How Much Does a Dental Hygienist Make in Durham, NC in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Hygienists in Durham, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across North Carolina.
BLS OES May 2025 · Durham · Chapel Hill metro area
A typical Dental Hygienist in Durham, North Carolina earns $48.78 per hour, or $101,460 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $8,455 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $82,490, and the top 10% of earners make over $103,850.
That pay is 4% above the North Carolina figure of $97,850 and 3% above the national figure of $98,100. Durham ranks 1st of 16 metro areas in North Carolina for Dental Hygienist pay. About 350 Dental Hygienists work in the Durham · Chapel Hill area. Durham is part of the Durham · Chapel Hill metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Chapel Hill share these figures.
Dental Hygienist pay in Durham at a glance
- Typical pay is $48.78 an hour, or $101,460 a year.
- That is 4% above the North Carolina figure, ranking 1st of 16 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $82,490; the top 10% make over $103,850.
- Typical pay rose +38% from 2015 to 2025, against +44% for North Carolina as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Hygienist make in Durham?
Pay in Durham runs from entry-level positions at around $39.66 an hour to more than $49.93 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the North Carolina and national figures.
Dental Hygienist pay by career stage in Durham
| Career stage | Durham | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $82,490$39.66 an hour | $77,270$37.15 an hour | $74,880$36.00 an hour |
| First years | $83,180$39.99 an hour | $84,150$40.46 an hour | $83,570$40.18 an hour |
| Typical Dental Hygienist | $101,460$48.78 an hour | $97,850$47.04 an hour | $98,100$47.16 an hour |
| Experienced | $102,530$49.29 an hour | $100,930$48.53 an hour | $108,480$52.16 an hour |
| Top 10% | $103,850$49.93 an hour | $103,850$49.93 an hour | $126,050$60.60 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Durham · Chapel Hill area as BLS defines it
Dental Hygienist pay growth in Durham
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Hygienists in the Durham · Chapel Hill area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Hygienist pay in Durham was $73,580 a year. By 2025 it had reached $101,460, a change of +38%, compared with +44% for North Carolina over the same years.
How Durham compares with other North Carolina cities
Durham pays Dental Hygienists the most of any metro area in North Carolina. The lowest-paying area in the state is Jacksonville at $82,380.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Durham | Dental Hygienists employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Durham metro incl. Chapel Hill | $101,460 | $48.78 | this city | 350 |
| 2 | Asheville | $101,170 | $48.64 | 0% | 300 |
| 3 | Norfolk metro incl. Chesapeake | $98,890 | $47.54 | -3% | 940 |
| 4 | Cary metro incl. Raleigh | $98,800 | $47.50 | -3% | 1,220 |
| 5 | Charlotte | $98,390 | $47.30 | -3% | 1,910 |
| 6 | Burlington | $97,210 | $46.73 | -4% | 100 |
| 7 | Wilmington | $96,700 | $46.49 | -5% | 440 |
| 8 | Salem metro incl. Winston | $95,930 | $46.12 | -5% | 500 |
| 9 | Pinehurst metro incl. Southern Pines | $95,900 | $46.11 | -5% | 70 |
| 10 | Hickory | $94,050 | $45.21 | -7% | 170 |
| 11 | Greenville | $93,790 | $45.09 | -8% | 110 |
| 12 | Fayetteville | $93,330 | $44.87 | -8% | 220 |
| 13 | Rocky Mount | $88,390 | $42.49 | -13% | 50 |
| 14 | High Point metro incl. Greensboro | $84,250 | $40.51 | -17% | 390 |
| 15 | Goldsboro | $83,350 | $40.07 | -18% | 70 |
| 16 | Jacksonville | $82,380 | $39.61 | -19% | 120 |
Every metro area in North Carolina with Dental Hygienist wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · North Carolina typical pay $97,850
Is Durham a good place to work as a Dental Hygienist?
Dental Hygienist pay in Durham sits close to the national figure: $101,460 a year, 3% above the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Durham · Chapel Hill area, about 1.0 are Dental Hygienist positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 1.4. That makes Dental Hygienists a smaller part of the local job market than usual, so employers draw from a smaller pool of qualified candidates.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Dental Hygienist make in Durham, NC?
- A typical Dental Hygienist in Durham earns $101,460 a year, or $48.78 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $82,490 and the top 10% earn over $103,850.
- How much does a Dental Hygienist make an hour in Durham?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Hygienists in Durham is $48.78. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $39.66, and the top 10% earn over $49.93 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Hygienist in Durham?
- Entry-level Dental Hygienist positions in Durham typically offer around $39.66 an hour, or $82,490 a year.
- Is Dental Hygienist pay in Durham higher than in the rest of North Carolina?
- Durham pay is 4% above the North Carolina figure of $97,850 a year, ranking 1st of 16 metro areas in the state.