CareerFacts

All careers › Dental Hygienists › North Carolina

Dental hygienist salary in North Carolina

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

$97,850median pay per year in North Carolina, or $47.04 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $77,270lowest 10% earn less
  2. $84,15025th percentile
  3. $97,850median
  4. $100,93075th percentile
  5. $103,850top 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 North Carolina was $97,850 a year in May 2025[1]. That was $250 lower than the US median[6].

Jobs in NC
6,690[4]
Rank by median pay
20 of 50[5]
Compared with US median
−0.3%[6]

How much do dental hygienists make in North Carolina?

The median wage for dental hygienists in North Carolina was $97,850 a year, or $47.04 an hour[1]. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. The average was $93,640 a year[7]. Across the US, the median was $98,100[3], so North Carolina sat 0.3% below it[6]. For all jobs in the state, the median was $47,970[8], and dental hygienists earned $49,880 more[9].

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $77,270 a year, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $103,850[2]. The middle of the pay range ran from $84,150 at the 25th percentile to $100,930 at the 75th[2]. About 6,690 people held these jobs as wage and salary workers[4].

Among metro areas in or partly in North Carolina with a published median, Durham-Chapel Hill had the highest, at $101,460 a year[10]. Asheville was at $101,170, and Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia was at $98,390[11]. OEWS leaves out the self-employed and owners of unincorporated firms. It also leaves out bonuses that are not tied to production and the cost of benefits such as health insurance[12].

North Carolina vs US pay

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

NCUS
Median per year$97,850[1]$98,100[3]
Median per hour$47.04[1]$47.16[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$77,270[2]$74,880[13]
Top 10% earn more than$103,850[2]$126,050[13]
Jobs6,690[4]222,740[3]

Pay by metro area in North Carolina

Metro areas in North Carolina with the most jobs for dental hygienists, and the median pay in each[11]. A metro area that crosses state lines is counted as a whole.

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC[11]$98,3901,910
Raleigh-Cary, NC$98,8001,220
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC$98,890940
Winston-Salem, NC$95,930500
Wilmington, NC$96,700440
Greensboro-High Point, NC$84,250390
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC$101,460350
Asheville, NC$101,170300

Pay in nearby states

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

StateMedian per yearJobs
Virginia[14]$102,9503,770
Georgia$95,4907,440
Tennessee$84,6404,570
South Carolina$84,3403,160

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 North Carolina?
The median wage for dental hygienists in North Carolina was $97,850 a year in May 2025[1]. The average was $93,640[7].
How much does a dental hygienist make an hour in North Carolina?
The median was $47.04 an hour[1]. The 10th percentile wage was $37.15 an hour and the 90th percentile wage was $49.93[17].
Which city in North Carolina pays dental hygienists the most?
Durham-Chapel Hill had the highest median annual wage among the 16 metro areas with a published median, at $101,460[10].
Is North Carolina a good state for dental hygienists?
North Carolina had the 20th highest median annual wage for dental hygienists out of the 49 states and DC with a published median[5]. Its median was 0.3% below the US median[6].
What do you need to become a dental hygienist in North Carolina?
This is a US figure, not a state one. Across the US, the typical education needed for entry is an associate's degree, with no work experience or on-the-job training[16].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Dental Hygienists in North Carolina was $97,850 per year and $47.04 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 North Carolina: 10th percentile $77,270, 25th percentile $84,150, 75th percentile $100,930, 90th percentile $103,850. 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 6,690 people worked as Dental Hygienists in North Carolina (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: North Carolina had the 20th 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 North Carolina ($97,850) was $250 (0.3%) lower than the US median ($98,100). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Dental Hygienists in North Carolina was $93,640 per year and $45.02 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in North Carolina was $47,970. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Dental Hygienists in North Carolina was $49,880 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($47,970). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 16 metro areas in or partly in North Carolina with a published median for Dental Hygienists, Durham-Chapel Hill, NC had the highest median annual wage, $101,460. 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 North Carolina (highest first): Virginia $102,950; Georgia $95,490; Tennessee $84,640; South Carolina $84,340. 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 North Carolina: 10th percentile $37.15, 25th percentile $40.46, 75th percentile $48.53, 90th percentile $49.93. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only North Carolina. 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.