National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
Compare a different job:
VS
QUICK ANSWER
Dental Hygienists earn a national median of $81,400/year vs Paralegals at $59,200/year. Dental Hygienists earn 27% more nationally. The gap is $22,200 per year — or $1,850 per month.
Built by Pierre — MBA, Business Strategist & AI Consultant, Founder of DayblipAbout the author →
Dental Hygienist
$81,400
national median/year
$6,783/mo • $39/hr
VS
Paralegal
$59,200
national median/year
$4,933/mo • $28/hr
Annual salary gap
$22,200
Dental Hygienists earn 27% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $251,644.
Best states for Paralegals
vs Dental Hygienists
New York+$-18,200
Alabama+$-20,200
Connecticut+$-20,200
Florida+$-20,200
Georgia+$-20,200
Best states for Dental Hygienists
vs Paralegals
Alaska+$46,200
Hawaii+$40,200
California+$38,200
Washington+$38,200
Nevada+$36,200
Share Your Result
Surprised by this number? Share it with friends and family
Dental Hygienists earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Dental Hygienists is $81,400 versus $59,200 for Paralegals — a difference of $22,200 per year or $1,850 per month.
The national median salary gap between Dental Hygienists and Paralegals is $22,200 per year. Dental Hygienists earn 27% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $251,644.
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, California pays Paralegals the highest median salary at $76,200 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 Paralegals and Legal Assistants 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 Paralegals 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.
