Georgia is nationally renowned for its stellar dental hygienist job opportunities. In fact, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the state’s Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta metropolitan area was among the country’s top ten urban districts with the highest employment levels for dental hygienists in 2013.
Employment trends for dental hygienists are expected to remain optimistic in Georgia. The Department of Labor named the dental hygienist profession as one of the state’s hottest careers through 2022. Between 2012 and 2022, the field of dental hygiene will see an average of 350 annual job openings.
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Dental hygienists with field experience may earn notably higher paychecks in Georgia. In 2012, the Department of Labor reported the following pay averages for dental hygienists:
- Entry Level: $55,320/yr. or $26.60/hr.
- Median: $67,608/yr. or $32.51/hr.
- Experienced: $81,795/yr. or $39.32/hr.
Top Paying Counties for Dental Hygienists in Georgia
Dental hygienist salaries may vary from county to county in Georgia. In 2012, the Department of Labor determined the highest paying counties for dental hygienists included:
- Gilmer County: $80,208/yr.
- Walton County: $78,851/yr.
- Coweta County: $78,517/yr.
- Meriwether County: $78,386/yr.
- Carroll County: $78,016/yr.
Salary and wage percentiles for dental hygienists in Georgia reveal a wide pay range for this occupation. In 2012, the Department of Labor released the following salary and wage percentile findings:
- 10th Percentile: $42,600/yr. or $20.49/hr.
- 25th Percentile: $52,200/yr. or $25.12/hr.
- Median Percentile: $62,300/yr. or $29.97/hr.
- 75th Percentile: $73,100/yr. or $35.13/hr.
- 90th Percentile: $83,900/yr. or $40.33/hr.
Geographic Pay Averages for Dental Hygienists in Georgia
In 2013, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics published pay averages for dental hygienists according to their geographic location. These salary and wage figures are documented in the table below: