Dental hygienist vs dental assistant salary
Dental Hygienists earn more — about 104% ($50,030) above Dental Assistants. Dental Hygienist: $98,100; Dental Assistant: $48,070.
As of BLS OEWS May 2025. Both roles are commonly paid hourly.
Dental HygienistHigher pay
$98,100
$47.16/hr median
Verified
Dental Assistant
$48,070
$23.11/hr median
Verified
- Hygienist median
- $98,100
- Assistant median
- $48,070
- Gap
- $50,030
- Gap (%)
- 104%
Side-by-side distribution
| Metric | Hygienist | Assistant |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual | $98,100 | $48,070 |
| 10th percentile | $74,880 | $37,130 |
| 90th percentile | $126,050 | $62,250 |
| Median hourly | $47.16/hr | $23.11/hr |
Median annual
- Hygienist
- $98,100
- Assistant
- $48,070
10th percentile
- Hygienist
- $74,880
- Assistant
- $37,130
90th percentile
- Hygienist
- $126,050
- Assistant
- $62,250
Median hourly
- Hygienist
- $47.16/hr
- Assistant
- $23.11/hr
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Who earns more, a dental hygienist or a dental assistant?
Dental Hygienists earn more — about 104% ($50,030) above Dental Assistants. Dental Hygienist: $98,100; Dental Assistant: $48,070.
Figures: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. How DentalSalary works →
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