Dental Hygienists Salary
The median pay for a dental hygienists in Amherst Town-Northampton, MA is $97,940/year ($47.09/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $84K at the entry level to $101K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.24), that's roughly $97,706 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,004/month, about 32.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $98K get you in Amherst Town-Northampton?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Amherst Town-Northampton’s Regional Price Parity (100.24). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About dental hygienists
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What this looks like in Amherst Town-Northampton
Dental hygienists pay in Amherst Town-Northampton tracks closely to the national median, $98K locally vs. $98K nationwide, a 0% difference. Rent runs $2,004/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33.2% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 100.24) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for dental hygienists in metros near Amherst Town-Northampton, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton | $102K | $94K |
| Worcester | $100K | $98K |
| Springfield | $98K | $102K |
| Barnstable Town | $102K | $104K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Amherst Town-Northampton, MA
Entry-level dental hygienists (10th percentile) start around $84K. Mid-career wages sit at $98K. Top earners bring in $101K or more, a $17K spread from bottom to top.
Dental Hygienists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Dental Hygienists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $137K | +40% | 320 |
| Alaska | $133K | +35% | 790 |
| Washington | $131K | +34% | 6,330 |
| California | $125K | +27% | 24,500 |
| Oregon | $122K | +24% | 3,600 |
| Nevada | $115K | +18% | 1,510 |
| Colorado | $110K | +12% | 4,270 |
| Maryland | $108K | +10% | 3,500 |
| New Jersey | $107K | +9% | 7,230 |
| New York | $106K | +8% | 13,660 |
| Minnesota | $104K | +6% | 4,110 |
| Virginia | $103K | +5% | 3,770 |
| New Hampshire | $101K | +3% | 1,360 |
| Arizona | $101K | +3% | 4,530 |
| Connecticut | $101K | +3% | 3,240 |
| Massachusetts | $101K | +3% | 6,850 |
| Texas | $99K | +1% | 16,380 |
| Delaware | $99K | +1% | 750 |
| Montana | $98K | +0% | 860 |
| North Carolina | $98K | -0% | 6,690 |
| Maine | $98K | -0% | 1,060 |
| Oklahoma | $98K | -1% | 2,860 |
| Hawaii | $98K | -1% | 830 |
| Vermont | $97K | -1% | 560 |
| Illinois | $97K | -1% | 8,970 |
| Wisconsin | $97K | -2% | 5,080 |
| New Mexico | $96K | -2% | 1,420 |
| Georgia | $95K | -3% | 7,440 |
| Idaho | $95K | -4% | 2,060 |
| Missouri | $93K | -5% | 3,810 |
| Nebraska | $93K | -6% | 1,280 |
| Indiana | $92K | -6% | 5,020 |
| South Dakota | $92K | -6% | 630 |
| Florida | $92K | -6% | 11,980 |
| Utah | $91K | -7% | 3,780 |
| North Dakota | $91K | -8% | 660 |
| Ohio | $89K | -9% | 8,630 |
| Rhode Island | $87K | -11% | 770 |
| Arkansas | $87K | -12% | 1,740 |
| Louisiana | $85K | -13% | 2,690 |
| Wyoming | $85K | -13% | 500 |
| Tennessee | $85K | -14% | 4,570 |
| South Carolina | $84K | -14% | 3,160 |
| Iowa | $84K | -14% | 2,440 |
| Michigan | $84K | -15% | 8,640 |
| Pennsylvania | $81K | -18% | 7,970 |
| Kentucky | $79K | -20% | 2,070 |
| West Virginia | $74K | -25% | 1,250 |
| Mississippi | $67K | -31% | 1,140 |
| Alabama | $61K | -38% | 3,170 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track dental hygienists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Amherst Town-Northampton numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a dental hygienist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Amherst Town-Northampton?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $98K, rent takes 33.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,004/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for dental hygienists in Amherst Town-Northampton?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new dental hygienists typically earn — is $84K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,023/month. At HUD’s $2,004/month FMR, rent would take 40% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is dental hygienist a high-paying job in Amherst Town-Northampton?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $98K locally vs. $98K nationally, a 0% difference.
How does Amherst Town-Northampton compare to the national average for dental hygienists?
Amherst Town-Northampton pays $98K median vs. the U.S. average of $98K — that’s +0%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.24), the purchasing-power equivalent is $98K — below the national median.
How much do dental hygienists make in Amherst Town-Northampton, MA?
The median is $97,940 a year, that works out to about $47 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $83,720, and experienced dental hygienists can clear $101,150. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $98K enough to live in Amherst Town-Northampton?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,033/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,004/month, which eats 33.2% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a dental hygienists salary go in Amherst Town-Northampton?
Amherst Town-Northampton has a Regional Price Parity of 100.24 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median dental hygienists salary is worth about $97,706 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do dental hygienists get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.