How Much Does a Dental Hygienist Make in Chicago, IL in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Hygienists in Chicago, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Illinois.
BLS OES May 2025 · Chicago · Naperville · Elgin metro area
A typical Dental Hygienist in Chicago, Illinois earns $48.20 per hour, or $100,260 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $8,355 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $74,280, and the top 10% of earners make over $118,410.
That pay is 4% above the Illinois figure of $96,670 and 2% above the national figure of $98,100. Chicago ranks 1st of 9 metro areas in Illinois for Dental Hygienist pay. About 6,470 Dental Hygienists work in the Chicago · Naperville · Elgin area.
Dental Hygienist pay in Chicago at a glance
- Typical pay is $48.20 an hour, or $100,260 a year.
- That is 4% above the Illinois figure, ranking 1st of 9 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $74,280; the top 10% make over $118,410.
- Typical pay rose +35% from 2015 to 2025, against +36% for Illinois as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Hygienist make in Chicago?
Pay in Chicago runs from entry-level positions at around $35.71 an hour to more than $56.93 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Illinois and national figures.
Dental Hygienist pay by career stage in Chicago
| Career stage | Chicago | Illinois | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $74,280$35.71 an hour | $74,280$35.71 an hour | $74,880$36.00 an hour |
| First years | $86,330$41.50 an hour | $79,400$38.17 an hour | $83,570$40.18 an hour |
| Typical Dental Hygienist | $100,260$48.20 an hour | $96,670$46.48 an hour | $98,100$47.16 an hour |
| Experienced | $102,340$49.20 an hour | $101,800$48.94 an hour | $108,480$52.16 an hour |
| Top 10% | $118,410$56.93 an hour | $118,410$56.93 an hour | $126,050$60.60 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Chicago · Naperville · Elgin area as BLS defines it
Dental Hygienist pay growth in Chicago
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Hygienists in the Chicago · Naperville · Elgin area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Hygienist pay in Chicago was $74,180 a year. By 2025 it had reached $100,260, a change of +35%, compared with +36% for Illinois over the same years.
How Chicago compares with other Illinois cities
Chicago pays Dental Hygienists the most of any metro area in Illinois. The lowest-paying area in the state is Peoria at $77,870.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Chicago | Dental Hygienists employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicago | $100,260 | $48.20 | this city | 6,470 |
| 2 | Rockford | $86,120 | $41.40 | -14% | 370 |
| 3 | Springfield | $83,070 | $39.94 | -17% | 280 |
| 4 | Rock Island metro incl. Moline | $82,000 | $39.42 | -18% | 280 |
| 5 | Urbana metro incl. Champaign | $81,110 | $39.00 | -19% | 170 |
| 6 | Decatur | $80,930 | $38.91 | -19% | 60 |
| 7 | Kankakee | $78,430 | $37.71 | -22% | 50 |
| 8 | Bloomington | $78,220 | $37.61 | -22% | 130 |
| 9 | Peoria | $77,870 | $37.44 | -22% | 270 |
Every metro area in Illinois with Dental Hygienist wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Illinois typical pay $96,670
Is Chicago a good place to work as a Dental Hygienist?
Dental Hygienist pay in Chicago sits close to the national figure: $100,260 a year, 2% above the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Chicago · Naperville · Elgin area, about 1.4 are Dental Hygienist positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 1.4. Dental Hygienist jobs make up about the same share of the job market as they do across the country.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Dental Hygienist make in Chicago, IL?
- A typical Dental Hygienist in Chicago earns $100,260 a year, or $48.20 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $74,280 and the top 10% earn over $118,410.
- How much does a Dental Hygienist make an hour in Chicago?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Hygienists in Chicago is $48.20. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $35.71, and the top 10% earn over $56.93 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Hygienist in Chicago?
- Entry-level Dental Hygienist positions in Chicago typically offer around $35.71 an hour, or $74,280 a year.
- Is Dental Hygienist pay in Chicago higher than in the rest of Illinois?
- Chicago pay is 4% above the Illinois figure of $96,670 a year, ranking 1st of 9 metro areas in the state.