How Much Does a Dental Hygienist Make in North Carolina in 2026?

A typical Dental Hygienist in North Carolina earns about $47.04 per hour ($97,850 per year), according to the latest government wage data (May 2025). Broken down further, that works out to roughly $8,154 a month and about $1,882 a week, both calculated from the annual figure. Full-time hygienists across the state can expect pay to land close to this range.

This figure sits just below the national figures of $47.16 an hour and $98,100 a year for Dental Hygienists, a difference of less than 1 percent according to May 2025 data. North Carolina ranks 20th among the 50 states for Dental Hygienist pay. The state employs about 6,690 Dental Hygienists, compared with 222,740 nationwide, giving a sense of scale for the profession here.

Entry-level positions in North Carolina typically offer around $37.15 an hour, or about $77,270 a year, according to May 2025 data. That's the starting point for hygienists new to the field or just out of a dental hygiene program. Pay tends to move toward the typical $97,850 figure within a few years as hygienists gain clinical experience and build steady patient loads.

Experienced Dental Hygienists in North Carolina often earn upwards of $100,930 a year, with the top 10% of earners making over $103,850. That leaves a spread of $26,580 between entry-level and top pay in the state. Setting, years of experience, and city all factor into where an individual hygienist lands within that range.

North Carolina Dental Hygienist pay has risen steadily over the past decade, climbing from $67,750 in 2015 to $97,850 in 2025. That's a gain of $30,100, or 44 percent, over ten years, according to government wage data. The increase has been especially sharp since 2023, when pay moved from $81,230 to $89,720 and then to this year's figure.

That 44 percent rise outpaces the 36 percent national gain recorded over the same decade. Pay in North Carolina has grown faster than the country as a whole for this occupation. For someone starting a career in North Carolina now, the record shows pay has moved up substantially in recent years. Past growth is no guarantee of future increases, but the decade's direction has been consistently upward.

Pay for Dental Hygienists runs highest in Durham, where the typical wage reaches $101,460 a year ($48.78 an hour), about 4 percent above the North Carolina figure; Chapel Hill matches that same figure. Asheville follows closely at $101,170 a year. These figures cover each city's full metro area, not just the city center.

Pay runs lowest in Jacksonville, where Dental Hygienists typically earn $82,380 a year, or $39.61 an hour, a spread of $19,080 between the state's highest- and lowest-paying cities. Charlotte holds the largest Dental Hygienist workforce in the state at 1,910 workers, with typical pay of $98,390 a year. Lower pay in cities like Jacksonville and Greensboro usually tracks lower living costs rather than any difference in the work itself.

North Carolina's Dental Hygienist pay lands between its neighbors. Virginia pays more, at $102,950 a year, about 5 percent above North Carolina, while Georgia trails slightly at $95,490, about 2 percent lower. Tennessee and South Carolina both pay noticeably less, at $84,640 and $84,340, roughly 14 percent below North Carolina's figure. Dental hygiene licenses can often be transferred or endorsed into a neighboring state, which can simplify a move across these borders.

Dental Hygienists in North Carolina typically earn $97,850 a year, a figure that has climbed 44 percent over the past decade. Pay varies by city and experience level, from entry-level positions near $77,270 to top earners well above $100,000. Readers considering the field can check North Carolina's dental hygiene licensing board for education and licensing requirements, and review individual city pages here for local pay figures before making a decision.