Dental hygienists shared information about the hourly rates they earn in a survey hosted by RDH eVillage in its August 28, 2009, issue. The salary survey collected 1,391 responses as of Sept. 18.
The hourly rates below were from hygienists who do not earn commission. Details about hygienists earning commissions will appear in a future issue of RDH eVillage, as well as information about readers who prefer to report a daily rate.
To read the first part of this salary survey series, click here. This article discussed the impact of the economy on the dental practices where the hygienists work. Upcoming articles will focus on other questions asked in the survey.
Readers who have not participated in the survey may still do so by clicking here.
Alabama: The hourly rates reported are $25, $22, $22, $21,87, $20, $20, $20, $17.25, $15, $8. The average is $19.11. If you deduct the high and low, the average is $19.77.
Alaska: The hourly rates reported are $58, $50, $45, and $35.
Arizona: The hourly rates reported are $45, $44, $44, $43.50, $43, $42.50, $42, $41, $40.95, $40, $40, $40, $40, $40, $40, $40, $40, $40, $40, $40, $40, $40, $39, $38, $38, $38, $38, $38, $37, $36, $36, $36, $35, $32. The average rate is $39.62.
Arkansas: The hourly rates reported are $37.50, $37, $34,50, $32, $31.25, $24.
California: The hourly rates reported are $60, $57.50, $55, $54, $54, $54, $53, $53, $52, $51, $50, $50, $50, $50, $50, $50, $48, $47, $47, $47, $47, $46.87, $45.63, $45.50, $45, $43.75, $43.75, $43.50, $43, $42, $42, $40, $40, $40, $38.50, $38, $31.25. The average rate is $47.25. Since an almost $30 range occurs between the high and low, we checked against the figures reported in metropolitan areas. Actually, the average rate in metropolitan areas is a little lower, $47.08.
Colorado: The hourly rates reported are $55, $42.70, $42, $42, $42, $40, $40, $40, $39.75, $38, $37, $37, $36.75, $36.54, $36, $36, $36, $36, $35.50, $35, $34, $34, $33, $30. The average rate is $38.09.
Connecticut: The hourly rates reported are $50, $45, $45, $44, $40, $39, $39, $38, $38, $37.50, $37, $35, $35, $35, $34, $33, $32.65. The average rate is $38.66.
Delaware: The hourly rates reported are $34, $32.75, $32, $30, $29.
Florida: The hourly rates reported are $50, $40, $38, $37.45, $36.50, $36, $35, $35, $34, $34, $33, $33, $32.45, $32, $32, $31.50, $31.50, $31.46, $31, $31, $31, $31.25, $30, $30, $30, $30, $30, $30, $30, $30, $30, $29.35, $29, $29, $29, $28, $27.85, $27.52, $27, $27, $26, $26, $26, $26, $26, $25, $24.89, $23, $22, $22.50, $20, $13.75. The average rate is $30.04.
Georgia: The hourly rates reported are $46, $41, $39.60, $38.50, $38, $38, $38, $38, $38, $37, $37, $36, $35, $34, $33, $33, $32.50, $32, $32, $30.90, $30, $30, $30, $30, $30, $30, $29, $28, $28, $28, $27.15, $26.17, $25.63, $23.21, $22.99. The average rate is $32.73.
Hawaii: The hourly rates reported are $43, $42.25, $38, $34.
Idaho: The hourly rates reported are $38, $36, $34, $33, $33, $30.75, $28.
Illinois: The hourly rates reported are $45, $43, $43, $42, $42, $41.50, $41, $40, $40, $40, $39.90, $39.50, $39, $39, $39, $38.50, $38, $38, $38, $38, $38, $37, $37, $37, $37, $37, $36, $36, $35.50, $35.50, $35.25, $35, $35, $35, $35, $35, $34, $33.50, $33.50, $33, $33, $32.50, $32, $32, $31.20, $31, $30, $30, $28.05, $27, $26.75, $25, $24, $21.50. The average rate is $39.97.
Indiana: The hourly rates reported are $50, $38, $38, $38, $38, $37.85, $37, $36, $36, $36, $35, $35, $35, $34.65, $33, $33, $33, $33, $32.50, $32, $32, $31, $31, $31, $31, $30, $30, $30, $29, $28.94, $28.50, $28.25, $28, $27.86, $26, $24.50. The average hourly rate is $33.
Iowa: The hourly rates reported are $35.30, $35.06, $33.65, $33, $30, $30, $30, $30, $30, $28.25, $27, $27, $25.30. The average rate is $30.35.
