National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Dental Hygienists earn a national median of $81,400/year vs Pilots at $203,010/year. Pilots earn 149% more nationally. The gap is $121,610 per year — or $10,134 per month.
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Dental Hygienist
$81,400
national median/year
$6,783/mo • $39/hr
VS
Pilot
$203,010
national median/year
$16,918/mo • $98/hr
Annual salary gap
$121,610
Pilots earn 149% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $1,378,485.
Best states for Pilots
vs Dental Hygienists
New York+$135,610
Virginia+$133,610
Maryland+$129,610
New Jersey+$129,610
Connecticut+$127,610
Best states for Dental Hygienists
vs Pilots
Arkansas+$-89,610
North Dakota+$-89,610
West Virginia+$-89,610
Mississippi+$-91,610
Idaho+$-93,610
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Pilots earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Dental Hygienists is $81,400 versus $203,010 for Pilots — a difference of $121,610 per year or $10,134 per month.
The national median salary gap between Dental Hygienists and Pilots is $121,610 per year. Pilots earn 149% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $1,378,485.
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 Pilots the highest median salary at $238,010 per year.
Salary is one factor — Pilots earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Dental Hygienists and Airline and Commercial Pilots 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 Pilots earn approximately $98 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.
