Dental Hygienist Salary in Texas: $104,659 (2026)

Quick Answer:Across Texas's 109 metropolitan areas, the average median dental hygienist pay sits at $104,659/year heading into 2026 — a figure projected from 2025 BLS OEWS wage data for SOC 29-1292. Because Texas sits at BEA RPP 96.0 (4% below the U.S. baseline), that statewide median translates to roughly $109,020 in nationally-comparable purchasing power. Highest-paying metros: San Marcos ($107,940), Round Rock ($106,218), Austin ($105,480).

Dental Hygienist Salary in Texas - 2025 BLS Data Infographic — Texas dental hygienist salary overview (2026)

$104,659

Avg Median Salary

$50.32

Avg Hourly Rate

16,397

Metro Employed

109

Cities

In Texas, dental hygienists can expect an average median salary of $104,660 in 2026, which slightly surpasses the national median of $102,946 by 1.7%. The salary reflects varying pay across different cities, with San Marcos leading at $113,272, while Edinburg offers the lowest at $84,945, creating a salary gap of $28,327. Factors driving this difference include variations in the cost of living, local demand for dental services, and the concentration of dental practices in metropolitan areas. Texas has specific state licensing requirements for dental hygienists, including completion of an accredited program and passing several examinations. Additionally, the state permits various expanded duties for hygienists, enhancing their role within dental practices. The outlook for the profession in Texas is promising, with a projected growth rate of 4.94%. Currently, there are 16,397 employed dental hygienists across 109 metro areas, reflecting strong demand driven by increasing awareness of oral health and an expanding population. Top cities such as Round Rock ($111,465), Austin ($110,691), Houston ($110,114), and The Woodlands ($108,797) further exemplify regional salary variations and opportunities in the dental hygiene field.

Texas Dental Hygienist Salary Range

Entry Level (10th %ile)

$68,614

avg across 109 cities

Median

$104,659

state average

Top Earners (90th %ile)

$119,531

avg across 109 cities

Overall salary range in Texas: $52,669 (lowest entry-level) to $150,354 (highest top earner)

Texas vs National Average

Texas

$104,659

National Median

$102,946

Texas dental hygienists earn 1.66% more than the national median (+$1,713/year difference).

Texas Dental Hygienist Salary Distribution (2026)

Dental Hygienist salaries in Texas range from $68,614 (entry-level, 10th percentile) to $119,531 (top earners, 90th percentile), with a median of $104,659. The Texas median is $1,713 above the US national median of $102,946. The average hourly rate is $50.32/hr. Approximately 16,397 dental hygienists are employed across 109 cities.

2020 BLS Actual

$78,703

2025 BLS Actual

$99,733

2026 Current Est.

$104,659

2020–2027 Growth

+39.5%

Salary Trajectory for Dental Hygienists in Texas (2020–2027)

2020–2025: actual BLS OEWS data for this metro area. 2026+: CAGR 4.94% projection.

BLS Actual Estimated Projected

Year	Annual Salary	Status
2020	$78,703	Actual
2021	$76,906	Actual
2022	$80,854	Actual
2023	$89,091	Actual
2024	$93,185	Actual
2025	$99,733	Actual
2026(current)	$104,659	Estimated
2027	$109,829	Projected

Based on 6 years of BLS OEWS data for the Texas metropolitan area, the median dental hygienist salary grew 26.7% from $78,703 (2020) to $99,733 (2025). At a 4.94% compound annual growth rate, salaries are projected to reach $109,829 by 2027 — a total increase of $31,126 (39.55%) from 2020.

Note: Historical values (2020–2025) are actual BLS OEWS figures for the Texas metropolitan area, sourced from annual Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys. 2026–2026 figures are current estimates, and 2027 values are projections, calculated using a 4.94% CAGR derived from 6-year BLS historical data. Actual salaries may vary based on employer, experience, certifications, and local market conditions.

Top 5 Highest Paying Cities in Texas

San Marcos

13 employed · $54.45/hr

$113,272

+8.23% vs avg

Round Rock

26 employed · $53.59/hr

$111,465

+6.50% vs avg

Austin

1,270 employed · $53.22/hr

$110,691

+5.76% vs avg

Houston

3,060 employed · $52.94/hr

$110,114

+5.21% vs avg

The Woodlands

21 employed · $52.30/hr

$108,797

+3.95% vs avg

Lowest Paying Cities in Texas

City	Median Salary	vs State Avg	Hourly
Edinburg	$84,945	-18.84%	$40.84
Longview	$85,967	-17.86%	$41.34
Laredo	$86,513	-17.34%	$41.59
Texarkana	$86,890	-16.98%	$41.78
Brownsville	$86,953	-16.92%	$41.81

Best Value Cities for Dental Hygienists in Texas

When adjusted for local cost of living, these Texas cities offer the most purchasing power for dental hygienists.

