Best degree programs for Dental Hygienists, ranked by enrollment
1 college programs and 339 schools train Dental Hygienists. Compare graduates per year, cost and pay, $98,100 median wage, 222,740 U.S. jobs. Federal data.
1 college programs at 339 schools train dental hygienists, graduating 8,920 people a year (IPEDS completions). The largest is Dental Hygiene/Hygienist. The job pays a median of $98,100 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
About dental hygienists
Administer oral hygiene care to patients. Assess patient oral hygiene problems or needs and maintain health records. Advise patients on oral health maintenance and disease prevention. May provide advanced care such as providing fluoride treatment or administering topical anesthesia.
A dental hygienist or oral hygienist is a licensed dental professional, registered with a dental association or regulatory body within their country of practice. Prior to completing clinical and written board examinations, registered dental hygienists must have either an associate's or bachelor's degree in dental hygiene from an accredited college or university. Once registered, hygienists are primary healthcare professionals who work independently of or alongside dentists and other dental professionals to provide full oral health care. They have the training and education that focus on and specialize in the prevention and treatment of many oral diseases.
Read more on Wikipedia →Fields of study that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level, the tier our program pages are built on. Numbers are graduates per year.
1 degree programs that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are College Scorecard figures for people who finished the program, reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. That is a different measurement from the occupation-wide wages further down this page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 51.0602 | 8,920 | 100.0% | 339 | $28,924 | $10,782 |
Top 50 schools by graduates into this job
Counting every feeder program a school offers, not just its largest one.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Plaza College Forest Hills, NY Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 95 | Dental Hygiene/Hygienist | 68% | $19,409 | 30% |
| 2 | Sinclair Community College Dayton, OH Public · 1 feeder programs | 94 | Dental Hygiene/Hygienist | 41% | — | — |
| 3 | Old Dominion University Norfolk, VA Public · 1 feeder programs | 83 | Dental Hygiene/Hygienist | 46% | — | 90% |
| 4 | Cypress College Cypress, CA Public · 1 feeder programs | 82 | Dental Hygiene/Hygienist | 37% | — | — |
| 5 | Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Boston, MA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 80 | Dental Hygiene/Hygienist | 62% | $35,358 | 85% |
| 6 | Concorde Career College - Dallas Dallas, TX Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 78 | Dental Hygiene/Hygienist | 60% | $24,493 | 90% |
| 7 | Minnesota State University - Mankato Mankato, MN Public · 1 feeder programs | 72 | Dental Hygiene/Hygienist | 54% | — | 88% |
| 8 | West Coast University - Anaheim - Orange County Anaheim, CA Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 72 | Dental Hygiene/Hygienist | 60% | $36,879 | — |
| 9 | New York University New York, NY Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 71 | Dental Hygiene/Hygienist | 88% | $29,023 | 9% |
| 10 | Pennsylvania College of Technology Williamsport, PA Public · 1 feeder programs | 69 | Dental Hygiene/Hygienist | 53% | — | — |
| 11 | West Los Angeles College Culver City, CA Public · 1 feeder programs | 69 | Dental Hygiene/Hygienist | 28% | — | — |
| 12 | University of Bridgeport Bridgeport, CT Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 68 | Dental Hygiene/Hygienist | 41% | $25,149 | 83% |
| 13 | CUNY New York City College of Technology Brooklyn, NY Public · 1 feeder programs | 67 | Dental Hygiene/Hygienist | 21% | — | 80% |
| 14 | Concorde Career College - Garden Grove Garden Grove, CA Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 64 | Dental Hygiene/Hygienist | 84% | $23,570 | 97% |
| 15 | Concorde Career College - Kansas City Kansas City, MO Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 64 | Dental Hygiene/Hygienist | 53% | $29,551 | 96% |
| 16 | Concorde Career College - San Antonio San Antonio, TX Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 63 | Dental Hygiene/Hygienist | 69% | $28,395 | 95% |
| 17 | University of New Haven West Haven, CT Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 63 | Dental Hygiene/Hygienist | 63% | $32,614 | 60% |
| 18 | Weber State University Ogden, UT Public · 1 feeder programs | 62 | Dental Hygiene/Hygienist | 46% | — | — |
