Dental Hygienist salary in North Carolina
The verified BLS median dental hygienist in North Carolina earns $97,850 ($47.04/hr). North Carolina is about the national median ($98,100).
Dental Hygienist pay in North Carolina: the analysis
At a verified median of $97,850, dental hygienists in North Carolina earn about the U.S. median. Among the 51 states where the BLS reports dental hygienist pay, North Carolina ranks 20th.
The pay range is wide: the lowest-paid tenth of dental hygienists in this state earn around $77,270, while the top tenth earn $103,850 or more — a spread of about $26,580. That gap reflects experience, practice setting, and demand more than any single factor, so an individual offer can sit well above or below the midpoint.
The BLS counts roughly 6,690 dental hygienists employed in North Carolina — a measure of how deep the local job market is for the role.
Within North Carolina, a dental hygienist earns about 2.1× less than a general dentist and about 1.9× what a dental assistant earns ($207,000, $50,380 respectively) — a quick way to see where the role sits in the local dental pay ladder.
Within the state, dental hygienist pay is highest in Durham at about $101,460 and lowest in Jacksonville at about $82,380. Metro-level demand and cost of living explain most of the in-state variation — see the metro breakdown below.
Dental Hygienist pay distribution — North Carolina (verified)
Inner percentiles marked “est.” are interpolated between published anchors.
| Percentile | Annual pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentilei | $77,270 | $37.15/hr |
| 25th percentilei | $84,150 | $40.46/hr |
| Median (50th)i | $97,850 | $47.04/hr |
| 75th percentilei | $100,930 | $48.52/hr |
| 90th percentilei | $103,850 | $49.93/hr |
| Mean (average)i | $93,640 | $45.02/hr |
Dental Hygienist pay by metro in North Carolina
All 14 North Carolina metros where BLS publishes a dental hygienist wage — highest first. State median: $97,850.
- Durham$101,460+4%
- Asheville$101,170+3%
- Raleigh$98,800+1%
- Charlotte$98,390+1%
- Burlington$97,210-1%
- Wilmington$96,700-1%
- Winston$95,930-2%
- Hickory$94,050-4%
- Greenville$93,790-4%
- Fayetteville$93,330-5%
- Rocky Mount$88,390-10%
- Greensboro$84,250-14%
- Goldsboro$83,350-15%
- Jacksonville$82,380-16%
Verified BLS OEWS metropolitan wage estimates (May 2025). Percentages compare each metro median with the North Carolina median. Metros where BLS does not publish a dental hygienist wage are not listed.
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How much does a dental hygienist make in North Carolina?
The verified BLS OEWS median dental hygienist in North Carolina earns about $97,850 ($47.04/hr), from the official May 2025 state wage survey.
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