National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Dental Hygienists earn a national median of $81,400/year vs Real Estate Agents at $61,480/year. Dental Hygienists earn 24% more nationally. The gap is $19,920 per year — or $1,660 per month.
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Dental Hygienist
$81,400
national median/year
$6,783/mo • $39/hr
VS
Real Estate Agent
$61,480
national median/year
$5,123/mo • $30/hr
Annual salary gap
$19,920
Dental Hygienists earn 24% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $225,799.
Best states for Real Estate Agents
vs Dental Hygienists
New York+$-9,920
Florida+$-13,920
Texas+$-13,920
Maryland+$-15,920
North Carolina+$-15,920
Best states for Dental Hygienists
vs Real Estate Agents
Alaska+$39,920
California+$31,920
Washington+$31,920
Oregon+$29,920
Nevada+$27,920
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Dental Hygienists earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Dental Hygienists is $81,400 versus $61,480 for Real Estate Agents — a difference of $19,920 per year or $1,660 per month.
The national median salary gap between Dental Hygienists and Real Estate Agents is $19,920 per year. Dental Hygienists earn 24% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $225,799.
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 Real Estate Agents the highest median salary at $82,480 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 Real Estate Sales Agents 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 Real Estate Agents earn approximately $30 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.