| 19 | Concorde Career College - Aurora Aurora, CO Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 61 | Dental Hygiene/Hygienist | 64% | $18,015 | 90% |
| 20 | Concorde Career College - San Bernardino San Bernardino, CA Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 60 | Dental Hygiene/Hygienist | 76% | $24,160 | 98% |
| 21 | San Joaquin Valley College - Ontario Ontario, CA Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 60 | Dental Hygiene/Hygienist | 64% | $26,900 | — |
| 22 | Careers Unlimited Orem, UT Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 59 | Dental Hygiene/Hygienist | — | — | — |
| 23 | Carrington College - San Jose San Jose, CA Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 57 | Dental Hygiene/Hygienist | 60% | $32,608 | — |
| 24 | Stark State College North Canton, OH Public · 1 feeder programs | 57 | Dental Hygiene/Hygienist | 23% | — | — |
| 25 | University of New Mexico - Main Campus Albuquerque, NM Public · 1 feeder programs | 57 | Dental Hygiene/Hygienist | 55% | — | 95% |
| 26 | West Liberty University West Liberty, WV Public · 1 feeder programs | 57 | Dental Hygiene/Hygienist | 60% | — | 97% |
| 27 | Wichita State University Wichita, KS Public · 1 feeder programs | 56 | Dental Hygiene/Hygienist | 51% | — | 94% |
| 28 | Carrington College - Boise Boise, ID Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 55 | Dental Hygiene/Hygienist | 62% | — | — |
| 29 | Eastern International College - Jersey City Jersey City, NJ Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 55 | Dental Hygiene/Hygienist | 34% | $23,532 | 70% |
| 30 | Concorde Career College - Memphis Memphis, TN Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 54 | Dental Hygiene/Hygienist | 55% | $23,740 | 95% |
| 31 | Ferris State University Big Rapids, MI Public · 1 feeder programs | 53 | Dental Hygiene/Hygienist | 47% | — | 91% |
| 32 | Pueblo Community College Pueblo, CO Public · 1 feeder programs | 53 | Dental Hygiene/Hygienist | 31% | — | — |
| 33 | Community College of Denver Denver, CO Public · 1 feeder programs | 52 | Dental Hygiene/Hygienist | 20% | — | — |
| 34 | Northern Arizona University Flagstaff, AZ Public · 1 feeder programs | 52 | Dental Hygiene/Hygienist | 61% | — | 90% |
| 35 | Carrington College - Mesa Mesa, AZ Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 51 | Dental Hygiene/Hygienist | 54% | $48,051 | — |
| 36 | Bluegrass Community and Technical College Lexington, KY Public · 1 feeder programs | 50 | Dental Hygiene/Hygienist | 43% | — | — |
| 37 | Foothill College Los Altos Hills, CA Public · 1 feeder programs | 50 | Dental Hygiene/Hygienist | 56% | — | — |
| 38 | Texas Woman's University Denton, TX Public · 1 feeder programs | 50 | Dental Hygiene/Hygienist | 49% | — | 96% |
| 39 | Tyler Junior College Tyler, TX Public · 1 feeder programs | 49 | Dental Hygiene/Hygienist | 27% | — | — |
| 40 | College of Southern Nevada Las Vegas, NV Public · 1 feeder programs | 48 | Dental Hygiene/Hygienist | 19% | — | — |
| 41 | Farmingdale State College Farmingdale, NY Public · 1 feeder programs | 48 | Dental Hygiene/Hygienist | 53% | — | 63% |
| 42 | Fortis College - Salt Lake City Salt Lake City, UT Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 47 | Dental Hygiene/Hygienist | 60% | $27,487 | — |
| 43 | University of Oklahoma - Health Sciences Center Oklahoma City, OK Public · 1 feeder programs | 47 | Dental Hygiene/Hygienist | — | — | — |
| 44 | Concorde Career College - San Diego San Diego, CA Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 46 | Dental Hygiene/Hygienist | 76% | $25,970 | 100% |
| 45 | Miami Dade College Miami, FL Public · 1 feeder programs | 46 | Dental Hygiene/Hygienist | 46% | — | — |
| 46 | Oregon Institute of Technology Klamath Falls, OR Public · 1 feeder programs | 46 | Dental Hygiene/Hygienist | 54% | — | 95% |
| 47 | Pasadena City College Pasadena, CA Public · 1 feeder programs | 46 | Dental Hygiene/Hygienist | 48% | — | — |
| 48 | South College Knoxville, TN Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 46 | Dental Hygiene/Hygienist | 42% | $20,346 | — |
| 49 | Indiana University - Indianapolis Indianapolis, IN Public · 1 feeder programs | 44 | Dental Hygiene/Hygienist | 54% | — | 76% |
| 50 | Ohio State University - Main Campus Columbus, OH Public · 1 feeder programs | 44 | Dental Hygiene/Hygienist | 88% | — | 61% |
What dental hygienists earn
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
Top-paying states
Top-paying metro areas
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Where the jobs are, state by state
Pick a state for in-state pay, the schools there, and the programs they run.
