How Much Does a Dental Hygienist Make in Albuquerque, NM in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Hygienists in Albuquerque, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across New Mexico.
BLS OES May 2025 · Albuquerque metro area
A typical Dental Hygienist in Albuquerque, New Mexico earns $46.10 per hour, or $95,900 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $7,992 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $83,670, and the top 10% of earners make over $100,770.
That pay is right at the New Mexico figure of $95,940 and 2% below the national figure of $98,100. Albuquerque ranks 2nd of 4 metro areas in New Mexico for Dental Hygienist pay. About 810 Dental Hygienists work in the Albuquerque area.
Dental Hygienist pay in Albuquerque at a glance
- Typical pay is $46.10 an hour, or $95,900 a year.
- That is right at the New Mexico figure, ranking 2nd of 4 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $83,670; the top 10% make over $100,770.
- Typical pay rose +10% from 2015 to 2025, against +13% for New Mexico as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Hygienist make in Albuquerque?
Pay in Albuquerque runs from entry-level positions at around $40.23 an hour to more than $48.45 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the New Mexico and national figures.
Dental Hygienist pay by career stage in Albuquerque
| Career stage | Albuquerque | New Mexico | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $83,670$40.23 an hour | $82,180$39.51 an hour | $74,880$36.00 an hour |
| First years | $86,300$41.49 an hour | $86,300$41.49 an hour | $83,570$40.18 an hour |
| Typical Dental Hygienist | $95,900$46.10 an hour | $95,940$46.12 an hour | $98,100$47.16 an hour |
| Experienced | $99,950$48.05 an hour | $99,960$48.06 an hour | $108,480$52.16 an hour |
| Top 10% | $100,770$48.45 an hour | $105,440$50.69 an hour | $126,050$60.60 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Albuquerque area as BLS defines it
Dental Hygienist pay growth in Albuquerque
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Hygienists in the Albuquerque area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Hygienist pay in Albuquerque was $87,560 a year. By 2025 it had reached $95,900, a change of +10%, compared with +13% for New Mexico over the same years.
How Albuquerque compares with other New Mexico cities
Santa Fe pays Dental Hygienists the most in New Mexico at $99,260 a year, $3,360 more than Albuquerque. The lowest-paying area in the state is Las Cruces at $82,120.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Albuquerque | Dental Hygienists employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santa Fe | $99,260 | $47.72 | +4% | 120 |
| 2 | Albuquerque | $95,900 | $46.10 | this city | 810 |
| 3 | Farmington | $90,420 | $43.47 | -6% | 120 |
| 4 | Las Cruces | $82,120 | $39.48 | -14% | 120 |
Every metro area in New Mexico with Dental Hygienist wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · New Mexico typical pay $95,940
Is Albuquerque a good place to work as a Dental Hygienist?
Dental Hygienist pay in Albuquerque sits close to the national figure: $95,900 a year, 2% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Albuquerque area, about 2.0 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 Albuquerque, NM?
- A typical Dental Hygienist in Albuquerque earns $95,900 a year, or $46.10 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $83,670 and the top 10% earn over $100,770.
- How much does a Dental Hygienist make an hour in Albuquerque?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Hygienists in Albuquerque is $46.10. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $40.23, and the top 10% earn over $48.45 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Hygienist in Albuquerque?
- Entry-level Dental Hygienist positions in Albuquerque typically offer around $40.23 an hour, or $83,670 a year.
- Is Dental Hygienist pay in Albuquerque higher than in the rest of New Mexico?
- Albuquerque pay is right at the New Mexico figure of $95,940 a year, ranking 2nd of 4 metro areas in the state. Santa Fe pays the most in New Mexico at $99,260.