Dental hygienists

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Total Workforce

184k

Average Age

41.9

Average Salary

$51,907

Average Male Salary

$92,190

Average Female Salary

$50,070

About

Dental hygienists are most often employed by the Offices of dentists industry. The average yearly wage for Dental hygienists was $51,907 in 2016. The top 3 most similar occupations to Dental hygienists by wage are Web and digital interface designers, Paralegals & legal assistants, and Electric motor, power tool, & related repairers.

Dental hygienists are part of the Healthcare practitioners & technical occupations, along with Chiropractors, Dentists, Dietitians & nutritionists, Optometrists, Pharmacists, and 37 more.

The top 3 locations that employ the most Dental hygienists are Marathon County PUMA, WI, Mount Rogers Planning District Commission PUMA, VA, and Northeast South Dakota PUMA, SD. The top 3 locations with a relatively high concentration of Dental hygienists are Marathon County PUMA, WI, Mount Rogers Planning District Commission PUMA, VA, and Walker, Marion (South & West), Fayette & Lamar Counties PUMA, AL.

Management, business, science, & arts occupations Healthcare practitioners & technical occupations Healthcare practitioners & technical occupations

Information on the businesses and industries that employ Dental hygienists and on wages and locations for those in the field. Offices of dentists is the industry that employs the most Dental hygienists, both by share and by number, though the highest paid industry for Dental hygienists, by average wage, is Outpatient care centers. Dental hygienists are paid most in Kennewick & Richland (South) Cities PUMA, WA but are relatively concentrated in Marathon County PUMA, WI.

Wages

Yearly Wage

$51,907

AVERAGE SALARY

± $2,067

In 2018, Dental hygienists earned an average of $51,907, $1,982 less than than the average national salary of $53,888.

Paralegals & legal assistants make somewhat more than Dental hygienists while Web and digital interface designers make somewhat less. This chart shows the various occupations closest to Dental hygienists as measured by average annual salary in the US.

Wage Distribution

0.283

WAGE GINI

In 2018, Dental hygienists had a wage GINI coefficient of 0.283, which is lower than than the national average of 0.479. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly for Dental hygienists (shown in red) than for the overall labor force (shown in gray).

Wage by Location

HIGHEST PAYING PUMAS

This map shows the Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMAs) in the United States shaded by average annual wage for Dental hygienists.

Spatial Concentration

PUMAs with a Relatively High Concentration of Dental hygienists

This map displays which Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMAs) in the United States have a relatively high population of Dental hygienists.

Industries

Most Common

The most common industries employing Dental hygienists, by number of employees, are Offices of dentists, General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals, and Other health care services.

Highest Paying

The highest paying industries for Dental hygienists, by average wage, are Outpatient care centers, General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals, and Offices of dentists.

Industries by Share

184k

2018 Workforce

± 10,518

This graphic shows the share of Dental hygienists employed by various industries. Offices of dentists employs the largest share of Dental hygienists at 94.9%, followed by General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals with 1.56% and Other health care services with 0.744%.

Diversity

Demographic information on Dental hygienists in the US. The average age of male Dental hygienists in the workforce is 41.4 and of female Dental hygienists is 41.9, and the most common race/ethnicity for Dental hygienists is White (Non-Hispanic).

Gender Composition

8.01k

MALE WORKFORCE

± 2,198

176k

FEMALE WORKFORCE

± 10,287

95.6% of Dental hygienists are Female, making them the more common gender in the occupation. This chart shows the gender breakdown of Dental hygienists.

Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity of Dental hygienists

White (Non-Hispanic)
White (Hispanic)
Asian (Non-Hispanic)

78.4% of Dental hygienists are White (Non-Hispanic), making that the most common race or ethnicity in the occupation. Representing 7.75% of Dental hygienists, White (Hispanic) is the second most common race or ethnicity in this occupation. This chart shows the racial and ethnic breakdown of Dental hygienists.

Age by Gender

41.4

AVERAGE MALE AGE

± 3.68

41.9

AVERAGE FEMALE AGE

± 0.745

The median age of Dental hygienists is 41.9, and Male employees are generally 0.427 years younger than than their Female counterparts.

Education

Data on higher education choices for Dental hygienists from The Department of Education and Census Bureau. The most common major for Dental hygienists is Health but a relatively high number of Dental hygienists hold a major in Health.