How Much Does a Dental Hygienist Make in Wilmington, NC in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Hygienists in Wilmington, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across North Carolina.
BLS OES May 2025 · Wilmington metro area
A typical Dental Hygienist in Wilmington, North Carolina earns $46.49 per hour, or $96,700 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $8,058 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $80,730, and the top 10% of earners make over $103,970.
That pay is 1% below the North Carolina figure of $97,850 and 1% below the national figure of $98,100. Wilmington ranks 7th of 16 metro areas in North Carolina for Dental Hygienist pay. About 440 Dental Hygienists work in the Wilmington area.
Dental Hygienist pay in Wilmington at a glance
- Typical pay is $46.49 an hour, or $96,700 a year.
- That is 1% below the North Carolina figure, ranking 7th of 16 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $80,730; the top 10% make over $103,970.
- Typical pay rose +34% from 2015 to 2025, against +44% for North Carolina as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Hygienist make in Wilmington?
Pay in Wilmington runs from entry-level positions at around $38.81 an hour to more than $49.99 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 Wilmington
| Career stage | Wilmington | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $80,730$38.81 an hour | $77,270$37.15 an hour | $74,880$36.00 an hour |
| First years | $82,920$39.87 an hour | $84,150$40.46 an hour | $83,570$40.18 an hour |
| Typical Dental Hygienist | $96,700$46.49 an hour | $97,850$47.04 an hour | $98,100$47.16 an hour |
| Experienced | $100,910$48.52 an hour | $100,930$48.53 an hour | $108,480$52.16 an hour |
| Top 10% | $103,970$49.99 an hour | $103,850$49.93 an hour | $126,050$60.60 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Wilmington area as BLS defines it
Dental Hygienist pay growth in Wilmington
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Hygienists in the Wilmington area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Hygienist pay in Wilmington was $72,380 a year. By 2025 it had reached $96,700, a change of +34%, compared with +44% for North Carolina over the same years.
How Wilmington compares with other North Carolina cities
Durham pays Dental Hygienists the most in North Carolina at $101,460 a year, $4,760 more than Wilmington. The lowest-paying area in the state is Jacksonville at $82,380.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Wilmington | Dental Hygienists employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Durham metro incl. Chapel Hill | $101,460 | $48.78 | +5% | 350 |
| 2 | Asheville | $101,170 | $48.64 | +5% | 300 |
| 3 | Norfolk metro incl. Chesapeake | $98,890 | $47.54 | +2% | 940 |
| 4 | Cary metro incl. Raleigh | $98,800 | $47.50 | +2% | 1,220 |
| 5 | Charlotte | $98,390 | $47.30 | +2% | 1,910 |
| 6 | Burlington | $97,210 | $46.73 | +1% | 100 |
| 7 | Wilmington | $96,700 | $46.49 | this city | 440 |
| 8 | Salem metro incl. Winston | $95,930 | $46.12 | -1% | 500 |
| 9 | Pinehurst metro incl. Southern Pines | $95,900 | $46.11 | -1% | 70 |
| 10 | Hickory | $94,050 | $45.21 | -3% | 170 |
| 11 | Greenville | $93,790 | $45.09 | -3% | 110 |
| 12 | Fayetteville | $93,330 | $44.87 | -3% | 220 |
| 13 | Rocky Mount | $88,390 | $42.49 | -9% | 50 |
| 14 | High Point metro incl. Greensboro | $84,250 | $40.51 | -13% | 390 |
| 15 | Goldsboro | $83,350 | $40.07 | -14% | 70 |
| 16 | Jacksonville | $82,380 | $39.61 | -15% | 120 |
Every metro area in North Carolina with Dental Hygienist wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · North Carolina typical pay $97,850
Is Wilmington a good place to work as a Dental Hygienist?
Dental Hygienist pay in Wilmington sits close to the national figure: $96,700 a year, 1% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Wilmington area, about 2.3 are Dental Hygienist positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 1.4. That makes the local economy more reliant on Dental Hygienists than most places, and turnover keeps positions opening through the year.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Dental Hygienist make in Wilmington, NC?
- A typical Dental Hygienist in Wilmington earns $96,700 a year, or $46.49 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $80,730 and the top 10% earn over $103,970.
- How much does a Dental Hygienist make an hour in Wilmington?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Hygienists in Wilmington is $46.49. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $38.81, and the top 10% earn over $49.99 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Hygienist in Wilmington?
- Entry-level Dental Hygienist positions in Wilmington typically offer around $38.81 an hour, or $80,730 a year.
- Is Dental Hygienist pay in Wilmington higher than in the rest of North Carolina?
- Wilmington pay is 1% below the North Carolina figure of $97,850 a year, ranking 7th of 16 metro areas in the state. Durham pays the most in North Carolina at $101,460.