National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Dental Hygienists earn a national median of $81,400/year vs Welders at $47,990/year. Dental Hygienists earn 41% more nationally. The gap is $33,410 per year — or $2,784 per month.
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Dental Hygienist
$81,400
national median/year
$6,783/mo • $39/hr
VS
Welder
$47,990
national median/year
$3,999/mo • $23/hr
Annual salary gap
$33,410
Dental Hygienists earn 41% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $378,712.
Best states for Welders
vs Dental Hygienists
North Dakota+$-13,410
Louisiana+$-15,410
Wyoming+$-15,410
West Virginia+$-17,410
Mississippi+$-19,410
Best states for Dental Hygienists
vs Welders
California+$57,410
Washington+$47,410
Oregon+$43,410
Hawaii+$41,410
Nevada+$41,410
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Dental Hygienists earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Dental Hygienists is $81,400 versus $47,990 for Welders — a difference of $33,410 per year or $2,784 per month.
The national median salary gap between Dental Hygienists and Welders is $33,410 per year. Dental Hygienists earn 41% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $378,712.
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, Alaska pays Welders the highest median salary at $66,990 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 Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers 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 Welders earn approximately $23 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.
