The publication ranked all 50 states in its “Best States” rankings using eight metrics, including healthcare. The healthcare category was broken up into three metrics: healthcare access, healthcare quality and public health. Read more on the methodology here.
Salary data for dental hygienists is from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which released updated compensation data April 3 to reflect May 2023 information, the latest available.
Here is the mean annual salary for dental hygienists in the 10 worst states for healthcare:
1. Mississippi: $62,120
2. Oklahoma: $91,280
3. West Virginia: $68,820
4. Arkansas: $78,040
5. Louisiana: $78,980
6. Missouri: $79,740
7. Alabama: $54,460
8. South Dakota: $81,330
9. Tennessee: $75,920
10. Indiana: $82,800
