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Dental hygienist salary in Colorado

Updated October 30, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$109,580median pay per year in Colorado, or $52.68 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $95,680lowest 10% earn less
  2. $102,58025th percentile
  3. $109,580median
  4. $125,47075th percentile
  5. $128,900top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $98,100[3]

The median pay for dental hygienists in Colorado was $109,580 a year in May 2025[1]. That was $11,480 higher than the US median[6].

Jobs in CO
4,270[4]
Rank by median pay
7 of 50[5]
Compared with US median
+11.7%[6]

How much do dental hygienists make in Colorado?

Half of the dental hygienists in Colorado earned more than $109,580 a year and half earned less[1]. That works out to $52.68 an hour[1]. The average was a little higher at $110,030[7]. Across the US, the median for dental hygienists was $98,100[3], so Colorado sits $11,480 above it[6]. Colorado had the 7th highest median among the 49 states and DC with a published median[5].

For all jobs in Colorado, the median was $59,800 a year[8]. Dental hygienists earned $49,780 more than that[9]. At the low end, the lowest-paid 10% earned less than $95,680[2]. At the high end, the top-paid 10% earned more than $128,900[2].

By metro area, Boulder had the highest median at $130,000[10]. Denver-Aurora-Centennial had a median of $113,760 with about 2,100 jobs[11]. The figures count wage and salary workers only. They leave out the self-employed and business owners, and they do not include bonuses or the cost of benefits like health insurance[12].

Colorado vs US pay

Pay for dental hygienists in Colorado next to the national figures[1][3].

COUS
Median per year$109,580[1]$98,100[3]
Median per hour$52.68[1]$47.16[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$95,680[2]$74,880[13]
Top 10% earn more than$128,900[2]$126,050[13]
Jobs4,270[4]222,740[3]

Pay by metro area in Colorado

Metro areas in Colorado with the most jobs for dental hygienists, and the median pay in each[11].

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO[11]$113,7602,100
Colorado Springs, CO$118,410500
Fort Collins-Loveland, CO$106,650450
Boulder, CO$130,000300
Grand Junction, CO$98,910170
Greeley, CO$110,080140
Pueblo, CO$98,700140

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for dental hygienists in the states that border Colorado, highest first[14].

StateMedian per yearJobs
Arizona[14]$101,0104,530
Oklahoma$97,5802,860
New Mexico$95,9401,420
Nebraska$92,5801,280
Utah$91,1203,780
Wyoming$85,130500

Median pay for dental hygienists in every state

Job outlook and training

Across the US, jobs for dental hygienists are projected to grow 8% from 2025 to 2035[15]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: associate's degree[16].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does a dental hygienist make in Colorado?
The median pay for dental hygienists in Colorado was $109,580 a year in May 2025[1]. The average was $110,030[7].
How much does a dental hygienist make an hour in Colorado?
The median hourly wage was $52.68[1]. The middle half of workers earned between $49.32 and $60.32 an hour[17].
Which city in Colorado pays dental hygienists the most?
Boulder had the highest median annual wage among Colorado metro areas, at $130,000[10]. Colorado Springs followed in the data at $118,410[11].
Is Colorado a good state for dental hygienists?
Colorado had the 7th highest median annual wage for dental hygienists among the 49 states and DC with a published median[5]. Its median was $11,480 above the US median[6].
What do you need to become a dental hygienist in Colorado?
This is a US figure and not specific to Colorado. Across the US, the typical education for entry is an Associate's degree, with no work experience or on-the-job training usually needed[16].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Dental Hygienists in Colorado was $109,580 per year and $52.68 per hour. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Dental Hygienists in Colorado: 10th percentile $95,680, 25th percentile $102,580, 75th percentile $125,470, 90th percentile $128,900. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less, the 90th means 10% earned more. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Dental Hygienists in the US as a whole was $98,100 per year and $47.16 per hour, with about 222,740 jobs nationwide. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 4,270 people worked as Dental Hygienists in Colorado (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: Colorado had the 7th highest median annual wage for Dental Hygienists out of the 49 states and DC with a published median. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Dental Hygienists in Colorado ($109,580) was $11,480 (11.7%) higher than the US median ($98,100). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Dental Hygienists in Colorado was $110,030 per year and $52.90 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in Colorado was $59,800. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Dental Hygienists in Colorado was $49,780 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($59,800). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 7 metro areas in or partly in Colorado with a published median for Dental Hygienists, Boulder, CO had the highest median annual wage, $130,000. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Dental Hygienists in the US: 10th percentile $74,880, 25th percentile $83,570, 75th percentile $108,480, 90th percentile $126,050. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Dental Hygienists in states that border Colorado (highest first): Arizona $101,010; Oklahoma $97,580; New Mexico $95,940; Nebraska $92,580; Utah $91,120; Wyoming $85,130. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state): employment of Dental Hygienists is projected to grow 8% nationwide from 2025 to 2035, with about 15,000 openings a year on average. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%. BLS Employment Projections
  16. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state), typical path into Dental Hygienists: education needed for entry: Associate's degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  17. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Dental Hygienists in Colorado: 10th percentile $46.00, 25th percentile $49.32, 75th percentile $60.32, 90th percentile $61.97. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only Colorado. Job outlook and entry requirements are national (US) figures: BLS does not publish them by state in our sources. Figures labelled “CareerFacts calculation” are simple differences between the BLS numbers shown.