National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Dental Hygienists earn a national median of $81,400/year vs HVAC Technicians at $57,620/year. Dental Hygienists earn 29% more nationally. The gap is $23,780 per year — or $1,982 per month.
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Dental Hygienist
$81,400
national median/year
$6,783/mo • $39/hr
VS
HVAC Technician
$57,620
national median/year
$4,802/mo • $28/hr
Annual salary gap
$23,780
Dental Hygienists earn 29% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $269,553.
Best states for HVAC Technicians
vs Dental Hygienists
West Virginia+$-13,780
Illinois+$-15,780
Michigan+$-15,780
Mississippi+$-15,780
Ohio+$-15,780
Best states for Dental Hygienists
vs HVAC Technicians
California+$40,780
Oregon+$33,780
Washington+$33,780
Nevada+$31,780
Alaska+$29,780
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Dental Hygienists earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Dental Hygienists is $81,400 versus $57,620 for HVAC Technicians — a difference of $23,780 per year or $1,982 per month.
The national median salary gap between Dental Hygienists and HVAC Technicians is $23,780 per year. Dental Hygienists earn 29% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $269,553.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Dental Hygienists the highest median salary at $114,400 per year.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, Hawaii pays HVAC Technicians the highest median salary at $74,620 per year.
Salary is one factor — Dental Hygienists earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Dental Hygienists and Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers both have different educational paths, licensing requirements, and long-term growth projections. Use salary as a starting point, not the only factor.
Based on a standard 2,080-hour work year, Dental Hygienists earn approximately $39 per hour nationally and HVAC Technicians earn approximately $28 per hour. Actual hourly rates vary based on overtime, part-time work, and whether the role is salaried or hourly.
Methodology: Salary data from Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2024-2025. Figures represent median annual wages for wage and salary workers. Self-employed excluded. Hourly rates calculated at 2,080 hours per year. State salary figures from same BLS OES dataset. Updated annually.
