The average annual salary of dental hygienists in the states where dental hygienists earn the most has increased by nearly $10,000 over the past five years, a similar increase to the U.S. average for the profession.
In 2019, the average salary for dental hygienists in the U.S. was $77,230, with hygienists earning the most in Alaska with an annual salary of $114,790. The mean annual wage increased to $89,890 in 2023, and hygienists earned $123,510 in Washington, the state with the highest annual wage.
Dental hygienists earned the most in Alaska from 2019 to 2022 and Washington in 2023.
The top five states where hygienists have had the highest salary remained fairly consistent, with Alaska, California and Washington ranking in the top five each year, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In total, there were six states plus Washington, D.C., that ranked in the top five from 2019 to 2023.
Here are the five states where dental hygienists earned the most each year from 2019 to 2023:
1. Alaska: $114,790
2. California: $106,240
3. District of Columbia: $102,380
4. Washington: $93,200
5. Oregon: $87,270
1. Alaska: $115,050
2. California: $109,970
3. Washington: $95,450
4. District of Columbia: $94,650
5. Nevada: $89,360
1. Alaska: $115,510
2. California: $108,200
3. Washington: $106,200
4. Oregon: $94,420
5. Nevada: $89,460
1. Alaska: $113,770
2. California: $111,580
3. Washington: $111,430
4. Oregon: $95,360
5. New Jersey: $94,610
1. Washington: $123,510
2. California: $118,330
3. Alaska: $115,980
4. District of Columbia: $113,600
5. Oregon: $103,440