Kansas: The hourly rates reported are $40, $39.50, $36, $35, $35, $35, $34.95, $33, $32, $31, $30.25, $30, $28. The average rate is $33.82
Kentucky: The hourly rates reported are $35, $31, $28, $27.50, $26.23, $26, $26, $26, $25, $23.50, $19, $19. The average rate is $26.02.
Louisiana: The hourly rates reported are $43.50, $37.50, $35, $35, $33, $32, $27.56.
Maine: Hourly rates reported are: $35, $33, $33, $28, $28, $25.
Maryland: The hourly rates reported are $50, $45.50, $44.50, $43, $43, $42.58, $42, $42, $41.50, $41.35, $41, $40.50, $40, $40, $40, $40, $39.55, $39, $37.75, $37, $32.12, $31. The average rate is $40.61.
Massachusetts: The hourly rates reported are $51, $50, $46.50, $42.40, $40, $40, $40, $40, $40, $40, $40, $40, $39, $38, $38, $38, $38, $38, $38, $37.50, $37, $37, $37, $36.50, $36, $36, $35, $34.50, $34.50, $34.25, $34, $32, $30, $29.50. The average rate is $38.17.
Michigan: Hourly rates reported are $36, $35, $34.75, $34.50, $34.30, $33.75, $33, $33, $33, $32.45, $32, $32, $32, $31.75, $31.60, $31, $31, $31, $31, $30.50, $30.10, $30, $30, $30, $30, $30, $30, $29.50, $29, $29, $29, $28.55, $28.50, $28.50, $28.50, $28.35, $28, $28, $28, $28, $28, $27.50, $27.50, $27.10, $27, $27, $27, $27, $27, $26.40, $26, $26, $25, $25, $25, $23, $21. The average rate is $29.42.
Minnesota: Hourly rates reported are $40.44, $37.76, $37, $36.95, $36.50, $36, $35.50, $35, $34.11, $34, $34, $34, $34, $33.15, $33, $32.75, $32, $32, $32, $32, $30, $30.33, $29.50, $26, $20. The average rate is $33.12.
Mississippi: No hourly rates were reported.
Missouri: Hourly rates reported are $37, $37, $36, $35, $35, $35, $35, $35, $34, $34, $33, $33, $33, $33, $33, $32, $32, $31.50, $31.25, $30.30, $30, $30, $30, $30, $28, $26.75. The average rate is $32.69.
Montana: Hourly rates reported are $35, $34, $31.50.
Nebraska: Hourly rates reported are $39, $36, $35, $33, $32.50, $32, $32, $31, $31, $30, $30, $28.50, $28, $27, $26.50, $23. The average rate is $30.91.
Nevada: Hourly rates reported are $50, $46, $45, $45, $42.50.
New Hampshire: Hourly rates reported are $43, $42.75, $41, $40, $38.25, $38, $37, $37, $37, $35, $34.50, $32, $30, $28. The average rate is $36.69.
New Jersey: Hourly rates reported are $45, $43, $43, $43, $43, $42.65, $42, $42, $42, $40.30, $40, $40, $40, $40, $40, $40, $40, $39, $39, $38.88, $38, $38, $38, $38, $38, $37, $37, $36, $36, $36, $36, $36, $35, $35, $34, $33, $31. The average rate is $38.78.
New Mexico: Hourly rates reported are $45, $38, $36, $35, $35, $34.
New York: Hourly rates reported are $75, $48, $44, $43, $42, $42, $40, $40, $40, $40, $38, $38, $38, $36, $35, $35, $34, $33, $33, $33, $33, $31, $31, $31, $31, $30, $30, $30, $30, $30, $30, $29.49, $29.25, $29, $29, $28, $27.66, $27.11, $27.50, $27, $27, $27, $27, $26.50, $26, $25, $24, $23, $22.70, $22.33, $21.63, $21, $20.25, $19.75. The average rate is 32.02. There was no separate way for New York City hygienists to file answers. Although the survey does ask if a hygienist practices in a metropolitan area, this group would include colleagues in Buffalo, for example. To help create distinction between the hourly rates above, we offer the hourly rates of hygienists practicing in “small town or rural areas”: $42, $40, $38, $36, $35, $33, $31, $30, $30, $29, $29, $28, $27.66, $27.50, $26, $24, $22.33, $22.70. However, the average rate for this group is $30.62, not that much lower than the urban rates.
North Carolina: Hourly rates reported are $38, $38, $37, $36, $36, $35, $35, $34.65, $34, $34, $34, $34, $33.50, $33, $33, $31.75, $31.50, $31, $30, $30, $29.50, $29.10, $26, $25, $25, $24, $23.73. The average rate is $31.92.
North Dakota: Hourly rates reported are $30.90, $30, $29.50, $24, $20.50.
Ohio: Hourly rates reported are $43.50, $36, $35, $34.50, $33, $33, $32.50, $32.50, $32, $32, $32, $32, $32, $31.25, $31.50, $31.50, $31.25, $31, $31, $31, $31, $31, $31, $31, $30.79, $30.50, $30, $30, $30, $30, $30, $30, $30, $30, $30, $30, $30, $29.50, $29, $29, $29, $29, $28.50, $28, $28, $28, $28, $28, $28, $27, $26.78, $26, $25.50, $25, $25. The average rate is $30.38.
Oklahoma: Hourly rates reported are $38 and $36.
Oregon: Hourly rates reported are $42, $42, $40, $40, $40, $40, $39, $38, $38, $37.50, $36.61, $36.50, $36, $36, $35, $35, $27.01. The average rate is $37.57
Pennsylvania: Hourly rates reported are $40, $37, $37, $36, $36, $36, $36, $35, $34, $34, $34, $34, $34, $34, $33, $33, $33, $33, $33, $32.50, $32.50, $32.25, $31, $31, $30.50, $30, $30, $30, $30, $30, $29.92, $29.75, $29.28, $29.25, $29, $28.50, $28.50, $28.50, $28, $28, $28, $27, $26.50, $26.15, $26, $26, $26, $25, $25, $25, $25, $24.75, $24, $24, $24, $24.12, $23.50, $22.55, $22, $22. The average rate is $29.78.
Rhode Island: Hourly rates reported are $35, $35, $35, $32.50, $30.52, $30.
South Carolina: Hourly rates reported are $33, $33, $32.27, $28, $27, $23.
South Dakota: Hourly rates reported $25, $24.50, $22.
Tennessee: Hourly rates reported are $38, $37, $35, $34.50, $34, $34, $33.10, $32, $28.50, $28.25, $28, $27.17. The average rate is $34.79.
Texas: Hourly rates reported are $45, $43, $41.25, $41, $40, $38, $38, $38, $38, $37.50, $37.50, $37, $37, $37, $37, $37, $36.50, $36, $36, $36, $36, $36, $36, $36, $35.90, $35, $35, $35, $35, $35, $35, $35, $34.75, $34, $32.50, $32.50, $32, $32, $32, $32, $31, $30, $29.50, $24, $24. The average rate is $35.53.
Utah: Hourly rates reported are $35, $35, $35, $35, $34.58, $32.50, $33, $32, $32, $32, $32, $32, $32, $31.50, $30, $30, $29. The average rate is $32.51.
Vermont: Hourly rates reported are $34, $34, $30, $28.37.
Virginia: Hourly rates reported are $62, $50, $48, $45, $45, $44.50, $44, $43, $42.50, $40, $40, $39.50, $39, $38, $38, $38, $37, $36.50, $36, $36, $35, $34.50, $33.60, $33.30, $32, $32, $31, $30, $26.56, $21. The average rate is $38.37.
Washington: Hourly rates reported are $65, $52, $50, $49.75, $48, $48, $47.80, $47.50, $47, $46, $46, $45.65, $45.50, $45.25, $45.15, $45, $45, $45, $44, $44, $44, $43.50, $43, $43, $43, $43, $43, $43, $43, $42.50, $42, $42, $42, $41.50, $41, $40, $40, $40, $40, $40, $39.14, $39, $39, $39, $39, $38.50, $38.50, $38, $36.50, $36, $36, $36, $36, $35, $35, $32. The average rate is $42.57.
West Virginia: Hourly rates reported are $31.75, $25, $24.72, $20, $19.75.
Wisconsin: Hourly rated reported are $41, $37, $37, $36.64, $35, $35, $34, $34, $34, $33, $33, $32, $31.47, $31, $30.50, $30.25, $30, $30, $30, $30, $30, $29, $29, $29, $28.75, $28.50, $28.25, $27.50, $27, $27, $27, $26.50, $26, $26, $26, $25.75, $25.66, $25.50, $25, $25, $24, $23, $22.50. The average rate is $29.69.
Wyoming: Hourly rates reported are $31.80 and $30.