Dental hygienist: salary and education facts

Dental hygiene is a rapidly growing career field: The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects jobs to grow by 36 percent between 2008 and 2018, making it one of the fastest-growing careers in the United States. Projected employment for 2018 is about 237,000 dental hygienists nationwide.

The minimum requirement to practice dental hygiene is graduation from an accredited dental hygiene program, which typically results in an associate degree, but may also result in certification, a bachelor's degree or a master's degree. An associate degree and certification are usually minimum requirements to work in a private practice. All dental hygienists must have state licensure, which in most states includes graduating from an accredited dental hygiene program, passing a written exam, and passing a clinical exam.

Dental hygienist salary information

The BLS reports that in 2009 the average wage for the 173,900 dental hygienists nationwide was $67,860 per year and $32.63 per hour. Pay for hygienists may be on an hourly, daily, salary or commission basis. The top-paying states for dental hygienists in 2009 were as follows:

• Alaska
• Washington
• California
• Nevada
• Oregon

The BLS shows that dental hygienists earned a mean annual salary of more than $77,000 in these states in 2009. A dental hygienist salary can also vary depending on location, type of practice and years of experience. In 2009, the average wage for the 10th percentile was $44,900 per year or $21.59 per hour, compared to $92,860 per year or $44.64 per hour for the 90th percentile.