The average annual salary for dental hygienists is nearing $100,000, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Here are seven stats to know on hygienists’ compensation in 2026.
- Across the U.S., dental hygienists earned an average annual wage of $98,990, with the average median wage coming in at $98,100.
- The highest hourly mean wage for dental hygienists in Washington is $63.24, the highest out of any state, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Washington is also the highest-paying state for hygienists when adjusted for cost of living.
- Dental hygienists have the highest-paying salaries working in clinical facilities and medical equipment manufacturing, where the profession averages an annual salary of $103,060.
- The average annual salary for dental hygienists has increased 21.6% over the last five years, rising from $81,360 in 2021 to $98,990 in 2025.
- Nevada saw the largest year-over-year increase in the average annual salary for dental hygienists from 2024 to 2025, climbing $5,100 to reach $114,360.
- Dental hygienists’ pay only saw a year-over-year decrease in Delaware, Hawaii and Washington, D.C.
- San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, Calif., is the highest-paying area for hygienists, with an average salary of $180,520.
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