| State | Median pay | Jobs | Concentration | Schools | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $124,930 | 24,500 | 0.94× | 26 | 942 |
| Texas | $99,240 | 16,380 | 0.81× | 27 | 738 |
| Florida | $91,980 | 11,980 | 0.84× | 21 | 447 |
| New York | $106,130 | 13,660 | 0.98× | 10 | 432 |
| Ohio | $88,990 | 8,630 | 1.09× | 13 | 400 |
| Pennsylvania | $80,610 | 7,970 | 0.92× | 13 | 338 |
| Michigan | $83,790 | 8,640 | 1.37× | 14 | 330 |
| Illinois | $96,670 | 8,970 | 1.03× | 13 | 319 |
| Tennessee | $84,640 | 4,570 | 0.97× | 11 | 295 |
| North Carolina | $97,850 | 6,690 | 0.95× | 13 | 269 |
| Georgia | $95,490 | 7,440 | 1.06× | 14 | 266 |
| Utah | $91,120 | 3,780 | 1.52× | 7 | 262 |
| Minnesota | $103,970 | 4,110 | 0.97× | 10 | 249 |
| Massachusetts | $100,640 | 6,850 | 1.31× | 8 | 223 |
| Arizona | $101,010 | 4,530 | 0.98× | 7 | 214 |
| Washington | $131,160 | 6,330 | 1.24× | 9 | 202 |
| Coloradomoderate | $109,580 | 4,270 | 1.04× | 4 | 195 |
| Virginia | $102,950 | 3,770 | 0.64× | 6 | 186 |
| Missouri | $92,750 | 3,810 | 0.91× | 6 | 181 |
| Wisconsin | $96,540 | 5,080 | 1.21× | 9 | 180 |
| Connecticutmoderate | $100,690 | 3,240 | 1.33× | 4 | 169 |
| Kentucky | $78,830 | 2,070 | 0.72× | 6 | 162 |
| New Jersey | $107,040 | 7,230 | 1.18× | 5 | 162 |
| Maryland | $107,830 | 3,500 | 0.88× | 7 | 142 |
| Oregon | $122,080 | 3,600 | 1.28× | 5 | 135 |
| Indiana | $92,330 | 5,020 | 1.09× | 5 | 132 |
| Idahomoderate | $94,650 | 2,060 | 1.68× | 4 | 118 |
| New Mexicomoderate | $95,940 | 1,420 | 1.14× | 4 | 102 |
| Iowa | $84,010 | 2,440 | 1.09× | 6 | 99 |
| West Virginiamoderate | $73,840 | 1,250 | 1.25× | 3 | 96 |
| South Carolina | $84,340 | 3,160 | 0.96× | 6 | 90 |
| Louisianamoderate | $85,240 | 2,690 | 0.97× | 3 | 74 |
| Mississippi | $67,280 | 1,140 | 0.68× | 6 | 73 |
| Oklahomamoderate | $97,580 | 2,860 | 1.17× | 3 | 73 |
| Wyomingmoderate | $85,130 | 500 | 1.24× | 3 | 63 |
| Nevadalimited | $115,290 | 1,510 | 0.68× | 2 | 60 |
| Alabamamoderate | $61,160 | 3,170 | 1.05× | 4 | 57 |
| Mainelimited | $97,680 | 1,060 | 1.16× | 2 | 51 |
| Arkansaslimited | $86,760 | 1,740 | 0.93× | 2 | 48 |
| Nebraskamoderate | $92,580 | 1,280 | 0.88× | 3 | 38 |
| South Dakotalimited | $92,210 | 630 | 0.96× | 1 | 38 |
| Hawaiilimited | $97,570 | 830 | 0.92× | 2 | 35 |
| New Hampshirelimited | $101,250 | 1,360 | 1.39× | 1 | 30 |
| Montanalimited | $98,440 | 860 | 1.17× | 1 | 29 |
| Rhode Islandlimited | $86,910 | 770 | 1.07× | 2 | 24 |
| North Dakotalimited | $90,530 | 660 | 1.08× | 1 | 18 |
| Delawarelimited | $98,910 | 750 | 1.09× | 1 | 17 |
| Alaskalimited | $132,690 | 790 | 1.70× | 1 | 10 |
| Vermontlimited | $97,470 | 560 | 1.28× | 1 | 10 |
Skills and tools
From O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupational database. Importance is a 1 to 5 scale.
What they do day to day
- Record and review patient medical histories.
- Feel and visually examine gums for sores and signs of disease.
- Examine gums, using probes, to locate periodontal recessed gums and signs of gum disease.
- Clean calcareous deposits, accretions, and stains from teeth and beneath margins of gums, using dental instruments.