City	Nominal Salary	CoL Index	Adjusted Salary
San Marcos	$113,272	96	$117,992
Round Rock	$111,465	96	$116,109
Beaumont	$102,159	90.046	$113,452
The Woodlands	$108,797	96	$113,330
Pasadena	$108,674	96	$113,202

Adjusted salary = nominal salary × (100 / CoL index). CoL index: 100 = national average. Lower index = lower cost of living.

Salary by Experience Level in Texas

Experience Level	Estimated Annual	Est. Hourly	Description
Entry Level (0-2 years)	$68,614	$32.99	10th percentile, new graduates
Mid Career (3-7 years)	$104,659	$50.32	50th percentile, median salary
Experienced (7+ years)	$119,531	$57.47	90th percentile, top earners

Estimates based on BLS percentile data averaged across Texas metro areas. Individual pay varies by employer, certifications, and specialization.

All 109 Cities in Texas

#	City	Median Salary	Hourly	Entry (P10)	Top (P90)	Employed
1	San Marcos	$113,272	$54.45	$86,105	$142,527	13
2	Round Rock	$111,465	$53.59	$80,553	$150,354	26
3	Austin	$110,691	$53.22	$60,991	$126,369	1,270
4	Houston	$110,114	$52.94	$89,776	$113,954	3,060
5	The Woodlands	$108,797	$52.30	$83,594	$142,901	21
6	Pasadena	$108,674	$52.25	$83,745	$142,207	32
7	Dallas	$106,902	$51.40	$52,669	$125,991	7,050
8	Fort Worth	$106,206	$51.06	$80,567	$144,814	219
9	Arlington	$104,743	$50.36	$74,362	$139,811	83
10	Port Arthur	$104,500	$50.25	$79,798	$131,406	12
11	New Braunfels	$104,242	$50.12	$76,799	$131,916	15
12	San Antonio	$103,345	$49.68	$87,247	$110,502	920
13	Sherman	$102,873	$49.46	$85,033	$107,899	130
14	Beaumont	$102,159	$49.11	$86,030	$105,738	150
15	Killeen	$101,939	$49.01	$84,875	$106,976	190
16	Temple	$101,102	$48.61	$80,258	$130,951	14
17	College Station	$101,015	$48.57	$83,480	$105,066	120
18	Irving	$100,461	$48.30	$71,849	$131,513	51
19	Plano	$100,130	$48.14	$71,392	$130,035	57
20	Waco	$100,050	$48.10	$84,959	$105,496	150
21	Garland	$99,608	$47.88	$70,316	$138,780	43
22	Tyler	$99,389	$47.79	$83,071	$104,489	210
23	Frisco	$99,253	$47.72	$69,424	$137,535	38
24	Abilene	$98,224	$47.22	$80,972	$104,195	70
25	Conroe	$97,221	$46.74	$74,489	$122,315	15
26	Richardson	$97,039	$46.66	$69,519	$123,752	24
27	Carrollton	$97,023	$46.65	$69,483	$130,240	20
28	Grand Prairie	$96,861	$46.57	$69,014	$129,436	43
29	Galveston	$96,150	$46.23	$71,835	$122,307	10
30	DeSoto	$96,082	$46.19	$71,673	$128,184	9
31	Missouri City	$95,983	$46.14	$71,539	$128,099	12
32	Wichita Falls	$95,852	$46.08	$81,706	$101,383	40
33	Midland	$95,669	$46.00	$73,531	$125,689	27
34	Sugar Land	$95,575	$45.95	$73,699	$125,379	21
35	Allen	$95,568	$45.94	$73,586	$125,104	19
36	League City	$95,483	$45.90	$73,101	$125,071	22
37	Cedar Park	$95,440	$45.88	$70,163	$126,023	12
38	Georgetown	$95,406	$45.87	$69,789	$126,168	12
39	Baytown	$95,368	$45.85	$70,092	$119,984	16
40	Denton	$95,312	$45.83	$73,090	$124,505	33
41	Wylie	$95,300	$45.82	$69,541	$119,762	10
42	Cleburne	$95,287	$45.81	$75,215	$119,657	7
43	Mesquite	$95,273	$45.81	$72,999	$124,376	21
44	Pharr	$95,202	$45.77	$69,700	$125,243	18
45	McKinney	$95,188	$45.76	$72,421	$124,095	44
46	Pearland	$94,995	$45.67	$72,263	$123,207	19
