GeraJobs / US Real Pay Index / Dental Hygienists
Best States to Be a Dental Hygienists
After 2025 state income tax and 2024 cost of living, a dental hygienists salary goes furthest in Alaska — a $132,690 BLS median worth $129,632 in real terms (Gera US Real Pay Index 135.3).
Which US states are best for a dental hygienists after cost of living and tax?
For a dental hygienists, the Gera US Real Pay Index ranks Alaska #1: a $132,690 BLS median becomes $129,632 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms (index 135.3). Alabama ranks last ($65,712, index 68.6). Real BLS OEWS May 2025 across 50 states; re-dated annually.
Gera US Real Pay Index
Alaska ranks #1 of 50 states for a dental hygienists. Index 100 = the average state; 135.3 means pay goes 35.3% further after tax and cost of living.
How this is calculatedDental Hygienists — real pay by state (best first)
| # | State | BLS median | State tax | Cost (RPP) | Real pay | Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $132,690 | — | 102.4 | $129,632 | 135.3 |
| 2 | Washington | $131,160 | — | 107.0 | $122,565 | 127.9 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $137,220 | $8,789 | 109.9 | $116,861 | 122.0 |
| 4 | Nevada | $115,290 | — | 100.0 | $115,314 | 120.4 |
| 5 | Oregon | $122,080 | $9,878 | 103.4 | $108,554 | 113.3 |
| 6 | Oklahoma | $97,580 | $4,097 | 87.8 | $106,420 | 111.1 |
| 7 | California | $124,930 | $7,497 | 110.7 | $106,063 | 110.7 |
| 8 | South Dakota | $92,210 | — | 88.6 | $104,091 | 108.6 |
| 9 | Colorado | $109,580 | $4,162 | 103.1 | $102,296 | 106.8 |
| 10 | Texas | $99,240 | — | 97.1 | $102,249 | 106.7 |
| 11 | North Dakota | $90,530 | $528 | 89.0 | $101,173 | 105.6 |
| 12 | New Mexico | $95,940 | $3,424 | 92.2 | $100,330 | 104.7 |
| 13 | North Carolina | $97,850 | $3,617 | 94.3 | $99,902 | 104.3 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $103,970 | $5,581 | 98.6 | $99,765 | 104.1 |
| 15 | Montana | $98,440 | $4,670 | 94.6 | $99,076 | 103.4 |
| 16 | Nebraska | $92,580 | $3,718 | 90.1 | $98,623 | 102.9 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | $96,540 | $3,964 | 94.1 | $98,385 | 102.7 |
| 18 | Missouri | $92,750 | $3,478 | 90.8 | $98,298 | 102.6 |
| 19 | Arizona | $101,010 | $2,050 | 100.7 | $98,294 | 102.6 |
| 20 | Maryland | $107,830 | $4,794 | 105.0 | $98,168 | 102.5 |
| 21 | New Hampshire | $101,250 | — | 104.2 | $97,202 | 101.4 |
| 22 | Virginia | $102,950 | $5,120 | 101.1 | $96,762 | 101.0 |
| 23 | Arkansas | $86,760 | $3,175 | 86.9 | $96,144 | 100.3 |
| 24 | Indiana | $92,330 | $2,740 | 93.3 | $95,994 | 100.2 |
| 25 | Maine | $97,680 | $5,035 | 97.0 | $95,461 | 99.6 |
| 26 | Vermont | $97,470 | $4,051 | 98.0 | $95,366 | 99.5 |
| 27 | Idaho | $94,650 | $4,270 | 95.5 | $94,645 | 98.8 |
| 28 | Georgia | $95,490 | $4,500 | 96.3 | $94,493 | 98.6 |
| 29 | Louisiana | $85,240 | $2,182 | 88.2 | $94,162 | 98.3 |
| 30 | Ohio | $88,990 | $1,665 | 92.8 | $94,127 | 98.2 |
| 31 | New Jersey | $107,040 | $4,628 | 108.8 | $94,124 | 98.2 |
| 32 | Delaware | $98,910 | $5,187 | 99.8 | $93,903 | 98.0 |
| 33 | New York | $106,130 | $5,320 | 107.9 | $93,411 | 97.5 |
| 34 | Connecticut | $100,690 | $3,963 | 103.6 | $93,357 | 97.4 |
| 35 | Iowa | $84,010 | $3,152 | 87.8 | $92,133 | 96.2 |
| 36 | Tennessee | $84,640 | — | 91.9 | $92,130 | 96.2 |
| 37 | Illinois | $96,670 | $4,644 | 100.0 | $92,065 | 96.1 |
| 38 | Wyoming | $85,130 | — | 92.7 | $91,843 | 95.9 |
| 39 | Massachusetts | $100,640 | $4,812 | 105.8 | $90,611 | 94.6 |
| 40 | Florida | $91,980 | — | 103.4 | $88,943 | 92.8 |
| 41 | Utah | $91,120 | $4,146 | 98.9 | $87,973 | 91.8 |
| 42 | South Carolina | $84,340 | $3,622 | 93.7 | $86,100 | 89.9 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $78,830 | $3,022 | 90.2 | $84,082 | 87.8 |
| 44 | Michigan | $83,790 | $3,315 | 96.2 | $83,640 | 87.3 |
| 45 | Hawaii | $97,570 | $5,885 | 110.0 | $83,387 | 87.0 |
| 46 | Rhode Island | $86,910 | $2,659 | 102.3 | $82,373 | 86.0 |
