Dental Hygienist Salary in 2026: Hourly Pay, Take-Home and Pay by State
Last updated 10/31/2026 by
SuperMoney Team
Edited by
Andrew Latham
Summary:
The median dental hygienist earns $98,100 a year ($47.16 an hour), according to May 2025 BLS data. After 2026 federal taxes, that’s about $6,487 a month for a single filer. Pay ranges from a median of $61,160 in Alabama to $137,220 in Washington, D.C..
Data as of: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates, the most recent release. Take-home figures use 2026 federal tax rules. Updated October 2026.
Picture two dental hygienists doing the exact same day: eight cleanings, a round of X-rays, the same flossing pep talk. The one in Washington state earns a median of $131,160 a year. The one in Alabama earns a median of $61,160. Same license, same work, and one earns more than twice as much.
Nationally, the median dental hygienist earns $98,100 a year, or $47.16 an hour, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the federal agency that tracks pay for every major job. That’s almost double the $50,980 median for all U.S. workers. Here’s what that looks like by the hour, after taxes and in every state.
How much does a dental hygienist make?
| Pay period | Median | Average (mean) |
|---|---|---|
| Hourly | $47.16 | $47.59 |
| Weekly | $1,887 | $1,904 |
| Every two weeks | $3,773 | $3,807 |
| Monthly | $8,175 | $8,249 |
| Yearly | $98,100 | $98,990 |
The median is the middle: half of dental hygienists earn more and half earn less. The average is higher because top earners pull it up. Figures are for wage and salary workers and don’t include self-employed dental hygienists, tips, overtime premiums or benefits. About 222,740 dental hygienists were on payrolls in May 2025.
Want to see the same math for any pay rate? Our hourly to salary chart converts every rate from $7.25 to $100 an hour, and $47 an hour a year and $98,000 a year an hour break down the numbers closest to this job.
Dental Hygienist pay range: entry level to top earners
| Percentile | Annual pay | Hourly pay |
|---|---|---|
| Bottom 10% | $74,880 | $36.00 |
| 25th percentile | $83,570 | $40.18 |
| Median (50th) | $98,100 | $47.16 |
| 75th percentile | $108,480 | $52.15 |
| Top 10% | $126,050 | $60.60 |
Part-time is common, so think in hourly pay
The BLS notes that many dental hygienists work part time, and some split their week between two or three practices. That makes the hourly rate the number to negotiate. At the median $47.16, three eight-hour days a week comes to about $58,856 a year. Four days comes to about $78,474.
The catch: benefits like paid time off, health insurance and a retirement match often go only to full-time staff. If you’re part time at two offices, price in the benefits you’re paying for yourself. For a sense of what the dentists you work with earn, see how much dentists make by state.
Dental Hygienist take-home pay in 2026
A $98,100 salary doesn’t land in your checking account as $98,100. Here’s what a single filer at the median keeps after federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare, using 2026 tax brackets and the $16,100 standard deduction.
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Gross pay | $98,100 |
| Federal income tax | -$12,752 |
| Social Security and Medicare (FICA) | -$7,505 |
| Take-home pay, yearly | $77,843 |
| Take-home pay, monthly | $6,487 |
| Take-home pay, every two weeks | $2,994 |
That’s an all-in federal rate of about 20.6%, with each extra dollar taxed at 22% plus 7.65% FICA. State income tax comes out on top of this, from 0% in states like Texas, Florida and Washington to more than 5% of income in high-tax states. Pre-tax 401(k) and health insurance contributions lower your tax bill but also your paycheck.
Dental Hygienist salary by state
Median pay by state, highest to lowest. State medians reflect local demand and cost of living, so a higher number doesn’t always mean more money left over. The BLS doesn’t publish a dental hygienist median for 1 states.
