The dental hygienist salary in the US stands at $54,495 per year, while in Canada that is C$57,794 ($44,270) every year. Australia has an even lower pay for this professional, at AU$60,619 ($43,766), while in the UK this professional can barely make around £29,529 ($38,312) each year.
Norway pays more than the US for this job position, NOK564,167 ($67,566) every year, while a dental hygienist working in Switzerland can make as much as CHF94,333 ($97,421) per year. Read all about how location, experience, and other aspects can influence the average salary of a dental hygienist below.
Dental Hygienist Salary Influencers
1. Industry
When studying the potential salary of a dental hygienist we can talk about different salaries depending on the employer. Basically, the larger a company is, the larger the dental hygienist salary will be. Here are a few examples of popular companies and their annual wages:
- Offices of dentists – $74,350
- Offices of physicians – $69,630
- Government – $58,940
2. Geographical Area
| Dental Hygienist Salary | US | Canada | UK | Australia | Switzerland | Norway |
| Hourly Wage | $33.35 | C$35.69 ($27.34) | £26.74 ($34.69) | AU$44.94 ($32.45) | CHF45.35* ($46.83) | NOK271 ($32.46) |
| Annual Wage | $54,495 | C$57,794 ($44,270) | £29,529 ($38,312) | AU$60,619 ($43,766) | CHF94,333 ($97,421) | NOK564,167 ($67,566) |
(*) means that the hourly salary was extrapolated from the annual salary
Dental Hygienist Salary in the US
While Indeed.com reports that the average dental hygienist salary per hour in the United States is $36.38, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says that they make $74,070 a year, meaning $35.61 an hour. The dental hygienist salary can be completely different based on location. Some states in America barely pay dental hygienists with over $44k a year, while others have a salary of over $98k. In fact, the greatest salary dental hygienist professionals get in the U.S. can be found in the District of Columbia, with $98,530 annually. Some other top dental hygienists salary estimates are:
- California – $93,970
- New Mexico – $89,290
- Nevada – $89,190
- Washington – $88,870
- Alaska – $84,430
However, relocating to a top-paying state if there don’t have job openings is not worth it. So, it’s just as relevant to do research on employment rates before making any career move. The BLS states that the following 5 states employ the most dentist hygienists in the United States:
- California
- Texas
- New York
- Florida
- Michigan
Dental Hygienist Salary by State
| State | Annual mean wage ($) |
|---|---|
| Alabama | 44,400 |
| Alaska | 84,430 |
| Arizona | 81,950 |
| Arkansas | 64,410 |
| California | 93,970 |
| Colorado | 78,980 |
| Connecticut | 80,860 |
| Delaware | 73,450 |
| District of Columbia | 98,530 |
| Florida | 63,370 |
| Georgia | 62,860 |
| Guam | 33,050 |
| Hawaii | 72,790 |
| Idaho | 72,460 |
| Illinois | 69,880 |
| Indiana | 67,020 |
| Iowa | 68,470 |
| Kansas | 69,480 |
| Kentucky | 57,320 |
| Louisiana | 56,340 |
| Maine | 63,200 |
| Maryland | 81,750 |
| Massachusetts | 80,490 |
| Michigan | 61,230 |
| Minnesota | 71,010 |
| Mississippi | 55,110 |
| Missouri | 67,410 |
| Montana | 68,510 |
| Nebraska | 64,980 |
| Nevada | 89,190 |
| New Hampshire | 78,290 |
| New Jersey | 82,720 |
| New Mexico | 89,290 |
| New York | 72,920 |
| North Carolina | 66,910 |
| North Dakota | 64,510 |
| Ohio | 66,910 |
| Oklahoma | 71,260 |
| Oregon | 77,010 |
| Pennsylvania | 62,830 |
| Rhode Island | 73,140 |
| South Carolina | 59,230 |
| South Dakota | 57,350 |
| Tennessee | 66,160 |
| Texas | 72,320 |
| Utah | 70,800 |
| Vermont | 64,140 |
| Virginia | 80,430 |
| Washington | 88,870 |
| West Virginia | 54,410 |
| Wisconsin | 63,800 |
| Wyoming | 69,450 |
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Dental Hygienist Salary in Canada
According to Payscale the salary for a dental hygienist range between C$27.79 and C$48.50 per hour. While after bonuses the pay for this professional ranges between C$53,693 and C$100,553 every year.
Dental Hygienist Salary in the UK
In the United Kingdom, dental hygienists make between £19.33 and £35.08 per hour, with an overtime pay of £24.50 per hour and bonuses of around £509, and a total yearly salary ranging between £25,305 and £72,243.
Dental Hygienist Salary in Australia
A dental hygienist working in Australia wins between AU$30.35 and AU$58.62 per hour. With overtime earnings between AU$9.90 and AU$108 each hour, and an annual salary ranging between AU$57,914 and AU$120,051.
Dental Hygienist Salary in Switzerland
Based on the yearly dental hygienist pay of CHF94,333, the hourly rate that Switzerland pays these professionals is around CHF45.35, meaning about $46.83 per hour. Meanwhile, the total pay per year for this job ranges between CHF76,000 and CHF100,000.
Dental Hygienist Salary in Norway
The dental hygienist living in Norway wins about NOK271 per hour, meaning around NOK564,167 every year. They also get paid bonuses of up to NOK11,001 per year. Meanwhile, the entry-level salary is of NOK403,479, while the senior level salary stands at NOK696,762 per year.
3. Experience
The starting dental hygienist in the US is at $63,000 per year, while a more experienced professional with more than 20 years on the job makes as much as $71,000 every year. Same professionals working in Canada win around C$66,000 per year when starting out, and after more experience, they can make about C$80,000 every year.
Dental hygienists living in the UK see a bigger rise in salary, from ₤45,000 each year for the beginner professional, to as much as ₤60,000 per year for the more experienced professional. Meanwhile, a beginner dental hygienist from Australia wins AU$82,000 per year, then the salary keeps gradually rising until after 10-20 years when it reaches AU$105,000 each year. Then it flattens for 10 more years barely getting to AU$106,000 every year.
Working Hours
Most dental hygienists work in the offices of dentists. However, they can also work in a physicians’ office, schools, or outpatient clinics. Moreover, around 50% of dental hygienists have a part-time schedule. Moreover, they are usually hired by dentists.
Bonuses & Benefit Packages
On the other hand, one of the downsides of being a dental hygienist in the US is that most of them don’t have health benefits. Even though 39% have dental insurance, only 33% have medical benefits. Even more so, just 13% have vision coverage as part of their medical benefits. Consequently, this leaves 48% of dental hygienists without any health benefits whatsoever.
Meanwhile, in Canada, the situation is similar with 35% of these professionals getting dental benefits, 13% vision coverage, but just 18% medical coverage. In the UK only 6% have medical benefits, while in Australia 5%, and in Switzerland 20%. However, 22% of them have dental benefits in the UK, 24% in Australia, and in Switzerland 20%.
Job Outlook
However, possibly the best part about the dental hygienist salary is the job outlook. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there will be 20% more job opportunities for dental hygienists until 2026. This is far greater than the national average for all professions in the U.S. economy, which is 7%. In addition to this, it surpasses the percent change in employment projected for health technologists and technicians, that of 16%.
Conclusion
Finally, the dental hygienist salary can vary depending on a great number of factors. One of the most important aspects is location, but the level of experience is just as relevant. While the job outlook is quite high for dental hygienists, candidates should still do their best to prepare for the potential position and sharpen their skills. Moreover, if you are interested in a similar position, you can also look at the dental assistant salary.
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