Dental Hygienist salary in Raleigh
Raleigh–Cary, NC
The verified BLS median dental hygienist in the Raleigh metro earns $98,800 ($47.50/hr). Raleigh is about the national median ($98,100).
Dental Hygienist pay in Raleigh: the analysis
At a verified median of $98,800, dental hygienists in Raleigh earn in line with the U.S. median of $98,100 . Among the 377 metro areas where the BLS reports dental hygienist pay, Raleigh ranks 103rd.
Compared with North Carolina as a whole (median $97,850), Raleigh 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 $74,940, while the top tenth earn $105,730 or more — a spread of about $30,790. 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 1,220 dental hygienists employed in Raleigh — a measure of how deep the local job market is for the role.
Within Raleigh, a dental hygienist earns about 2.1× less than a general dentist and about 1.7× what a dental assistant earns ($207,380, $58,750 respectively) — a quick way to see where the role sits in the local dental pay ladder.
Dental Hygienist pay distribution — Raleigh (verified)
Inner percentiles marked “est.” are interpolated between published anchors.
| Percentile | Annual pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentilei | $74,940 | $36.03/hr |
| 25th percentilei | $97,680 | $46.96/hr |
| Median (50th)i | $98,800 | $47.50/hr |
| 75th percentilei | $103,040 | $49.54/hr |
| 90th percentilei | $105,730 | $50.83/hr |
| Mean (average)i | $96,160 | $46.23/hr |
North Carolina context
North Carolina verified median: $97,850.
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Submit your salary →Frequently asked questions
How much does a dental hygienist make in Raleigh?
The verified BLS OEWS median dental hygienist in the Raleigh metro earns about $98,800 ($47.50/hr), from the official May 2025 metropolitan wage survey.
How does Raleigh dental hygienist pay compare to North Carolina overall?
The verified BLS OEWS Raleigh metro median is about $98,800, versus the verified BLS OEWS North Carolina statewide median of about $97,850.
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