The average dental hygienist salary in Massachusetts is $102,160, with a median of $100,640. Rhode Island employers should be aware that candidates who could work in either state will likely benchmark against Massachusetts figures, so your offer strategy needs to account for that cross-border competition. If you are hiring near the Massachusetts border, expect candidates to reference those higher figures during negotiations.
Dental hygienist salary in Rhode Island (2026)
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The average dental hygienist salary in Rhode Island is $88,660 per year. A small pool of very high earners pulls that average upward, so the median of $86,910 gives you a more reliable starting point for most hiring decisions. Rhode Island employs 770 dental hygienists, and the $1,750 gap between the mean and median signals real variation in the candidate pool you will be evaluating. Junior dental hygienists in Rhode Island typically earn around $83,800, while senior specialists reach and exceed the $100,520 level at the 90th percentile. Plan for a range rather than a single number when budgeting for a dental hygienist hire in Rhode Island, and anchor that range to the seniority and specialization of the role you are filling.
Metric / Value
Metric | Value |
Median Annual Salary | $86,910 |
Average Annual Salary | $88,660 |
vs. National Average | 10.4% below the national mean of $98,990 |
Data comes from the BLS OEWS and covers 770 employed dental hygienists across Rhode Island.
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Dental hygienist salary percentiles in Rhode Island
Percentile | Annual Salary |
10th Percentile | $83,800 |
25th Percentile | $84,030 |
75th Percentile | $91,160 |
90th Percentile | $100,520 |
Most dental hygienist offers in Rhode Island will land between $83,800 and $91,160, which is a relatively narrow band that gives you limited room to differentiate on base pay alone. Senior specialists who reach the 90th percentile threshold earn $100,520, so roles requiring advanced experience or specialized skills will need an offer anchored toward the upper end of that range.
Dental hygienist salary by city in Rhode Island
City | Average Annual Salary |
Boston | $104,070 |
Providence | $91,300 |
Employers hiring in the Providence metro can expect to pay meaningfully less than those competing for talent in the Boston-Cambridge-Nashua market. The Providence metro average sits at $91,300, while the Boston metro average reaches $104,070, a difference that matters if candidates are weighing offers across both markets. If you are recruiting dental hygienists who could plausibly work in either metro, your offer will need to account for that gap.
How Rhode Island compares to other states
State | Average Annual Salary | Median Annual Salary |
Rhode Island | $88,660 | $86,910 |
New Jersey | $104,410 | $107,040 |
New York | $103,640 | $106,130 |
Massachusetts | $102,160 | $100,640 |
Connecticut | $98,720 | $100,690 |
Pennsylvania | $84,260 | $80,610 |
Rhode Island is a cost-effective market for dental hygienist hiring relative to most of its Northeast neighbors, which gives employers here a real budget advantage when competing for local talent. The Rhode Island mean of $88,660 sits well below New Jersey ($104,410), New York ($103,640), Massachusetts ($102,160), and Connecticut ($98,720). Only Pennsylvania, at $84,260, comes in lower among the comparison states.
Frequently asked questions about dental hygienist salary in Rhode Island
What is the starting salary for a dental hygienist in Massachusetts?
What do the top-earning dental hygienists make in Rhode Island?
The 90th percentile threshold for dental hygienists in Rhode Island is $100,520, which represents the level that senior specialists in the state typically reach or exceed. The statewide mean of $88,660 sits well below that threshold, so the top-earning segment is a relatively small share of the 770 employed dental hygienists in the state. When competing for senior talent, plan to anchor your offer toward or above $100,520 to attract candidates at that experience level.
What is the salary range for a dental hygienist in Rhode Island?
The salary range for dental hygienists in Rhode Island runs from $83,800 at the 10th percentile to $100,520 at the 90th percentile. The middle of the market sits between $84,030 at the 25th percentile and $91,160 at the 75th percentile, which is where most offers will land. Use the seniority and specialization of the specific role you are filling to decide where within that range to anchor your initial offer.
What is the average dental hygienist salary in Rhode Island?
The average dental hygienist salary in Rhode Island is $88,660 per year, with a median of $86,910. The $1,750 gap between those two figures reflects some variation at the higher end of the market pulling the average up. For most hiring decisions, the median of $86,910 is the more practical anchor when setting a competitive offer.
Dental Hygienist salary by state
Data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2025, SOC code 29-1292 (Dental Hygienists).
Disclaimer
Rippling and its affiliates do not provide tax, accounting, or legal advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide or be relied on for tax, accounting, or legal advice. You should consult your own tax, accounting, and legal advisors before engaging in any related activities or transactions.
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The Rippling Team
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