| State | Median annual pay | Approx. hourly | vs. U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington, D.C. | $137,220 | $65.97 | +40% |
| Alaska | $132,690 | $63.79 | +35% |
| Washington | $131,160 | $63.06 | +34% |
| California | $124,930 | $60.06 | +27% |
| Oregon | $122,080 | $58.69 | +24% |
| Nevada | $115,290 | $55.43 | +18% |
| Colorado | $109,580 | $52.68 | +12% |
| Maryland | $107,830 | $51.84 | +10% |
| New Jersey | $107,040 | $51.46 | +9% |
| New York | $106,130 | $51.02 | +8% |
| Minnesota | $103,970 | $49.99 | +6% |
| Virginia | $102,950 | $49.50 | +5% |
| New Hampshire | $101,250 | $48.68 | +3% |
| Arizona | $101,010 | $48.56 | +3% |
| Connecticut | $100,690 | $48.41 | +3% |
| Massachusetts | $100,640 | $48.38 | +3% |
| Texas | $99,240 | $47.71 | +1% |
| Delaware | $98,910 | $47.55 | +1% |
| Montana | $98,440 | $47.33 | +0% |
| North Carolina | $97,850 | $47.04 | -0% |
| Maine | $97,680 | $46.96 | -0% |
| Oklahoma | $97,580 | $46.91 | -1% |
| Hawaii | $97,570 | $46.91 | -1% |
| Vermont | $97,470 | $46.86 | -1% |
| Illinois | $96,670 | $46.48 | -1% |
| Wisconsin | $96,540 | $46.41 | -2% |
| New Mexico | $95,940 | $46.12 | -2% |
| Georgia | $95,490 | $45.91 | -3% |
| Idaho | $94,650 | $45.50 | -4% |
| Missouri | $92,750 | $44.59 | -5% |
| Nebraska | $92,580 | $44.51 | -6% |
| Indiana | $92,330 | $44.39 | -6% |
| South Dakota | $92,210 | $44.33 | -6% |
| Florida | $91,980 | $44.22 | -6% |
| Utah | $91,120 | $43.81 | -7% |
| North Dakota | $90,530 | $43.52 | -8% |
| Ohio | $88,990 | $42.78 | -9% |
| Rhode Island | $86,910 | $41.78 | -11% |
| Arkansas | $86,760 | $41.71 | -12% |
| Louisiana | $85,240 | $40.98 | -13% |
| Wyoming | $85,130 | $40.93 | -13% |
| Tennessee | $84,640 | $40.69 | -14% |
| South Carolina | $84,340 | $40.55 | -14% |
| Iowa | $84,010 | $40.39 | -14% |
| Michigan | $83,790 | $40.28 | -15% |
| Pennsylvania | $80,610 | $38.75 | -18% |
| Kentucky | $78,830 | $37.90 | -20% |
| West Virginia | $73,840 | $35.50 | -25% |
| Mississippi | $67,280 | $32.35 | -31% |
| Alabama | $61,160 | $29.40 | -38% |
Where dental hygienists earn the most
| Industry | Median annual pay |
|---|---|
| Offices of dentists | $98,280 |
| Outpatient care centers | $94,880 |
Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, median pay in the top industries employing dental hygienists, May 2025.
How to budget on a dental hygienist salary
Start with the take-home number, not the salary. At the median, that’s about $6,487 a month. A simple 50/30/20 split looks like this:
| Bucket | Share | Monthly amount |
|---|---|---|
| Needs (rent, utilities, groceries, insurance, minimum debt payments) | 50% | $3,243 |
| Wants (eating out, travel, subscriptions) | 30% | $1,946 |
| Savings and extra debt payoff | 20% | $1,297 |
If rent alone eats most of the $3,243 needs bucket, that’s the signal to trim wants or find a roommate, not to stop saving. The SuperMoney app makes this easier: link your checking, credit cards and loans, and it sorts your spending into categories so you can see which bucket is overflowing. It flags subscriptions you forgot about and tracks your net worth month to month. You can also ask Sense AI, the app’s built-in money coach, questions like “Can I afford a $2,000 apartment on my pay?” Get it on the App Store or Google Play.
Saving that 20% is what turns a good salary into wealth. To see where you stand, compare yourself with the median net worth by age and check how much you should have in your 401(k).
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Frequently asked questions
How much does a dental hygienist make an hour?
The median dental hygienist earns $47.16 an hour, based on May 2025 BLS data. The middle half earn between $40.18 and $52.15 an hour.
What is the starting salary for a dental hygienist?
The BLS doesn’t track starting pay directly. The bottom 10% of dental hygienists earn under $74,880 and the bottom 25% earn under $83,570, which is a reasonable range for new dental hygienists.
Which state pays dental hygienists the most?
Washington, D.C. has the highest median at $137,220, followed by Alaska ($132,690) and Washington ($131,160). Alabama has the lowest at $61,160. High-paying states often have a higher cost of living, so compare pay to rent before you move.
How much does a dental hygienist take home after taxes?
A single filer earning the $98,100 median takes home about $77,843 a year, or $6,487 a month, after federal income tax and FICA in 2026, before any state income tax or pre-tax deductions.
Do dental hygienists make more than dental assistants?
Yes, by a wide margin. Hygienists need an associate’s degree and a state license, and the median hygienist earns about twice the $48,070 median for dental assistants, based on May 2025 BLS data.
Is the job outlook good for dental hygienists?
The BLS projects employment of dental hygienists to grow 8% from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3% for all occupations.
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