Dental Hygienist Salary in Virginia: What Dental Hygienists Earn in 2026
25th percentile
$97,630
Median (50th)
$102,950
75th percentile
$119,690
National median
$98,100
BLS OEWS (SOC 29-1292), May 2025
What does a dental hygienist make in Virginia?
The median dental hygienist in Virginia earns $102,950 a year ($49.50 an hour), which is $4,850 above the national median of $98,100, and more than in nearby North Carolina ($97,850) but less than in District of Columbia ($137,220) and Maryland ($107,830). The mean is $105,120.
That ranks 12th of the 49 states plus DC where BLS publishes a dental hygienist median.
Entry-level vs top earners in Virginia
The middle half of Virginia dental hygienists earn $97,630 to $119,690. The lowest-paid tenth earn under $86,730, $11,850 above the national 10th percentile. The top tenth earn over $125,560, $490 below the national 90th percentile.
How far the pay goes in Virginia
The Bureau of Economic Analysis puts Virginia's 2024 price level at 101.1 (U.S. = 100): prices overall run 1.1% above the national average, and housing (index 106.8) runs 6.8% above.
Converted to national average prices, the $102,950 median is worth about $101,830 — $3,730 above the national median of $98,100.
How many dental hygienists work in Virginia
BLS counts about 3,770 dental hygienist jobs in Virginia, 1.7% of the 222,740 nationwide, or 0.917 per 1,000 jobs in the state. Dental hygienists hold a 36% smaller share of local jobs than nationally (location quotient 0.64).
Dental Hygienist Salary by City in Virginia
Across the 9 Virginia metro areas where BLS publishes a dental hygienist median, pay runs from $90,550 in Blacksburg to $107,690 in Charlottesville, a spread of $17,140.
All dental roles by metro: Harrisonburg · Staunton · Virginia Beach
Who's hiring dental hygienists in Virginia now
DentistryHires has 92 open dental hygienist listings in Virginia from 41 employers, led by Fredericksburg and Springfield (7 each).
72 post hourly pay, from $38 to $80 an hour. These are employers' posted ranges, not survey figures.
Dental Hygienist Regulatory Context in Virginia
Dental hygienist practice in Virginia is regulated by the Virginia 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 Virginia Compares
District of Columbia
$137,220
+40% vs. national
District of Columbia salary →
Maryland
$107,830
+10% vs. national
Maryland salary →
North Carolina
$97,850
0% vs. national
North Carolina salary →
Tennessee
$84,640
-14% vs. national
Tennessee salary →
Kentucky
$78,830
-20% vs. national
Kentucky salary →
West Virginia
$73,840
-25% vs. national
West Virginia salary →
Other dental salaries in Virginia
- Dentist salary in Virginia: median $197,110, $94,160 above the dental hygienist median
- Dental Assistant salary in Virginia: median $46,670, $56,280 below the dental hygienist median
- Dental Lab Technician salary in Virginia: median $51,900, $51,050 below the dental hygienist median
- Oral Surgeon salary in Virginia: median $403,430
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. Listing counts and posted pay are live DentistryHires listings, refreshed hourly. A dash means BLS did not publish that figure; nothing is estimated.