| 47 | Pennsylvania | $80,610 | $2,475 | 97.6 | $80,080 | 83.6 |
| 48 | West Virginia | $73,840 | $2,624 | 89.5 | $79,573 | 83.0 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $67,280 | $2,155 | 87.0 | $74,897 | 78.2 |
| 50 | Alabama | $61,160 | $2,793 | 88.8 | $65,712 | 68.6 |
"Real pay" = BLS median − 2025 state income tax, divided by the state's 2024 BEA cost of living (US = 100). Only the 50 states for which BLS publishes a median for this occupation are ranked; suppressed cells are excluded, never set to zero.
Where does your salary go furthest?
Enter a salary and a state. We adjust for 2025 state income tax and the 2024 BEA cost of living to show your real, purchasing-power-equivalent pay — then rank every state.
In Alaska, a $132,690 salary is worth about $129,632 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.
State income tax $0 (no state income tax) · take-home $132,690 · BEA cost of living 102.4 (US = 100).
The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $149,787, a $20,155 gain over Alaska.
| # | State | Real value | Cost (RPP) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Dakota | $149,787 | 88.6 |
| 2 | Arkansas | $146,675 | 86.9 |
| 3 | Louisiana | $145,917 | 88.2 |
| 4 | Mississippi | $145,885 | 87.0 |
| 5 | Iowa | $145,448 | 87.8 |
| 6 | North Dakota | $145,430 | 89.0 |
| 7 | Tennessee | $144,432 | 91.9 |
| 8 | Oklahoma | $143,879 | 87.8 |
| 9 | Wyoming | $143,153 | 92.7 |
| 10 | Alabama | $141,918 | 88.8 |
| 11 | Kentucky | $141,286 | 90.2 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $141,116 | 89.5 |
Estimate only. State income tax is approximated from each state's 2025 flat rate (or top marginal rate as an upper bound for graduated states) and ignores federal tax, deductions and credits. The pre-published occupation and state pages use exact 2025 bracket math. Cost of living is the 2024 BEA Regional Price Parity (All Items).
Dental Hygienists — real pay FAQ
- What is the best state to be a dental hygienists?
- By the Gera US Real Pay Index, Alaska is the best state for a dental hygienists: a BLS median of $132,690 is worth $129,632 after the 2025 state income tax ($0) and the 2024 BEA cost-of-living adjustment (RPP 102.4), an index of 135.3 where the average state is 100.
- Does the highest-paying state also leave you best off?
- Not necessarily. District of Columbia has the highest headline BLS median for a dental hygienists at $137,220, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #3 of 50 on real pay (index 122.0). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.
- Where does a dental hygienists salary go least far?
- Alabama ranks last of 50 states for a dental hygienists: a $61,160 BLS median is worth only $65,712 after tax and cost of living (index 68.6). Higher local prices and/or income tax less far than the national average erode the headline pay.
Compare other occupations
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- CashiersWashington
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNorth Dakota
- Stockers and Order FillersWyoming
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- Waiters and WaitressesVermont
- Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping CleanersWashington
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Related on GeraJobs
- Gera US Real Pay Index — all states ranked — and how the index is calculated.
- Methodology — the exact BLS + BEA + tax computation.
- Browse US jobs with salary ranges — roles hiring now.
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (May 2025 state estimates, US federal public domain); U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities (All Items), by state (2024 (US = 100)); Tax Foundation — 2025 State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets. The Gera US Real Pay Index for a dental hygienists is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.