How Much Does a Dental Hygienist Make?
So exactly how much does a dental hygienist make? It depends. As there are many job opportunities for dental hygienists, their salary also varies. Even so, dental hygienist is still one of the most high-paying and promising careers in the US today.
Experience Increases Salary
The salary of a dental hygienist may vary with experience. The longer you are in the profession makes you more experienced than the new ones. The length of experience is proportional to the salary of a dental hygienist. New dental hygienist earn about $20 to $35 an hour while a more experienced one will around between $25 to 45$ an hour.
Salaries Depends on the Location
The salaries of dental hygienists differ in each state. Dental hygienists in Alaska, California and Washington have an hourly wage from $42 to $44, much higher than other states. Others only pay from $23 to $35. With regards to the location, it is also common that professional in the urban areas earn a bit higher than their counterparts in the rural areas, and dental hygienists are not exempted with this. Their salary might also differ in areas where there is little competition. If there are only a few dental hygienists in that area, their services are presumed to be a bit pricey than in areas where dental hygienists are saturated.
Different Industry, Different Salaries
Some employers just pay higher than others. As with dental hygienists, their highest paying employers are dentists. Next high paying job for dental hygienists will be working in outpatient care centers, offices of physicians, and working in employment services.
Salary Depends on Qualification
Having a greater qualification may not only open more opportunities but will allow for a higher salary. Dental hygienists who finished an associate degree may not ear as high as a dental hygienist with a bachelor’s degree. Consequently, the bachelor’s degree holder will generally have lower salary than the one with a master’s degree.