How Much Does a Dental Hygienist Make in Portland, OR in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Hygienists in Portland, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Oregon.
BLS OES May 2025 · Portland · Vancouver · Hillsboro metro area
A typical Dental Hygienist in Portland, Oregon earns $59.18 per hour, or $123,100 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $10,258 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $107,650, and the top 10% of earners make over $147,470.
That pay is 1% above the Oregon figure of $122,080 and 25% above the national figure of $98,100. Portland ranks 1st of 8 metro areas in Oregon for Dental Hygienist pay. About 2,380 Dental Hygienists work in the Portland · Vancouver · Hillsboro area.
Dental Hygienist pay in Portland at a glance
- Typical pay is $59.18 an hour, or $123,100 a year.
- That is 1% above the Oregon figure, ranking 1st of 8 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $107,650; the top 10% make over $147,470.
- Typical pay rose +65% from 2015 to 2025, against +59% for Oregon as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Hygienist make in Portland?
Pay in Portland runs from entry-level positions at around $51.76 an hour to more than $70.90 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Oregon and national figures.
Dental Hygienist pay by career stage in Portland
| Career stage | Portland | Oregon | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $107,650$51.76 an hour | $104,530$50.26 an hour | $74,880$36.00 an hour |
| First years | $121,800$58.56 an hour | $109,640$52.71 an hour | $83,570$40.18 an hour |
| Typical Dental Hygienist | $123,100$59.18 an hour | $122,080$58.69 an hour | $98,100$47.16 an hour |
| Experienced | $128,350$61.71 an hour | $126,460$60.80 an hour | $108,480$52.16 an hour |
| Top 10% | $147,470$70.90 an hour | $134,120$64.48 an hour | $126,050$60.60 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Portland · Vancouver · Hillsboro area as BLS defines it
Dental Hygienist pay growth in Portland
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Hygienists in the Portland · Vancouver · Hillsboro area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Hygienist pay in Portland was $74,570 a year. By 2025 it had reached $123,100, a change of +65%, compared with +59% for Oregon over the same years.
How Portland compares with other Oregon cities
Portland pays Dental Hygienists the most of any metro area in Oregon. The lowest-paying area in the state is Eugene at $106,600.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Portland | Dental Hygienists employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Portland | $123,100 | $59.18 | this city | 2,380 |
| 2 | Bend | $119,650 | $57.52 | -3% | 230 |
| 3 | Salem | $119,050 | $57.24 | -3% | 300 |
| 4 | Grants Pass | $116,210 | $55.87 | -6% | 60 |
| 5 | Corvallis | $114,450 | $55.02 | -7% | 70 |
| 6 | Albany | $111,380 | $53.55 | -10% | 80 |
| 7 | Medford | $110,200 | $52.98 | -10% | 210 |
| 8 | Springfield metro incl. Eugene | $106,600 | $51.25 | -13% | 340 |
Every metro area in Oregon with Dental Hygienist wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Oregon typical pay $122,080
Is Portland a good place to work as a Dental Hygienist?
Dental Hygienists in Portland earn a strong wage by national standards: typical pay is $123,100 a year, 25% above the national figure. For every 1,000 jobs in the Portland · Vancouver · Hillsboro 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 Portland, OR?
- A typical Dental Hygienist in Portland earns $123,100 a year, or $59.18 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $107,650 and the top 10% earn over $147,470.
- How much does a Dental Hygienist make an hour in Portland?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Hygienists in Portland is $59.18. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $51.76, and the top 10% earn over $70.90 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Hygienist in Portland?
- Entry-level Dental Hygienist positions in Portland typically offer around $51.76 an hour, or $107,650 a year.
- Is Dental Hygienist pay in Portland higher than in the rest of Oregon?
- Portland pay is 1% above the Oregon figure of $122,080 a year, ranking 1st of 8 metro areas in the state.