- Provide clinical services or health education to improve and maintain the oral health of patients or the general public.
- Chart conditions of decay and disease for diagnosis and treatment by dentist.
- Expose and develop x-ray film.
- Attend continuing education courses to maintain or update skills.
Skills
- Active Listening3.8
- Speaking3.5
- Critical Thinking3.5
- Writing3.1
- Monitoring3.1
- Active Learning3.0
- Reading Comprehension3.0
- Learning Strategies2.8
Knowledge areas
- Medicine and Dentistry4.6
- Customer and Personal Service3.9
- Psychology3.0
- English Language2.8
- Education and Training2.6
- Computers and Electronics2.6
Abilities
- Finger Dexterity3.9
- Near Vision3.9
- Arm-Hand Steadiness3.9
- Problem Sensitivity3.9
- Oral Comprehension3.8
- Oral Expression3.8
Core activities
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships4.6
- Assisting and Caring for Others4.5
- Performing for or Working Directly with the Public4.3
- Documenting/Recording Information4.2
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems4.0
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge4.0
Tools and technology
hotmarks an O*NET hot technologyHow to get in
How to become a Dental Hygienist
Job zone 3 of 5 · SVP 6.0 to < 7.0- Typical entry education
- Associate's degree
Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 1 majors mapped to Dental Hygienists1 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 51.0602Dental Hygiene/Hygienist
Related careers
Jobs O*NET identifies as close to this one, with their own pay and outlook.
Common questions
What degree do you need to become a Dental Hygienist?+
Associate's degree is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Dental Hygiene/Hygienist, which awarded 8,920 degrees in 2024-25, 100.0% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming a Dental Hygienist?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 1 programs to this occupation. The largest are Dental Support Services and Allied Professions. Together they graduate about 8,920 people a year.
How much do dental hygienists earn?+
The median is $98,100 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). The middle range runs from $74,880 at the 10th percentile to $126,050 at the 90th. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for dental hygienists growing?+
BLS projects a +7.0% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, faster than average, with roughly 15,300 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career?+
339 institutions reported graduates from at least one of the 1 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do dental hygienists work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Hygienist, Dental Hygienist, Licensed Dental Hygienist, Registered Dental Hygienist (RDH) among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 29-1292.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024-25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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