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Dental hygienist salaries vary across the United States. People in the lower range earn around $50,000 a year. People in the upper 10 percent earn between $90,000 and $100,000 a year.
Other factors to consider include benefits like sick leave, vacation time, and retirement contributions. These also vary by state and from employer to employer.
Regardless of where you live, the dental industry is expected to grow. The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects approximately 4,000 dental jobs will open up over the next decade, including hygienist positions.1
Dental hygienists assist with a variety of tasks. For example, they:
Dental hygienists must also be experts in:
| State | Annual mean wage |
| Alabama | 49,200 |
| Alaska | 115,050 |
| Arizona | 83,860 |
| Arkansas | 65,730 |
| California | 109,970 |
| Colorado | 87,140 |
| Connecticut | 85,610 |
| Delaware | 86,280 |
| District of Columbia | 94,650 |
| Florida | 67,870 |
| Georgia | 66,330 |
| Hawaii | 86,970 |
| Idaho | 76,670 |
| Illinois | 74,210 |
| Indiana | 72,640 |
| Iowa | 73,480 |
| Kansas | 69,790 |
| Kentucky | 61,140 |
| Louisiana | 69,980 |
| Maine | 68,110 |
| Maryland | 87,540 |
| Massachusetts | 84,850 |
| Michigan | 66,500 |
| Minnesota | 76,410 |
| Mississippi | 56,650 |
| Missouri | 69,730 |
| Montana | 77,010 |
| Nebraska | 70,650 |
| Nevada | 89,360 |
| New Hampshire | 82,150 |
| New Jersey | 88,150 |
| New Mexico | 78,410 |
| New York | 76,890 |
| North Carolina | 71,140 |
| North Dakota | 75,160 |
| Ohio | 68,880 |
| Oklahoma | 76,710 |
| Oregon | 86,450 |
| Pennsylvania | 69,470 |
| Rhode Island | 75,980 |
| South Carolina | 61,360 |
| South Dakota | 73,390 |
| Tennessee | 65,820 |
| Texas | 77,590 |
| Utah | 69,050 |
| Vermont | 74,010 |
| Virginia | 82,530 |
| Washington | 95,450 |
| West Virginia | 61,530 |
| Wisconsin | 70,020 |
| Wyoming | 66,280 |
| Area Name | Annual mean wage |
| Alaska | 115,050 |
| California | 109,970 |
| Colorado | 87,140 |
| District of Columbia | 94,650 |
| Hawaii | 86,970 |
| Maryland | 87,540 |
| Nevada | 89,360 |
| New Jersey | 88,150 |
| Oregon | 86,450 |
| Washington | 95,450 |
If you live in one of the top-paying states for dental hygienists, you can earn a comfortable salary in a rewarding field.
But keep in mind: Some of these states have higher costs of living. This means earning more might not be as significant as it seems when you consider housing costs and other expenses. This includes states like Hawaii, California, Alaska, and those along the East Coast.
In addition to the average salary, working as a dental hygienist has other benefits. Most importantly, they care for people and help them improve their oral health.
Being a dental hygienist is a social job. Many hygienists enjoy talking with their patients and catching up on what’s going on in their lives between visits.
Dental hygienists also have a significant amount of job security. Dental care is an ongoing concern for everyone. There will always be a need for teeth cleanings and other treatments. Many dental hygienists choose their careers for this reason.
Many hygienists also enjoy that they get to work in the dental industry without the expensive commitment of an advanced degree.
Requirements vary from state to state. But many hygienists enter their careers with an Associate’s Degree and several months of training from an accredited program. A dentist, on the other hand, requires at least 8 years of intense schooling.
Many dental hygiene programs even help with job placement upon completion. They provide access to ongoing job alerts for graduates.
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