Dental Hygienist demographics and statistics in the US
Dental hygienist demographics research summary. Zippia estimates dental hygienist demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our dental hygienist estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about dental hygienists after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 59,611 dental hygienists currently employed in the United States.
- 93.1% of all dental hygienists are women, while 6.9% are men.
- The average dental hygienist age is 42 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of dental hygienists is White (73.9%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (12.0%), Asian (6.3%) and Black or African American (3.7%).
- Dental hygienists are most in-demand in New York, NY.
- Sacramento, CA pays an annual average wage of $94,660, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women dental hygienists earned 83% of what men earned.
- New Hampshire is the best state for dental hygienists to live.
- Dental hygienists are 77% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to education companies.
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Dental Hygienist demographics by:
Dental Hygienist gender statistics
93.1% of dental hygienists are women and 6.9% of dental hygienists are men.
- Female, 93.1%
- Male, 6.9%
Dental Hygienist gender ratio
Gender  | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 93.1% |
| Male | 6.9% |
Dental Hygienist gender pay gap
Women earn 83¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male Income
$112,280
Female Income
$92,923
Dental Hygienist gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in dental hygienist positions over time. Currently, 93.1% of dental hygienists are female.
Dental Hygienist gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 5.05% | 94.95% |
| 2011 | 3.63% | 96.37% |
| 2012 | 3.40% | 96.60% |
| 2013 | 5.32% | 94.68% |
| 2014 | 5.88% | 94.12% |
| 2015 | 5.33% | 94.67% |
| 2016 | 4.26% | 95.74% |
| 2017 | 6.36% | 93.64% |
| 2018 | 8.08% | 91.92% |
| 2019 | 7.10% | 92.90% |
| 2020 | 8.01% | 91.99% |
| 2021 | 6.92% | 93.08% |
Dental Hygienist related jobs gender ratio
We compared dental hygienists with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, guitar technician and armorer technician have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job Title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Radiographer, Mammographer | 2% | 98% |
| Mammographer | 3% | 97% |
| Lead Mammographer | 3% | 97% |
| Dental Hygienist | 7% | 93% |
| Driver/Technician | 93% | 7% |
| Armorer Technician | 95% | 5% |
| Guitar Technician | 96% | 4% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Dental Hygienist demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among dental hygienists is White, which makes up 73.9% of all dental hygienists. Comparatively, 12.0% of dental hygienists are Hispanic or Latino and 6.3% of dental hygienists are Asian.
- White, 73.9%
- Hispanic or Latino, 12.0%
- Asian, 6.3%
- Black or African American, 3.7%
- Unknown, 3.6%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
Dental Hygienist Race
| Dental Hygienist Race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 73.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 12.0% |
| Asian | 6.3% |
| Black or African American | 3.7% |
| Unknown | 3.6% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.5% |
Dental Hygienist race and ethnicity over time
See how dental hygienist racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
- White
- Asian
- Hispanic or Latino
- Black or African American
Dental Hygienist race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 82.53% | 2.29% | 5.00% | 8.27% |
| 2011 | 83.88% | 2.14% | 4.60% | 7.83% |
| 2012 | 82.09% | 2.26% | 4.06% | 9.49% |
| 2013 | 78.58% | 3.46% | 4.95% | 11.09% |
| 2014 | 80.19% | 2.78% | 5.20% | 10.28% |
| 2015 | 79.25% | 2.88% | 5.82% | 10.24% |
| 2016 | 80.36% | 3.27% | 5.19% | 9.27% |
| 2017 | 79.22% | 3.18% | 5.61% | 10.40% |
| 2018 | 78.09% | 2.84% | 6.27% | 11.18% |
| 2019 | 77.63% | 3.48% | 6.57% | 10.70% |
| 2020 | 77.18% | 2.22% | 5.78% | 11.56% |
| 2021 | 73.86% | 3.72% | 6.27% | 12.01% |
Dental Hygienist wage gap by race
According to our data, asian dental hygienists have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american dental hygienists have the lowest average salary at $105,949.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $110,689 |
| White | $109,174 |
| Black or African American | $105,949 |
| Asian | $123,890 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $112,501 |
Dental Hygienist JOBS
Average dental hygienist age
See how the average age of dental hygienists varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Dental Hygienist age by race and gender
| Race | Male Age | Female Age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 45 | |
| White | 42.5 | 43 |
| Black or African American | 34 | |
| Asian | 37 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 51 | 36.5 |
Dental Hygienist age breakdown
The average age of dental hygienists is 40+ years years old, representing 54% of the dental hygienist population.
