The mean annual wage for dental hygienists varied by more than $35,000 across different regions in the U.S., according to Dentalpost's Dental Salary Survey for 2024.
The report surveyed 933 full-time registered dental hygienists, who reported an annual income ranging from $30,000 to $190,000.
The average annual wage for hygienists across the country was $79,340, a year-over-year increase of 7.57%.
The highest-paying region was the Pacific, where dental hygienists had a mean annual wage of $99,388, which is $36,620 more than the $62,768 dental hygienists made in the East South Central region.
Here is the average mean income of dental hygienists across nine U.S. regions, starting with the highest-paying area:
- Pacific region (Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington): $99,388
- Mid-Atlantic region (New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania): $82,993
- Mountain region (Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming): $80,689
- West South Central region (Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas): $78,869
- Northeast region (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont): $78,021
- West North Central region (Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota): $77,458
- South Atlantic region (District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia): $77,042
- East North Central region (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin): $72,611
- East South Central region (Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee): $62,768