47	Burleson	$94,929	$45.64	$74,431	$115,436	11
48	Odessa	$94,809	$45.59	$71,931	$122,842	17
49	Pflugerville	$94,806	$45.58	$68,780	$124,177	16
50	Cedar Hill	$94,765	$45.56	$74,028	$118,266	8
51	Flower Mound	$94,533	$45.45	$75,709	$123,274	12
52	Kyle	$94,472	$45.42	$75,563	$122,832	13
53	Del Rio	$94,364	$45.37	$72,943	$113,401	9
54	Coppell	$94,141	$45.26	$72,497	$121,827	8
55	Forney	$93,992	$45.19	$72,134	$115,784	6
56	Rowlett	$93,895	$45.15	$71,063	$121,181	15
57	The Colony	$93,753	$45.07	$71,554	$114,792	9
58	Anna	$93,717	$45.06	$71,465	$120,681	4
59	Huntsville	$93,613	$45.01	$71,212	$120,112	11
60	Mansfield	$93,319	$44.86	$72,443	$119,302	18
61	Weatherford	$93,300	$44.85	$70,458	$113,354	9
62	Euless	$93,258	$44.84	$72,682	$119,105	14
63	Weslaco	$93,196	$44.81	$70,207	$118,767	9
64	Hurst	$93,151	$44.79	$70,100	$113,115	9
65	Grapevine	$93,038	$44.73	$72,165	$121,786	12
66	Leander	$93,015	$44.71	$71,731	$118,318	11
67	Little Elm	$93,010	$44.71	$69,760	$112,670	12
68	Lancaster	$92,929	$44.67	$69,564	$118,138	8
69	North Richland Hills	$92,862	$44.64	$71,756	$117,827	17
70	Duncanville	$92,847	$44.64	$69,368	$117,875	8
71	Copperas Cove	$92,668	$44.55	$76,584	$117,304	7
72	Friendswood	$92,653	$44.55	$76,155	$117,255	8
73	Seguin	$92,266	$44.36	$75,497	$115,793	7
74	Rockwall	$92,139	$44.30	$75,284	$115,619	12
75	Corinth	$92,044	$44.25	$74,560	$108,563	6
76	Schertz	$91,961	$44.21	$71,983	$114,824	6
77	Corsicana	$91,885	$44.18	$74,157	$107,851	6
78	San Juan	$91,820	$44.15	$74,502	$117,855	9
79	Kingsville	$91,813	$44.14	$74,484	$114,354	5
80	Prosper	$91,790	$44.13	$74,429	$114,511	7
81	Sachse	$91,560	$44.02	$73,868	$113,783	5
82	Bastrop	$91,547	$44.01	$73,297	$110,165	6
83	Socorro	$91,389	$43.94	$73,356	$116,251	5
84	Eagle Pass	$91,217	$43.85	$72,652	$112,706	5
85	Keller	$91,084	$43.79	$72,714	$112,287	7
86	Lufkin	$90,980	$43.74	$72,463	$111,735	8
87	Haltom City	$90,972	$43.74	$72,350	$111,655	11
88	Nacogdoches	$90,972	$43.74	$72,350	$111,712	7
89	Benbrook	$90,898	$43.70	$71,664	$113,582	6
90	University Park	$90,811	$43.66	$71,446	$113,309	5
91	Lubbock	$90,605	$43.56	$82,042	$102,663	170
92	Fredericksburg	$90,242	$43.38	$74,907	$111,527	5
93	Victoria	$89,913	$43.22	$83,900	$102,054	40
94	Stephenville	$89,600	$43.08	$76,070	$104,184	6
95	Horizon City	$89,211	$42.89	$74,986	$108,119	6
96	Amarillo	$89,189	$42.88	$82,945	$104,363	180
97	El Paso	$88,842	$42.71	$76,858	$99,714	320
98	Murphy	$88,612	$42.61	$73,579	$109,326	5
99	Harlingen	$88,501	$42.55	$66,856	$110,381	14
100	Corpus Christi	$88,370	$42.49	$83,343	$104,090	150
101	Tomball	$87,906	$42.26	$71,819	$104,357	5
102	Mission	$87,814	$42.22	$65,090	$116,521	22
103	San Angelo	$87,593	$42.11	$75,473	$100,144	50
104	McAllen	$87,037	$41.84	$77,886	$100,050	210
105	Brownsville	$86,953	$41.81	$76,743	$99,672	120
106	Texarkana	$86,890	$41.78	$63,971	$99,137	70
107	Laredo	$86,513	$41.59	$77,351	$98,518	90
108	Longview	$85,967	$41.34	$82,850	$103,712	110
109	Edinburg	$84,945	$40.84	$63,999	$109,479	22

More Texas Salary Data

Hourly Rates

Explore dental hygienist hourly pay in Texas cities.

