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Dental hygienist salary in Washington, DC

Updated October 29, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$137,220median pay per year in District of Columbia, or $65.97 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $86,120lowest 10% earn less
  2. $104,47025th percentile
  3. $137,220median
  4. $138,71075th percentile
  5. $155,840top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $98,100[3]

Dental hygienists in the District of Columbia earned a median wage of $137,220 a year in May 2025[1]. That was the highest median for this job among the 49 states and DC with published data[5].

Jobs in DC
320[4]
Rank by median pay
1 of 50[5]
Compared with US median
+39.9%[6]

How much do dental hygienists make in the District of Columbia?

The median wage for dental hygienists in the District of Columbia was $137,220 a year, or $65.97 an hour[1]. Half of these workers earned more than that and half earned less. The mean wage was a bit lower, at $127,910 a year[7]. About 320 people held this job in DC[4].

The DC median was $39,120 (39.9%) higher than the US median of $98,100[6]. It was also $45,680 above the median for all occupations in DC[8]. In nearby states, the median was $107,830 in Maryland and $102,950 in Virginia[9].

Pay spread across a wide range. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $86,120 a year, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $155,840[2]. The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area had a median of $119,170 across its 2,200 jobs, and that figure counts the whole metro, including parts outside DC[10]. Keep in mind that these figures only count people paid a wage or salary, so self-employed hygienists are left out. Bonuses and the value of benefits like health coverage are not part of the numbers either[11].

District of Columbia vs US pay

Pay for dental hygienists in the District of Columbia next to the national figures[1][3].

DCUS
Median per year$137,220[1]$98,100[3]
Median per hour$65.97[1]$47.16[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$86,120[2]$74,880[12]
Top 10% earn more than$155,840[2]$126,050[12]
Jobs320[4]222,740[3]

Pay by metro area in the District of Columbia

Metro areas in the District of Columbia with the most jobs for dental hygienists, and the median pay in each[10]. A metro area that crosses state lines is counted as a whole.

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV[10]$119,1702,200

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for dental hygienists in the states that border District of Columbia, highest first[9].

StateMedian per yearJobs
Maryland[9]$107,8303,500
Virginia$102,9503,770

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[13]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: associate's degree[14].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does a dental hygienist make in the District of Columbia?
The median wage for dental hygienists in DC was $137,220 a year in May 2025[1]. The mean was $127,910 a year[7].
How much does a dental hygienist make an hour in the District of Columbia?
The median hourly wage was $65.97[1]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $41.40 an hour, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $74.92 an hour[15][2].
Which city in the District of Columbia pays dental hygienists the most?
The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area had a median of $119,170 a year with 2,200 jobs[10]. This figure covers the whole metro, not only DC.
Is the District of Columbia a good state for dental hygienists?
DC had the highest median wage for dental hygienists of the 49 states and DC with published data[5]. Its median was $39,120 (39.9%) above the US median[6].
What do you need to become a dental hygienist in the District of Columbia?
Across the US, the typical education needed to enter this job is an associate's degree, with no related work experience or on-the-job training[14]. This is a national figure, not one specific to DC.

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Dental Hygienists in the District of Columbia was $137,220 per year and $65.97 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 the District of Columbia: 10th percentile $86,120, 25th percentile $104,470, 75th percentile $138,710, 90th percentile $155,840. 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 320 people worked as Dental Hygienists in the District of Columbia (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: District of Columbia had the 1st highest median annual wage for Dental Hygienists out of the 49 states and DC with a published median (the highest of all). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Dental Hygienists in the District of Columbia ($137,220) was $39,120 (39.9%) higher than the US median ($98,100). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Dental Hygienists in the District of Columbia was $127,910 per year and $61.50 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Dental Hygienists in the District of Columbia was $45,680 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($91,540). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Dental Hygienists in states that border District of Columbia (highest first): Maryland $107,830; Virginia $102,950. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. 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
  12. 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
  13. 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
  14. 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
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Dental Hygienists in the District of Columbia: 10th percentile $41.40, 25th percentile $50.23, 75th percentile $66.69, 90th percentile $74.92. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only District of Columbia. 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.