How Much Does a Dental Hygienist Make in Alaska in 2026?

A typical Dental Hygienist in Alaska earns about $63.79 per hour ($132,690 per year), according to the latest government wage data (May 2025). Broken down further, that comes to roughly $11,058 a month or $2,552 a week, based on the annual figure. Pay in this range places Alaska among the higher-paying states for the profession.

That figure sits 35% above the national typical pay of $98,100 a year ($47.16 an hour), and Alaska ranks 2nd out of 50 states for Dental Hygienist pay. About 790 Dental Hygienists work across the state, compared with 222,740 nationwide. The gap reflects Alaska's high cost of living, which tends to push wages up across many occupations.

Entry-level positions in Alaska typically offer around $29.13 an hour, or about $60,590 a year, for Dental Hygienists just starting out. Pay tends to move up toward the typical $132,690 figure within the first few years on the job. New hygienists in smaller practices or rural clinics often start at the lower end of this range.

Experienced Dental Hygienists in Alaska often earn upwards of $65.60 an hour, and the top 10% of earners make over $138,840 a year. That leaves a spread of $78,250 between entry-level and top pay. The difference usually comes down to years on the job, the type of practice, and whether the position is in Anchorage or a smaller community.

Dental Hygienist pay in Alaska has climbed from $86,080 in 2015 to $132,690 in 2025, a gain of $46,610. That works out to a 54% rise over the decade. The increase was not perfectly steady; pay dipped in 2022 before climbing again through 2025.

Nationwide, Dental Hygienist pay rose 36% over the same decade, so Alaska's gain outpaced the national trend. Pay has moved up steadily for people entering the field, though past increases are not a promise of future ones.

Anchorage pays the most for Dental Hygienists in Alaska, at $132,740 a year ($63.82 an hour), in line with the statewide figure. Fairbanks and College follow close behind, both at $131,860 a year. Pay across Alaska's three reported metro areas stays within a narrow band.

College and Fairbanks post the lowest pay in the state, at $131,860 a year ($63.40 an hour), putting the gap between Alaska's highest- and lowest-paying cities at just $880. Anchorage also has the largest Dental Hygienist workforce, with 490 of the state's roughly 790 hygienists. These figures cover each city's full metro area, and local cost of living plays a role in the small differences between them.

Dental Hygienists in Alaska typically earn $132,690 a year, a figure that has climbed 54% over the past decade and sits well above the national typical pay. For specific licensing and registry requirements, check Alaska's dental hygiene licensing board page. For more localized figures, city-level pages for Anchorage and Fairbanks offer a closer look at pay in those metro areas.