Dental Hygienist age breakdown
| Dental Hygienist Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 54% |
| 30-40 years | 34% |
| 20-30 years | 12% |
Dental Hygienist educational attainment
The most common degree for dental hygienists is associate degree, with 71% of dental hygienists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 25% and bachelor's degree degree at 1%.
- Associate, 71%
- Bachelor's, 25%
- Master's, 1%
- Diploma, 1%
- Other Degrees, 2%
Dental Hygienists by degree level
| Dental Hygienist Degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Associate | 71% |
| Bachelor's | 25% |
| Master's | 1% |
| Diploma | 1% |
| Other Degrees | 2% |
Dental Hygienist Jobs You Might Like
Dental Hygienist wage gap by degree level
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | $116,130 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $106,794 |
Dental Hygienist employment statistics
Most dental hygienists work for a private in the health care industry.
Company size where dental hygienists work
Below, you can see the size of companies where dental hygienists work.
Dental Hygienist jobs by employer size
| Company Size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 9% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 28% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 24% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 12% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 22% |
| > 10,000 employees | 5% |
Dental Hygienist jobs by company type
Employees with the dental hygienist job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most dental hygienists prefer to work at private companies over education companies.
Dental Hygienist jobs by sector
| Company Type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 10% |
| Public | 5% |
| Private | 77% |
| Government | 8% |
Dental Hygienist jobs by industry
The most common industries for dental hygienists are health care, education and professional.
Dental Hygienist industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Health Care | 42% |
| Education | 10% |
| Professional | 9% |
| Government | 7% |
| Manufacturing | 6% |
| Retail | 4% |
| Media | 3% |
| Finance | 3% |
| Non Profits | 3% |
| Hospitality | 2% |
| Real Estate | 2% |
| Technology | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Fortune 500 | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
Dental Hygienist turnover and employment statistics
Dental Hygienist unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for dental hygienists between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Unemployment rate
Dental Hygienist unemployment rate by year
| Year | Dental Hygienist Unemployment Rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 2.70% |
| 2011 | 2.70% |
| 2012 | 2.02% |
| 2013 | 2.26% |
| 2014 | 2.02% |
| 2015 | 1.72% |
| 2016 | 1.60% |
| 2017 | 0.55% |
| 2018 | 0.87% |
| 2019 | 0.68% |
| 2020 | 2.56% |
| 2021 | 1.97% |
Average dental hygienist tenure
The average dental hygienist stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 24,062 dental hygienists resumes in Zippia's database.
Dental Hygienist tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 13% |
| 1-2 years | 25% |
| 3-4 years | 14% |
| 5-7 years | 20% |
| 8-10 years | 8% |
| 11+ years | 19% |
Dental Hygienist LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of dental hygienists that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job Title | LGBT | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|
| Certified Pharmacist Technician | 5.02% | 113,033 |
| Dental Hygienist | 6.89% | - |
| Medical Technologist | 8.24% | 116,495 |
| Medicare Specialist | 9.29% | 31,863 |
| Dispensing Optician | 12.53% | 4,434 |
| Certified Surgical Technician/First Assistant | 12.80% | 61,585 |
| Medical Radiation Dosimetrist | 21.93% | 48,089 |
Similar dental hygienist jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|
| Certified Pharmacist Technician | 5.02% | 113,033 |
| Medical Technologist | 8.24% | 116,495 |
| Medicare Specialist | 9.29% | 31,863 |
| Dispensing Optician | 12.53% | 4,434 |
| Certified Surgical Technician/First Assistant | 12.80% | 61,585 |
| Medical Radiation Dosimetrist | 21.93% | 48,089 |
Foreign languages spoken by dental hygienists
The most common foreign language among dental hygienists is Spanish at 52.8%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Polish at 10.7% and Portuguese is the third-most popular at 4.6%.
- Spanish, 52.8%
- Polish, 10.7%
- Portuguese, 4.6%
- Vietnamese, 4.4%
- Russian, 4.4%
- Other, 23.1%
Dental Hygienist languages spoken
| Foreign Language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 52.8% |
| Polish | 10.7% |
| Portuguese | 4.6% |
| Vietnamese | 4.4% |
| Russian | 4.4% |
| Other | 23.1% |