Dental Hygienist Salary in District of Columbia: What Dental Hygienists Earn in 2026
25th percentile
$104,470
Median (50th)
$137,220
75th percentile
$138,710
National median
$98,100
BLS OEWS (SOC 29-1292), May 2025
What does a dental hygienist make in District of Columbia?
The median dental hygienist in District of Columbia earns $137,220 a year ($65.97 an hour), which is $39,120 above the national median of $98,100, and more than in nearby Maryland ($107,830) and Virginia ($102,950). The mean is $127,910.
That ranks 1st of the 49 states plus DC where BLS publishes a dental hygienist median.
Entry-level vs top earners in District of Columbia
The middle half of District of Columbia dental hygienists earn $104,470 to $138,710. The lowest-paid tenth earn under $86,120, $11,240 above the national 10th percentile. The top tenth earn over $155,840, $29,790 above the national 90th percentile.
How far the pay goes in District of Columbia
The Bureau of Economic Analysis puts District of Columbia's 2024 price level at 109.9 (U.S. = 100): prices overall run 9.9% above the national average, and housing (index 155.0) runs 55.0% above.
Converted to national average prices, the $137,220 median is worth about $124,860 — $26,760 above the national median of $98,100.
How many dental hygienists work in District of Columbia
BLS counts about 320 dental hygienist jobs in District of Columbia, 0.1% of the 222,740 nationwide, or 0.45 per 1,000 jobs in the state. Dental hygienists hold a 69% smaller share of local jobs than nationally (location quotient 0.31).
Dental Hygienist Salary by City in District of Columbia
All dental roles by metro: Washington
Dental Hygienist Regulatory Context in District of Columbia
Dental hygienist practice in the District of Columbia is regulated by the DC Board of Dentistry.
Scope of practice — what a dental hygienist may do, and under what level of supervision — is set by state law and changes over time, so verify current rules with the board before relying on them.
How District of Columbia Compares
Other dental salaries in District of Columbia
- Dental Assistant salary in District of Columbia: median $60,580, $76,640 below the dental hygienist median
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (state and national estimates, all industries); U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, 2024. Price-adjusted pay divides the median by the price level. A dash means BLS did not publish that figure; nothing is estimated.