Dental Hygiene Degree Programs in North Carolina (2026)

Q: "How much do dental hygienists make in North Carolina?"

"The median annual wage for dental hygienists in North Carolina is $97,850, below the national median of $98,100 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle of the range runs from $84,150 at the 25th percentile to $100,930 at the 75th."

Q: "How many dental hygienists work in North Carolina?"

"North Carolina holds about 6,690 dental hygienist jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Nationally the occupation employs 222,740, and BLS projects about 15,300 openings per year through 2034 (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34)."

Q: "Do I need a license to work as a dental hygienist in North Carolina?"

"Dental hygienists are licensed by state dental boards. The national framework is graduation from a program accredited by CODA, the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination, and a clinical examination. Scope of practice - including whether a hygienist may work without a dentist physically present - is set state by state and is one of the biggest practical differences between them. Requirements are set at the state level and change periodically, so confirm the current rules with your state dental board before you enroll in any program."

Q: "Can I earn a CODA-accredited associate degree online while working in North Carolina?"

"Often yes. Programs built for working adults deliver coursework online or in the evenings, though any required labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience are completed in person. Confirm that the program's accreditation satisfies your state dental board."

Q: "What is the highest-paying area of North Carolina for dental hygienists?"

"Among North Carolina metro areas with published data, Durham reports the highest median at $101,460 (BLS OEWS, May 2025)."

Q: "Is North Carolina a good state for dental hygienists?"

"On pay, the state median of $97,850 sits below the national $98,100 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). A location quotient of 0.95 means the occupation is less concentrated here than in the average state. Weigh that against cost of living and how concentrated the work is near where you actually want to live."

Updated July 24, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

Quick answer: Dental Hygienists in North Carolina earn a median $97,850 per year, below the national median of $98,100 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The state employs about 6,690 of them. Licensing runs through your state dental board.

Dental Hygiene Pay and Employment in North Carolina at a Glance

Metric	North Carolina	National	Source
Median annual wage	$97,850	$98,100	BLS OEWS, May 2025
10th percentile	$77,270	$74,880	BLS OEWS, May 2025
25th percentile	$84,150	$83,570	BLS OEWS, May 2025
75th percentile	$100,930	$108,480	BLS OEWS, May 2025
90th percentile	$103,850	$126,050	BLS OEWS, May 2025
Employment	6,690	222,740	BLS OEWS, May 2025
Location quotient	0.95	1.00	BLS OEWS, May 2025
Projected change (2024-34)	not published by state	7.0%	BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34

How North Carolina Pay Compares to the Rest of the Country

The North Carolina median of $97,850 sits below the national median of $98,100 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Percentiles matter more than the midpoint when you are deciding whether a degree pays for itself: the 10th percentile is roughly where people start, and the 90th is what the top of the local market looks like after years of experience.

A location quotient of 0.95 puts North Carolina slightly below the national average, so the occupation is a little less common here than in the typical state (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The measure compares how concentrated the occupation is here against the national average of 1.00.

Where the Jobs Are in North Carolina

Metro area	Median annual wage	Employment
Durham	$101,460	350
Asheville	$101,170	300
Raleigh	$98,800	1,220
Charlotte	$98,390	1,910
Burlington	$97,210	100
Wilmington	$96,700	440
Winston	$95,930	500
Pinehurst	$95,900	70
Hickory	$94,050	170
Greenville	$93,790	110

Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Hygiene is hired practice by practice, so the local density of dental offices is what determines how many chairs are open in a given market.

Dental Hygienists Wages by Metro Area in North Carolina

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), dental hygienists wages in North Carolina vary by metro area.

Metro Area	Employment	Median Annual Wage	Avg. Annual Wage	Entry Level (10th pctile)	Experienced (90th pctile)
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia	1,910	$98,390	$98,160	$92,120	$103,760
Raleigh-Cary	1,220	$98,800	$96,160	$74,940	$105,730
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk	940	$98,890	$98,960	$93,630	$105,730
Winston-Salem	500	$95,930	$94,350	$82,090	$100,540
Wilmington	440	$96,700	$92,880	$80,730	$103,970
Greensboro-High Point	390	$84,250	$81,420	$43,120	$98,250
Durham-Chapel Hill	350	$101,460	$97,390	$82,490	$103,850
Asheville	300	$101,170	$99,200	$81,440	$107,230
Fayetteville	220	$93,330	$87,540	$65,010	$97,980
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton	170	$94,050	$90,420	$79,660	$98,130
Jacksonville	120	$82,380	$84,360	$77,750	$94,270
Greenville	110	$93,790	$85,520	$62,860	$99,360
Burlington	100	$97,210	$95,560	$80,100	$102,800
Goldsboro	70	$83,350	$85,350	$76,570	$95,990
Pinehurst-Southern Pines	70	$95,900	$91,670	$65,040	$100,470
Rocky Mount	50	$88,390	$83,560	$62,860	$97,250

Wages reflect survey data and vary based on experience, credentials, employer, and local market conditions. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May .

All North Carolina Metro Areas With Published Data

Asheville * Burlington * Charlotte * Durham * Fayetteville * Greensboro * Greenville * Hickory * Jacksonville * Raleigh * Wilmington * Winston

Licensing and Credentials in North Carolina

Dental hygienists are licensed by state dental boards. The national framework is graduation from a program accredited by CODA, the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination, and a clinical examination. Scope of practice - including whether a hygienist may work without a dentist physically present - is set state by state and is one of the biggest practical differences between them.

Requirements are set at state level and are amended periodically. Before you enroll in any program, confirm with your state dental board that the specific program you are considering satisfies the education requirement, and ask what it accepts from any training you have already completed. Get the answer in writing.

Earning the Degree While You Work

Most people reading this already have a job in the field, and the practical question is whether the credential can be earned without leaving it. Programs designed for working adults deliver the academic portion online or in the evening, while any labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience happen in person and locally. Prior college credit, military training, apprenticeship coursework and industry certifications can all shorten the path, so request a written transfer credit evaluation before you commit to any school.

Schools Near You

Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.

How We Rank Schools

We first gather the schools closest to the city or state page you are viewing, then rank that local group by BOC Score, with the highest at the top. The BOC Score is computed from federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data; schools without enough data to score appear last.

Location / proximity to this page: Defines the local group
Graduation rate: 30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry: 25%
Average net price (lower is better): 20%
Retention rate: 15%
Fully online availability: 10%

Schools without enough federal outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.