How Much Does a Dental Hygienist Make in Bellingham, WA in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Hygienists in Bellingham, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Washington.
BLS OES May 2025 · Bellingham metro area
A typical Dental Hygienist in Bellingham, Washington earns $60.02 per hour, or $124,850 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $10,404 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $106,770, and the top 10% of earners make over $149,680.
That pay is 5% below the Washington figure of $131,160 and 27% above the national figure of $98,100. Bellingham ranks 4th of 12 metro areas in Washington for Dental Hygienist pay. About 150 Dental Hygienists work in the Bellingham area.
Dental Hygienist pay in Bellingham at a glance
- Typical pay is $60.02 an hour, or $124,850 a year.
- That is 5% below the Washington figure, ranking 4th of 12 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $106,770; the top 10% make over $149,680.
- Typical pay rose +35% from 2015 to 2025, against +44% for Washington as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Hygienist make in Bellingham?
Pay in Bellingham runs from entry-level positions at around $51.33 an hour to more than $71.96 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Washington and national figures.
Dental Hygienist pay by career stage in Bellingham
| Career stage | Bellingham | Washington | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $106,770$51.33 an hour | $107,090$51.49 an hour | $74,880$36.00 an hour |
| First years | $120,080$57.73 an hour | $122,000$58.65 an hour | $83,570$40.18 an hour |
| Typical Dental Hygienist | $124,850$60.02 an hour | $131,160$63.06 an hour | $98,100$47.16 an hour |
| Experienced | $147,740$71.03 an hour | $134,670$64.75 an hour | $108,480$52.16 an hour |
| Top 10% | $149,680$71.96 an hour | $162,050$77.91 an hour | $126,050$60.60 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Bellingham area as BLS defines it
Dental Hygienist pay growth in Bellingham
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Hygienists in the Bellingham area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Hygienist pay in Bellingham was $92,520 a year. By 2025 it had reached $124,850, a change of +35%, compared with +44% for Washington over the same years.
How Bellingham compares with other Washington cities
Tacoma pays Dental Hygienists the most in Washington at $133,740 a year, $8,890 more than Bellingham. The lowest-paying area in the state is Walla Walla at $106,680.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Bellingham | Dental Hygienists employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tacoma | $133,740 | $64.30 | +7% | 3,500 |
| 2 | Bremerton metro incl. Silverdale · Port Orchard | $131,040 | $63.00 | +5% | 190 |
| 3 | Anacortes metro incl. Mount Vernon | $127,470 | $61.28 | +2% | 130 |
| 4 | Bellingham | $124,850 | $60.02 | this city | 150 |
| 5 | Vancouver metro incl. Hillsboro | $123,100 | $59.18 | -1% | 2,380 |
| 6 | Kelso metro incl. Longview | $123,020 | $59.14 | -1% | 100 |
| 7 | Lacey | $122,950 | $59.11 | -2% | 220 |
| 8 | Richland metro incl. Kennewick | $122,480 | $58.88 | -2% | 270 |
| 9 | Yakima | $120,690 | $58.03 | -3% | 160 |
| 10 | East Wenatchee metro incl. Wenatchee | $118,820 | $57.13 | -5% | 110 |
| 11 | Spokane metro incl. Spokane Valley | $116,690 | $56.10 | -7% | 500 |
| 12 | Walla Walla | $106,680 | $51.29 | -15% | 50 |
Every metro area in Washington with Dental Hygienist wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Washington typical pay $131,160
Is Bellingham a good place to work as a Dental Hygienist?
Dental Hygienists in Bellingham earn a strong wage by national standards: typical pay is $124,850 a year, 27% above the national figure. For every 1,000 jobs in the Bellingham area, about 1.6 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 Bellingham, WA?
- A typical Dental Hygienist in Bellingham earns $124,850 a year, or $60.02 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $106,770 and the top 10% earn over $149,680.
- How much does a Dental Hygienist make an hour in Bellingham?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Hygienists in Bellingham is $60.02. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $51.33, and the top 10% earn over $71.96 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Hygienist in Bellingham?
- Entry-level Dental Hygienist positions in Bellingham typically offer around $51.33 an hour, or $106,770 a year.
- Is Dental Hygienist pay in Bellingham higher than in the rest of Washington?
- Bellingham pay is 5% below the Washington figure of $131,160 a year, ranking 4th of 12 metro areas in the state. Tacoma pays the most in Washington at $133,740.