U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data published this past summer put dental hygienist (DH) employment in the United States at about 195,000 as of May 2020. At that time, the twelve-state Southeastern U.S. was home to approximately 48,600 employed dental hygienists according to the BLS. BLS data shows the region to be the worst in the nation for dental hygienist pay. Although Virginia DHs earned an average annual mean wage that was 15th best in the nation, every other state in the Southeast had an annual mean wage level for dental hygienists that was below the national average. Moreover, eight Southeastern states ranked among the ten worst states in the nation for dental hygienist annual mean wage levels. A deeper examination of May 2020 BLS data shows the following about dental hygienist pay in the Southeastern U.S.:
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| Dental Hygienist Pay in the Southeastern U.S |
| State | # Employed | Annual Mean Wages | Wage Rank* |
| AL | 3,670 | $49,200 | 51st |
| AR | 1,560 | $65,730 | 46th |
| FL | 11,830 | $67,870 | 41st |
| GA | 5,690 | $66,330 | 43rd |
| KY | 2,130 | $61,140 | 49th |
| LA | 2,340 | $69,980 | 34th |
| MS | 1,180 | $56,650 | 50th |
| NC | 6,700 | $71,140 | 31st |
| SC | 3,500 | $61,360 | 48th |
| TN | 4,020 | $65,820 | 45th |
| VA | 5,040 | $82,530 | 15th |
| WV | 980 | $61,530 | 47th |
| U.S. | 194,830 | $78,050 | ------- |
(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on May 17, 2021
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