National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Social Workers earn a national median of $54,150/year vs Dental Hygienists at $81,400/year. Dental Hygienists earn 50% more nationally. The gap is $27,250 per year — or $2,271 per month.
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Social Worker
$54,150
national median/year
$4,513/mo • $26/hr
VS
Dental Hygienist
$81,400
national median/year
$6,783/mo • $39/hr
Annual salary gap
$27,250
Dental Hygienists earn 50% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $308,887.
Best states for Dental Hygienists
vs Social Workers
California+$46,080
Hawaii+$46,080
Washington+$46,080
Oregon+$44,080
Nevada+$42,080
Best states for Social Workers
vs Dental Hygienists
Mississippi+$-20,080
West Virginia+$-20,080
Alabama+$-22,080
Arkansas+$-22,080
Ohio+$-22,080
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Dental Hygienists earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Social Workers is $54,150 versus $81,400 for Dental Hygienists — a difference of $27,250 per year or $2,271 per month.
The national median salary gap between Social Workers and Dental Hygienists is $27,250 per year. Dental Hygienists earn 50% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $308,887.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Social Workers the highest median salary at $68,320 per year.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Dental Hygienists the highest median salary at $114,400 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. Child, Family, and School Social Workers and Dental Hygienists 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, Social Workers earn approximately $26 per hour nationally and Dental Hygienists earn approximately $39 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.
