Dental Hygienist salary in Boston
Boston–Cambridge–Newton, MA-NH
The verified BLS median dental hygienist in the Boston metro earns $101,990 ($49.03/hr). Boston pays roughly 4% above the national median of $98,100.
Dental Hygienist pay in Boston: the analysis
At a verified median of $101,990, dental hygienists in Boston earn modestly above the U.S. median of $98,100 — a gap of about 4%. Among the 377 metro areas where the BLS reports dental hygienist pay, Boston ranks 69th.
Compared with Massachusetts as a whole (median $100,640), Boston tracks the statewide median closely. Local demand, cost of labor, and the mix of practices drive most of that difference.
The pay range is wide: the lowest-paid tenth of dental hygienists in this metro area earn around $95,860, while the top tenth earn $117,570 or more — a spread of about $21,710. That gap reflects experience, practice setting, and local demand more than any single factor, so an individual offer can sit well above or below the midpoint.
The BLS counts roughly 5,150 dental hygienists employed in Boston — a measure of how deep the local job market is for the role.
Within Boston, a dental hygienist earns about 1.8× less than a general dentist and about 1.8× what a dental assistant earns ($181,150, $58,160 respectively) — a quick way to see where the role sits in the local dental pay ladder.
Dental Hygienist pay distribution — Boston (verified)
Inner percentiles marked “est.” are interpolated between published anchors.
| Percentile | Annual pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentilei | $95,860 | $46.09/hr |
| 25th percentilei | $98,480 | $47.35/hr |
| Median (50th)i | $101,990 | $49.03/hr |
| 75th percentilei | $106,820 | $51.36/hr |
| 90th percentilei | $117,570 | $56.52/hr |
| Mean (average)i | $104,070 | $50.03/hr |
Massachusetts context
Massachusetts verified median: $100,640.
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Submit your salary →Frequently asked questions
How much does a dental hygienist make in Boston?
The verified BLS OEWS median dental hygienist in the Boston metro earns about $101,990 ($49.03/hr), from the official May 2025 metropolitan wage survey.
How does Boston dental hygienist pay compare to Massachusetts overall?
The verified BLS OEWS Boston metro median is about $101,990, versus the verified BLS OEWS Massachusetts statewide median of about $100,640.
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