Pay by state / New Hampshire
NH · BLS OEWS May 2025
Dental pay in New Hampshire
New Hampshire's 1,360 dental hygienists earned a mean of $102,640 in May 2025, 4% above the US mean and number 13 of 50 states. Salaried general dentists averaged $200,420 (+5% against the US); orthodontists' pay is not published for New Hampshire. Dental assistants earned $57,200.
- 1Dental hygienists $102,640
- 2General dentists $200,420
- 3Orthodontists not published
- 4Dental assistants $57,200
| Occupation | Employed | Per 1,000 jobs | NH mean | US mean | vs US |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orthodontists | – | – | – | $259,400 | – |
| General dentists | 500 | 0.724 | $200,420 | $191,350 | +5% |
| Dental hygienists | 1,360 | 1.993 | $102,640 | $98,990 | +4% |
| Dental assistants | 1,600 | 2.337 | $57,200 | $50,200 | +14% |
How New Hampshire ranks
- Orthodontists: no row at all in the BLS May 2025 state file for New Hampshire.
- General dentists: number 16 of 47 published states for mean pay ($200,420, median $177,480), with 0.724 per 1,000 jobs.
- Dental hygienists: number 13 of 50 published states for mean pay ($102,640, median $101,250), with 1.993 per 1,000 jobs.
- Dental assistants: number 4 of 50 published states for mean pay ($57,200, median $59,530), with 2.337 per 1,000 jobs.
New Hampshire and the New England division
Among the 6 New England jurisdictions with published figures, New Hampshire ranks 1 for dental hygienists' pay; half of its hygienists earn more than $101,250 and half less. The Census Bureau groups these states as a division, which makes a fairer comparison than the national figure when living costs differ by region.
| New England | Hygienists | Dentists | Assistants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | $98,720 | $183,990 | $53,970 |
| Maine | $96,440 | $237,360 | $57,140 |
| Massachusetts | $102,160 | $223,200 | $56,640 |
| New Hampshire | $102,640 | $200,420 | $57,200 |
| Rhode Island | $88,660 | $162,440 | $52,790 |
| Vermont | $97,540 | $214,130 | $54,550 |
Staffing in New Hampshire
There are 2.7 salaried hygienists for every salaried general dentist in New Hampshire, more than the national ratio of about 1.8 — hygienists carry more of the routine work here. A practice here employing one hygienist and one assistant at the state's mean wages pays $159,840 a year in their salaries alone, before benefits. Owners of practices are not counted in these BLS figures, so dentist and orthodontist numbers understate how many work in New Hampshire.
What it means for your braces
BLS publishes no orthodontist wage for New Hampshire. Wages are one input to what practices charge, alongside rent, equipment and competition, so they explain only part of why quotes differ. Your quote is what matters: put it, your insurance's orthodontic benefit and your FSA or HSA plans into the calculator.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (state and national files). “–” = not published by BLS. Checked 2026-10-24. Methodology.