The 10 States With The Highest Dental Hygienist Salaries For 2026

In today’s job market, salary remains the primary concern for many professionals. For those pursuing a career as a dental hygienist, understanding salary expectations in different states is essential for informed career decisions.

While individual salaries can vary based on factors such as experience and specific job duties, comprehensive data is available to provide insights into average salaries by state, adjusted for cost of living. This information gives you a clearer picture of what to expect in your location.

The state offering the highest salary for dental hygienists in 2026 is Arizona, leading the pack.

Here’s a quick overview of the top ten states for dental hygienist salaries:

To better understand how salaries differ across the United States, we analyzed the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics regarding average pay for dental hygienists by state.

We also adjusted these salaries based on the cost of living in each state, recognizing that a dollar stretches further in North Carolina compared to California.

Let’s explore how we reached these conclusions and review the complete ranking of all states.

How We Determined Pay by State

We gathered average annual salary data for dental hygienists from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ ‘Occupational Employment Statistics’. To ensure a fair salary comparison across states, we also factored in the cost of living in each area.

We created an index by dividing the average wage for a state by its cost of living relative to the national average. For instance, if California has a cost of living index of 135.9 and an average pay of $100,830, our index would be calculated as follows:

$100,830 * (100 / 135.9) = $74,194

States were then ranked based on this criteria, with the state boasting the highest salary index receiving the top ranking for dental hygienist salaries.

Below is the detailed ranking of dental hygienist salaries by state.

Detailed List Of Dental Hygienist Salaries By State

Rank	State	Adjusted Salary	Average Wage	Cost Of Living
1	Arizona	$87,642	$85,890	98.0
2	Alaska	$87,200	$114,320	131.1
3	Washington	$86,207	$90,690	105.2
4	Texas	$83,020	$75,300	90.7
5	Oklahoma	$82,948	$73,990	89.2
6	Arkansas	$81,618	$71,090	87.1
7	Colorado	$81,416	$84,510	103.8
8	Idaho	$80,814	$74,430	92.1
9	Virginia	$79,007	$79,640	100.8
10	Nevada	$78,673	$81,270	103.3
11	New Mexico	$78,611	$75,860	96.5
12	Delaware	$77,465	$78,550	101.4
13	Illinois	$76,786	$72,640	94.6
14	Missouri	$76,128	$68,820	90.4
15	Indiana	$75,977	$68,000	89.5
16	Wyoming	$75,838	$69,620	91.8
17	Iowa	$75,681	$68,870	91.0
18	Utah	$74,720	$69,490	93.0
19	California	$74,194	$100,830	135.9
20	Tennessee	$74,149	$66,290	89.4
21	North Carolina	$74,014	$69,500	93.9
22	Oregon	$73,771	$85,280	115.6
23	Montana	$73,759	$74,350	100.8
24	Minnesota	$73,650	$74,240	100.8
25	North Dakota	$73,018	$72,580	99.4
26	Ohio	$72,825	$68,310	93.8
27	Kansas	$72,280	$64,980	89.9
28	Michigan	$72,056	$64,130	89.0
29	Nebraska	$71,910	$65,870	91.6
30	Georgia	$71,827	$65,650	91.4
31	New Jersey	$70,434	$85,860	121.9
32	New Hampshire	$68,000	$79,560	117.0
33	Maryland	$67,920	$85,240	125.5
34	Wisconsin	$67,706	$65,540	96.8
35	Mississippi	$67,357	$57,860	85.9
36	Kentucky	$66,198	$59,910	90.5
37	Pennsylvania	$66,084	$67,010	101.4
38	Connecticut	$65,489	$83,630	127.7
39	Florida	$65,178	$64,070	98.3
40	Louisiana	$63,090	$59,810	94.8
41	South Dakota	$62,275	$64,580	103.7
42	Massachusetts	$62,031	$82,750	133.4
43	South Carolina	$61,935	$61,440	99.2
44	Rhode Island	$61,847	$74,650	120.7
45	West Virginia	$61,820	$57,740	93.4
46	Vermont	$59,859	$72,490	121.1
47	Maine	$59,115	$65,500	110.8
48	New York	$58,229	$76,280	131.0
49	Alabama	$50,986	$46,500	91.2
50	Hawaii	$46,408	$77,920	167.9

Understanding the salary landscape for dental hygienists is crucial for making informed career decisions. As the demand for dental hygienists continues to grow, particularly in light of an expanding focus on oral health, it’s essential to consider both salary and cost of living when evaluating job opportunities. By leveraging this data, you can better navigate your career path and make strategic choices that align with your financial goals.

Never miss an opportunity that’s right for you.

Author

Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.

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