Dental Hygienist salary in Rhode Island
The verified BLS median dental hygienist in Rhode Island earns $86,910 ($41.78/hr). Rhode Island pays roughly 11% below the national median of $98,100.
Dental Hygienist pay in Rhode Island: the analysis
At a verified median of $86,910, dental hygienists in Rhode Island earn modestly below the U.S. median of $98,100 — a gap of about 11%. Among the 51 states where the BLS reports dental hygienist pay, Rhode Island ranks 39th.
The pay range is wide: the lowest-paid tenth of dental hygienists in this state earn around $83,800, while the top tenth earn $100,520 or more — a spread of about $16,720. 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 770 dental hygienists employed in Rhode Island — a measure of how deep the local job market is for the role.
Within Rhode Island, a dental hygienist earns about 1.9× less than a general dentist and about 1.7× what a dental assistant earns ($161,560, $50,150 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 Providence at about $89,310. Metro-level demand and cost of living explain most of the in-state variation — see the metro breakdown below.
Dental Hygienist pay distribution — Rhode Island (verified)
Inner percentiles marked “est.” are interpolated between published anchors.
| Percentile | Annual pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentilei | $83,800 | $40.29/hr |
| 25th percentilei | $84,030 | $40.40/hr |
| Median (50th)i | $86,910 | $41.78/hr |
| 75th percentilei | $91,160 | $43.83/hr |
| 90th percentilei | $100,520 | $48.33/hr |
| Mean (average)i | $88,660 | $42.63/hr |
Dental Hygienist pay by metro in Rhode Island
The one Rhode Island metro where BLS publishes a dental hygienist wage, ranked against the state median of $86,910.
Verified BLS OEWS metropolitan wage estimates (May 2025). Percentages compare each metro median with the Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island?
The verified BLS OEWS median dental hygienist in Rhode Island earns about $86,910 ($41.78/hr), from the official May 2025 state wage survey.
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