How Much Does a Dental Hygienist Make in Salem, OR in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Hygienists in Salem, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Oregon.
BLS OES May 2025 · Salem metro area
A typical Dental Hygienist in Salem, Oregon earns $57.24 per hour, or $119,050 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $9,921 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $106,970, and the top 10% of earners make over $125,660.
That pay is 2% below the Oregon figure of $122,080 and 21% above the national figure of $98,100. Salem ranks 3rd of 8 metro areas in Oregon for Dental Hygienist pay. About 300 Dental Hygienists work in the Salem area.
Dental Hygienist pay in Salem at a glance
- Typical pay is $57.24 an hour, or $119,050 a year.
- That is 2% below the Oregon figure, ranking 3rd of 8 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $106,970; the top 10% make over $125,660.
- Typical pay rose +60% from 2015 to 2025, against +59% for Oregon as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Hygienist make in Salem?
Pay in Salem runs from entry-level positions at around $51.43 an hour to more than $60.42 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 Salem
| Career stage | Salem | Oregon | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $106,970$51.43 an hour | $104,530$50.26 an hour | $74,880$36.00 an hour |
| First years | $111,420$53.57 an hour | $109,640$52.71 an hour | $83,570$40.18 an hour |
| Typical Dental Hygienist | $119,050$57.24 an hour | $122,080$58.69 an hour | $98,100$47.16 an hour |
| Experienced | $124,060$59.65 an hour | $126,460$60.80 an hour | $108,480$52.16 an hour |
| Top 10% | $125,660$60.42 an hour | $134,120$64.48 an hour | $126,050$60.60 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Salem area as BLS defines it
Dental Hygienist pay growth in Salem
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Hygienists in the Salem area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Hygienist pay in Salem was $74,440 a year. By 2025 it had reached $119,050, a change of +60%, compared with +59% for Oregon over the same years.
How Salem compares with other Oregon cities
Portland pays Dental Hygienists the most in Oregon at $123,100 a year, $4,050 more than Salem. The lowest-paying area in the state is Eugene at $106,600.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Salem | Dental Hygienists employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Portland | $123,100 | $59.18 | +3% | 2,380 |
| 2 | Bend | $119,650 | $57.52 | +1% | 230 |
| 3 | Salem | $119,050 | $57.24 | this city | 300 |
| 4 | Grants Pass | $116,210 | $55.87 | -2% | 60 |
| 5 | Corvallis | $114,450 | $55.02 | -4% | 70 |
| 6 | Albany | $111,380 | $53.55 | -6% | 80 |
| 7 | Medford | $110,200 | $52.98 | -7% | 210 |
| 8 | Springfield metro incl. Eugene | $106,600 | $51.25 | -10% | 340 |
Every metro area in Oregon with Dental Hygienist wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Oregon typical pay $122,080
Is Salem a good place to work as a Dental Hygienist?
Dental Hygienists in Salem earn a strong wage by national standards: typical pay is $119,050 a year, 21% above the national figure. For every 1,000 jobs in the Salem area, about 1.6 are Dental Hygienist positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 1.5. Dental Hygienist jobs make up about the same share of the job market as they do across the country.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Dental Hygienist make in Salem, OR?
- A typical Dental Hygienist in Salem earns $119,050 a year, or $57.24 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $106,970 and the top 10% earn over $125,660.
- How much does a Dental Hygienist make an hour in Salem?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Hygienists in Salem is $57.24. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $51.43, and the top 10% earn over $60.42 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Hygienist in Salem?
- Entry-level Dental Hygienist positions in Salem typically offer around $51.43 an hour, or $106,970 a year.
- Is Dental Hygienist pay in Salem higher than in the rest of Oregon?
- Salem pay is 2% below the Oregon figure of $122,080 a year, ranking 3rd of 8 metro areas in the state. Portland pays the most in Oregon at $123,100.