Dental Hygienist Salary in North Carolina (2026)

Based on the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data — updated September 10, 2026.

Median Annual Salary$97,850
Median Hourly Wage$47.04
National Median$99,864
Jobs in North Carolina6,690

Dental Hygienist Salary in North Carolina vs. National Average

North CarolinaNationalDifference
Median annual salary$97,850$99,864-2%
Median hourly wage$47.04$48.01-2%

Adjusted for local price levels (100 = national average), the cost-adjusted median is $103,765.

Dental Hygienist Salary in Top North Carolina Cities

CityMedianEntry LevelExperiencedCost of Living
City-level data coming soon.

FAQ

How much does a Dental Hygienist make in North Carolina?

The median annual salary for a Dental Hygienist in North Carolina is $97,850, or about $47.04 per hour, according to BLS OEWS data.

How does this compare to the national average?

The national median for Dental Hygienists is $99,864. North Carolina is -2% below the national median.

What is the entry-level salary for a Dental Hygienist in North Carolina?

Entry-level dental hygienists in North Carolina typically earn from varies by experience depending on the city and employer.

Is North Carolina a good state for dental hygienists?

With 6,690 dental hygienist jobs on record and a median salary of $97,850, North Carolina offers competitive pay compared to the rest of the country.

Where does Dental Hygienist pay rank in North Carolina?

By median annual wage, dental hygienists rank 110 of the 745 occupations reported in North Carolina — higher than 85% of them.

What do similar occupations pay in North Carolina?

Among occupations in the same job family, Surgeons, All Other at $398,410, Dermatologists at $367,350, Emergency Medicine Physicians at $339,350 — all figures are median annual wages for North Carolina.

Do these figures include taxes?

No. Every figure on this page is a gross (pre-tax) wage. North Carolina levies a state income tax, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 95.0 (100 = national average).

Dental Hygienist in North Carolina: where it sits among all occupations

By median annual wage, dental hygienists rank 110 of the 745 occupations reported in North Carolina — higher than 85% of them.

Occupation in the same job familyMedian in North CarolinaJobs
Surgeons, All Other$398,410$480
Dermatologists$367,350$800
Emergency Medicine Physicians$339,350$710
Neurologists$325,550$180
Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric$323,630$560
General Internal Medicine Physicians$289,780$1,700

North Carolina levies a state income tax, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 95.0 (100 = national average).

Ranking and comparison figures come from the same BLS OEWS release as the rest of this page, which covers 745 occupations in North Carolina.