How Much Does a Dental Hygienist Make in Arlington, VA in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Hygienists in Arlington, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Virginia.
BLS OES May 2025 · Washington · Arlington · Alexandria metro area
A typical Dental Hygienist in Arlington, Virginia earns $57.30 per hour, or $119,170 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $9,931 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $94,290, and the top 10% of earners make over $132,000.
That pay is 16% above the Virginia figure of $102,950 and 21% above the national figure of $98,100. Arlington ranks 1st of 11 metro areas in Virginia for Dental Hygienist pay. About 2,200 Dental Hygienists work in the Washington · Arlington · Alexandria area.
Dental Hygienist pay in Arlington at a glance
- Typical pay is $57.30 an hour, or $119,170 a year.
- That is 16% above the Virginia figure, ranking 1st of 11 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $94,290; the top 10% make over $132,000.
- Typical pay rose +30% from 2015 to 2025, against +27% for Virginia as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Hygienist make in Arlington?
Pay in Arlington runs from entry-level positions at around $45.33 an hour to more than $63.46 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Virginia and national figures.
Dental Hygienist pay by career stage in Arlington
| Career stage | Arlington | Virginia | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $94,290$45.33 an hour | $86,730$41.70 an hour | $74,880$36.00 an hour |
| First years | $103,340$49.68 an hour | $97,630$46.94 an hour | $83,570$40.18 an hour |
| Typical Dental Hygienist | $119,170$57.30 an hour | $102,950$49.50 an hour | $98,100$47.16 an hour |
| Experienced | $125,560$60.37 an hour | $119,690$57.54 an hour | $108,480$52.16 an hour |
| Top 10% | $132,000$63.46 an hour | $125,560$60.37 an hour | $126,050$60.60 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Washington · Arlington · Alexandria area as BLS defines it
Dental Hygienist pay growth in Arlington
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Hygienists in the Washington · Arlington · Alexandria area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Hygienist pay in Arlington was $91,770 a year. By 2025 it had reached $119,170, a change of +30%, compared with +27% for Virginia over the same years.
How Arlington compares with other Virginia cities
Arlington pays Dental Hygienists the most of any metro area in Virginia. The lowest-paying area in the state is Bristol at $82,870.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Arlington | Dental Hygienists employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arlington | $119,170 | $57.30 | this city | 2,200 |
| 2 | Charlottesville | $107,690 | $51.78 | -10% | 120 |
| 3 | Richmond | $104,250 | $50.12 | -13% | 780 |
| 4 | Winchester | $100,640 | $48.38 | -16% | 100 |
| 5 | Harrisonburg | $100,620 | $48.37 | -16% | 100 |
| 6 | Staunton metro incl. Stuarts Draft | $100,350 | $48.24 | -16% | 60 |
| 7 | Virginia Beach | $98,890 | $47.54 | -17% | 940 |
| 8 | Roanoke | $98,550 | $47.38 | -17% | 170 |
| 9 | Lynchburg | $96,990 | $46.63 | -19% | 120 |
| 10 | Blacksburg metro incl. Christiansburg · Radford | $90,550 | $43.53 | -24% | 70 |
| 11 | Bristol | $82,870 | $39.84 | -30% | 210 |
Every metro area in Virginia with Dental Hygienist wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Virginia typical pay $102,950
Is Arlington a good place to work as a Dental Hygienist?
Dental Hygienists in Arlington earn a strong wage by national standards: typical pay is $119,170 a year, 21% above the national figure. For every 1,000 jobs in the Washington · Arlington · Alexandria area, about 0.7 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 Arlington, VA?
- A typical Dental Hygienist in Arlington earns $119,170 a year, or $57.30 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $94,290 and the top 10% earn over $132,000.
- How much does a Dental Hygienist make an hour in Arlington?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Hygienists in Arlington is $57.30. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $45.33, and the top 10% earn over $63.46 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Hygienist in Arlington?
- Entry-level Dental Hygienist positions in Arlington typically offer around $45.33 an hour, or $94,290 a year.
- Is Dental Hygienist pay in Arlington higher than in the rest of Virginia?
- Arlington pay is 16% above the Virginia figure of $102,950 a year, ranking 1st of 11 metro areas in the state.