,980 +25% | $56,800 – $137,310 | 7,940 |
| Washington, DC | $119,170 +21% | $94,290 – $132,000 | 2,200 |
| Baltimore | $116,130 +18% | $102,750 – $125,040 | 1,900 |
| Denver | $113,760 +16% | $100,890 – $128,020 | 2,100 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | $112,630 +15% | $86,000 – $122,180 | 2,590 |
| New York City | $109,720 +12% | $85,460 – $126,640 | 14,230 |
| Metro area | Median | 10th – 90th | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austin | $105,480 +8% | $58,120 – $120,420 | 1,270 |
| Houston | $104,930 +7% | $85,550 – $108,590 | 3,060 |
| Phoenix | $102,520 +5% | $96,010 – $121,910 | 3,240 |
| Boston | $101,990 +4% | $95,860 – $117,570 | 5,150 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | $101,870 +4% | $50,190 – $120,060 | 7,050 |
| Philadelphia | $100,820 +3% | $83,590 – $103,920 | 4,180 |
| Atlanta | $100,370 +2% | $81,140 – $114,360 | 4,710 |
| Chicago | $100,260 +2% | $74,280 – $118,410 | 6,470 |
| Hartford | $98,950 +1% | $96,950 – $110,340 | 1,170 |
| Raleigh | $98,800 +1% | $74,940 – $105,730 | 1,220 |
| Charlotte | $98,390 +0% | $92,120 – $103,760 | 1,910 |
| Albany | $98,030 +-0% | $79,920 – $103,990 | 730 |
| Tampa | $95,870 -2% | $79,040 – $98,990 | 1,670 |
| Nashville | $94,030 -4% | $80,170 – $98,530 | 1,490 |
| Providence | $89,310 -9% | $83,140 – $104,280 | 1,250 |
| Detroit | $84,480 -14% | $78,620 – $97,230 | 3,780 |
| Miami | $82,780 -16% | $76,640 – $99,040 | 3,460 |
| Buffalo | $82,470 -16% | $62,720 – $98,540 | 760 |
| Pittsburgh | $75,960 -23% | $63,790 – $80,710 | 1,580 |
BLS metro estimates, May 2025. Percent compares the metro median with the national median. "Jobs" is BLS estimated employment in the metro; blank where BLS does not publish it.
What moves pay
The core work is set by the license, so the differences come mostly from outside the operatory.
Every state licenses hygienists and the requirements vary by state. A move across state lines usually means a new license application, and the metro table shows how far apart pay sits on either side of those lines.
BLS notes that dentists may hire hygienists for only a few days a week and that some hygienists work for more than one dentist. Total annual pay depends on stitching those days together.
O*NET lists administering local anesthetic among hygienist tasks, but what a hygienist may do is set by each state. Where scope is broader, a hygienist can take on more of the schedule, which practices tend to value.
Part-time and multi-office arrangements may not come with the benefits of a full-time position. Compare total compensation, not the hourly figure alone.
Pay distribution
The middle half of hygienists sit within about $25,000 of each other. Compared with many clinical roles the spread is narrow. Most hygienists do similar licensed work in a similar setting: BLS says nearly all of them work in dentists' offices.
Typical for the Dental Hygienist title: $83,570 to $108,480 (25th to 75th percentile of Dental Hygienists)
| Percentile | BLS, May 2025 | 2027 planning estimate |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $74,880 | $79,500 |
| 25th percentile | $83,570 | $89,000 |
| Median | $98,100 | $104,500 |
| 75th percentile | $108,480 | $115,500 |
| 90th percentile | $126,050 | $134,000 |
Hourly view
Many hygienists work part time or split the week between offices, so offers are often quoted by the hour. These are the BLS annual figures converted to an hourly rate.
| Benchmark | Annual pay | Hourly equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $74,880 | $36.00 |
| 25th percentile | $83,570 | $40.18 |
| Median | $98,100 | $47.16 |
| 75th percentile | $108,480 | $52.16 |
| 90th percentile | $126,050 | $60.60 |
| 2027 planning median | $104,500 | $50.24 |
| Bay Area median | $146,760 | $70.56 |
BLS OEWS annual figures assume a full-time, year-round schedule of 2,080 hours; hourly equivalents are annual pay divided by 2,080. A hygienist working three days a week earns proportionally less per year.
Outlook
BLS projects much faster than average growth, with about 15,000 openings a year across 225,300 jobs. BLS reports that nearly all hygienists work in dentists' offices, about 94% in its industry table.
BLS Employment Projections via O*NET OnLine. Projections cover Dental Hygienists as a whole.
For dental practices
Candidates compare by the hour. Show the rate, the expected days per week, and what that adds up to over a year.
A Seattle or Bay Area offer set at the $98,100 national median sits far below local pay. Use the city table.
Licensure is state by state. A hygienist licensed elsewhere may need weeks or months before starting.
Fixed days, a rotating schedule, or a share with another office: candidates who already work two offices need to know whether yours fits.
Compare
At the median, hygienists edge out registered nurses ($97,550) and earn well above radiologic technologists ($80,110) and medical assistants ($45,690). General dentists earn about $72,850 more.
| Role | BLS median | 2027 estimate | Outlook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dental Hygienist | $98,100 | $104,500 | Much faster than average |
| Dentist | $170,950 | $181,500 | Faster than average |
| Registered Nurse | $97,550 | $103,500 | Faster than average |
| Radiologic Technologist | $80,110 | $85,000 | Faster than average |
| Medical Assistant | $45,690 | $48,500 | Much faster than average |
FAQ
The BLS median for dental hygienists was $98,100 a year in May 2025, which is $47.16 an hour on a 2,080-hour full-time year. The 10th percentile works out to $36.00 an hour and the 90th to $60.60. In the San Francisco Bay Area, the highest-paying metro in this guide, the median is about $70.56 an hour.
BLS reports medians rather than simple averages for this guide. The median registered dental hygienist earned $98,100 in May 2025, and the middle half earned between $83,570 and $108,480. Adding two years of wage growth at 3.1% a year gives a 2027 planning median of about $104,500.
BLS does not publish starting pay, but the 10th percentile, a reasonable stand-in for entry offers, was $74,880 in May 2025 and the 25th percentile was $83,570. New graduates in West Coast metros start from a higher base: Pittsburgh's median of $75,960 is close to the national 10th percentile, while Seattle's is $133,740.
Among the 29 metros in this guide, the San Francisco Bay Area had the highest median at $146,760 in May 2025, followed by Seattle ($133,740), San Diego ($123,790), Portland ($123,100) and Los Angeles ($122,980). The lowest were Pittsburgh ($75,960), Buffalo ($82,470) and Miami ($82,780).
Yes on the license, and usually an associate's degree. BLS says every state requires dental hygienists to be licensed and that requirements vary by state. Hygienists typically need an associate's degree in dental hygiene, and licensing usually requires a degree from an accredited program plus written and clinical exams. Continuing education is required to keep the license.
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