Annual Salary of a Dental Hygienist
Dental hygienists assist dentists with their treatment of patients. They remove tooth deposits, educate patients on oral practices and take and process X-rays. The profession requires a degree from a dental hygiene school as well as a state license. The best-paid hygienists earn more than double the salaries of the lowest-paid ones.
Other People Are Reading
-
Basics
-
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) states that, as of May 2009, the median salary for dental hygienists is $67,340 per year, with the bottom 10 percent making $44,900 and the top 10 percent earning $92,860.
Industries
-
The industry type dictates wages, according to the BLS. This job's highest-paying are: office administrative services, where the average salary is at $68,230; offices of dentists, at $68,160; employment services, at $68,150; outpatient care centers, at $68,100; and the offices of other health practitioners, at $66,530.
-
States
-
The state in which a job is performed affects compensation. This job's best-paying states are Alaska, with pay at $96,280, Washington at $90,140, California at $87,540, Nevada at $81,090 and Oregon at $77,520.
Cities
-
The city of employment also influences pay rates, with three of the five best-paying employers located in California cities: Santa Rosa, with compensation at $112,290; San Francisco at $102,470; and Chico at $96,730. Finishing the list are Bremerton, Washington, at $97,400, and Anchorage, Alaska, at $97,290.
Job Numbers
-
The areas with the greatest employment numbers might or might not boast the best salaries. For example, the industries with the most hygienists are the offices of dentists and employment services, which are both among the top payers. However, the states with the biggest concentration of dental hygienists are not ranked in the top five for income. These are Michigan, with pay rates at $59,640, and Vermont at $64,430. The cities with the highest number of jobs per capita are Flint, Michigan, where earnings are at $52,460, and Barnstable Town, Massachusetts, at $83,420. None of these offers the highest income.
-
References
- Photo Credit Medioimages/Photodisc/Photodisc/Getty Images