San Marcos →Round Rock →Austin →

Entry Level

Starting salaries for new dental hygienists.

San Marcos →Round Rock →Austin →

Senior / Experienced

Top earner salaries for experienced dental hygienists.

San Marcos →Round Rock →Austin →

Compare Cities in Texas

Dallas, TXvsHouston, TX Dallas, TXvsAustin, TX Dallas, TXvsSan Antonio, TX Dallas, TXvsEl Paso, TX Dallas, TXvsFort Worth, TX Dallas, TXvsTyler, TX

View all comparisons →

Explore More Dental Hygienist Salary Data

National OverviewMedian salary & full US data Entry-Level SalariesStarting pay & new grad earnings Hourly Pay RatesPer-hour rates & part-time income Highest Paying StatesTop states ranked by salary

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do dental hygienists make in Texas in 2026?

The average median dental hygienist salary in Texas is $104,659/year across 109 metro areas, based on estimated 2026 (projected from 2025 BLS data). Salaries range from $84,945 in Edinburg to $113,272 in San Marcos. This makes Texas one of the higher-paying states, at 1.66% above the national median of $102,946. The state employs approximately 16,397 dental hygienists.

What is the highest paying city for dental hygienists in Texas?

San Marcos offers the highest dental hygienist salary in Texas at $113,272/year ($54.45/hr), based on estimated 2026 (projected from 2025 BLS data). The top 3 highest-paying cities are San Marcos ($113,272), Round Rock ($111,465), Austin ($110,691). Higher pay in these metros is typically driven by cost of living, demand for dental hygiene services, and competition among employers for licensed dental hygienists.

How does Texas dental hygienist pay compare to the national average?

Texas's average dental hygienist salary of $104,659 is 1.66% above the national median of $102,946 in 2026. The state employs approximately 16,397 dental hygienists across 109 metropolitan areas. When comparing salaries, consider cost-of-living differences — a lower nominal salary in an affordable area may provide better purchasing power than a higher salary in an expensive metro.

What is the entry-level dental hygienist salary in Texas?

Entry-level dental hygienists (10th percentile) in Texas earn approximately $68,614/year on average, based on estimated 2026 (projected from 2025 BLS data). Starting salaries range from $52,669 in lower-paying areas to $89,776 in the highest-paying metros. New graduates should expect salaries at the lower end and can typically reach the area median within 3–5 years of clinical experience.

How many dental hygienists are employed in Texas?

Texas employs approximately 16,397 dental hygienists across 109 metropolitan areas, based on the latest BLS data. This makes Texas one of the larger employers of dental hygienists nationally. Demand continues to grow as the dental hygiene field expands and the population ages.

Which Texas city offers the best value for dental hygienists?

When adjusted for cost of living, San Marcos offers the highest purchasing power for dental hygienists in Texas, with an adjusted salary of $117,992 (nominal: $113,272, CoL index: 96). This means your dollar goes 4% further compared to the national average, making it an attractive option for maximizing real income.

Written by Sarah Chen, RDH, BSDH

Dental Career Analyst

Sarah Chen is a registered dental hygienist with over 12 years of clinical experience. She specializes in salary benchmarking and career strategy, helping dental professionals make data-driven career decisions using official BLS statistics.

Clinically reviewed by Amanda Doucette, RDHData verified by David Oh

Methodology & Data Source

Statewide salary figures on this page are 2026 projections based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2026 release. A 4.94% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), derived from 6-year national BLS wage trends, was applied to each metro area's reported salary to estimate current 2026 dental hygienist compensation across Texas. State averages are employment-weighted across 109 metro areas — larger metro areas with more dental hygienistscontribute proportionally more to the average, producing figures that better reflect typical compensation. Individual pay varies by city, employer, certifications, and experience.

Data Sources & Methodology

Source: BLS, OEWS, 6-year dataset (2020–2025). Per-city data from annual BLS metropolitan area surveys.

2026 figures are projected from 2025 BLS data using a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.94%, derived from historical BLS wage trends for dental hygienists (SOC 29-1292).

Compiled and verified by Sarah Chen, RDH, BSDH, a licensed dental hygienist with 10+ years of clinical experience. · View source data at BLS.gov

Last verified: May 21, 2026

Share:Facebook X LinkedIn Email