Dental Hygienist Salary 2026 — Take-Home Pay by State
Dental hygienists provide preventive oral care including cleanings, X-rays, and patient education, working under dentist supervision in private practices, DSOs, and clinical settings.
US Average
$98,990
BLS, May 2025
Best State (Net)
$101,167
Washington
Take-Home TX
$76,535
on $96,240 · No state tax
Job Growth
7%
Source: BLS, May 2025 · Dental Hygienists (SOC 29-1292)
Key Facts — Dental Hygienist 2026
BLS median: $87,530 (BLS May 2023 OES) — strong relative to associate-degree professions
CA RDHAP license allows independent practice in certain settings — unique to CA
Coastal urban shortage drives signing bonuses and wage growth since 2020
DSO consolidation (Heartland, Aspen, Pacific Dental Services) is structural
Industry physical demands limit long-term career sustainability
US Pay Range
Pay percentiles for Dental Hygienists across the US (BLS, May 2025), with the estimated take-home in Texas.
Bottom 10%
$74,880
gross/year
Est. take-home (TX):
$61,508
25th percentile
$83,570
gross/year
Est. take-home (TX):
$67,621
Median
$98,100
gross/year
Est. take-home (TX):
$77,843
75th percentile
$108,480
gross/year
Est. take-home (TX):
$85,146
Top 10%
$126,050
gross/year
Est. take-home (TX):
$97,421
Specialties & Salary Premiums
| Specialty | Est. Salary | Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Periodontal Specialty Hygienist | $97,750 | +15% |
| Senior Hygienist (CA Coastal) | $110,500 | +30% |
| Pediatric Hygienist | $93,500 | +10% |
| Public Health Hygienist | $80,750 | -5% |
| Travel Hygienist | $110,500 | +30% |
| Educator / Faculty | $89,250 | +5% |
Best States for Dental Hygienists — Real Take-Home Pay
Ranked by estimated take-home pay (single filer, no additional deductions). The highest gross salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.
▲Top 5 — Highest Take-Home
Dental Hygienist Salary by State — All 50 States
BLS average pay in each state (BLS, May 2025) and the estimated take-home for a single filer with no additional deductions. BLS publishes no figure for 1 state: they show the US average, marked "US figure", at the end of the table. Click any state for the full breakdown.
| State | Average Pay (BLS) | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|
| $131,530 | $101,167 | |
| $122,560 | $95,036 | |
| $128,110 | $89,495 | |
| $114,360 | $89,282 | |
| $120,470 | $84,378 | |
| $110,030 | $82,103 | |
| $102,640 | $81,037 | |
| $109,090 | $78,327 | |
| $101,450 | $78,066 | |
10Virginia | $105,120 | $77,552 |
| $104,410 | $77,383 | |
| $96,240 | $76,535 | |
| $103,830 | $76,337 | |
14New York | $103,640 | $76,223 |
| $102,160 | $75,812 | |
16Delaware | $100,660 | $74,342 |
17Oklahoma | $98,000 | $73,909 |
18Vermont | $97,540 | $73,536 |
| $98,720 | $73,375 | |
20Montana | $96,730 | $72,775 |
| $94,890 | $72,266 | |
22Idaho | $95,500 | $72,061 |
23Maine | $96,440 | $71,801 |
| $89,180 | $71,568 | |
| $89,750 | $71,500 | |
| $93,640 | $71,478 | |
| $94,180 | $71,004 | |
| $88,320 | $70,963 | |
| $87,420 | $70,330 | |
30Ohio | $89,900 | $70,038 |
31Indiana | $89,660 | $69,290 |
32Georgia | $91,220 | $69,200 |
33Illinois | $91,820 | $69,025 |
34Hawaii | $93,660 | $69,015 |
35Nebraska | $88,990 | $68,265 |
36Missouri | $88,430 | $67,897 |
| $88,660 | $67,519 | |
38Iowa | $86,640 | $67,141 |
| $82,320 | $66,742 | |
40Utah | $87,770 | $66,732 |
41Arkansas | $85,660 | $66,410 |
42Michigan | $85,940 | $65,887 |
| $84,260 | $65,520 | |
| $84,980 | $65,294 | |
| $83,160 | $65,213 | |
46Kentucky | $78,950 | $61,726 |
| $71,290 | $56,607 | |
| $68,630 | $55,098 | |
49Alabama | $60,850 | $48,527 |
50Kansas | $98,990US figure | $73,746 |
Maximize Your Take-Home
401(k) — $24,500 max
Reduces taxable income dollar-for-dollar
HSA — $4,400 single
Triple tax advantage — deductible, grows tax-free, tax-free withdrawals
FSA — $3,300 max
Medical expenses with pre-tax dollars
State consideration
Moving to TX, FL, WA can save $5,000–$15,000/year in taxes
Calculate Your Exact Take-Home as a Dental Hygienist
Add 401(k), HSA, dependents, and more to see your personalized take-home in your state.
Open Calculator →Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to common questions about your taxes and our calculator.
Dental Hygienist Salary by State — Detailed Pages
Alabama
$48,527
net
AlaskaNo state tax
$95,036
net
Arizona
$78,066
net
Arkansas
$66,410
net
California
$89,495
net
Colorado
$82,103
net
Connecticut
$73,375
net
Delaware
$74,342
net
FloridaNo state tax
$70,963
net
Georgia
$69,200
net
Hawaii
$69,015
net
Idaho
$72,061
net
Illinois
$69,025
net
Indiana
$69,290
net
Iowa
$67,141
net
Kansas
$73,746
net
Kentucky
$61,726
net
Louisiana
$65,213
net
Maine
$71,801
net
Maryland
$78,327
net
Massachusetts
$75,812
net
Michigan
$65,887
net
Minnesota
$76,337
net
Mississippi
$55,098
net
Missouri
$67,897
net
Montana
$72,775
net
Nebraska
$68,265
net
NevadaNo state tax
$89,282
net
New HampshireNo state tax
$81,037
net
New Jersey
$77,383
net
New Mexico
$72,266
net
New York
$76,223
net
North Carolina
$71,478
net
North Dakota
$71,500
net
Ohio
$70,038
net
Oklahoma
$73,909
net
Oregon
$84,378
net
Pennsylvania
$65,520
net
Rhode Island
$67,519
net
South Carolina
$65,294
net
South DakotaNo state tax
$71,568
net
TennesseeNo state tax
$70,330
net
TexasNo state tax
$76,535
net
Utah
$66,732
net
Vermont
$73,536
net
Virginia
$77,552
net
WashingtonNo state tax
$101,167
net
West Virginia
$56,607
net
Wisconsin
$71,004
net
WyomingNo state tax
$66,742
net