Dental Hygienist Salary
The median pay for a dental hygienists in Arkansas is $86,760/year ($41.71/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $62K at the entry level to $98K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.64), which stretches that salary to about $98,996 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,021/month, or 18.6% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Arkansas. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $87K actually covers in Arkansas, month by month
About dental hygienists
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What this looks like in Arkansas
Pay for dental hygienists in Arkansas runs about 12% below the U.S. median of $98K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,021/month, 18.5% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.64 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Arkansas can be a reasonable trade-off for dental hygienists who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Arkansas
Entry-level dental hygienists (10th percentile) start around $62K. Mid-career wages sit at $87K. Top earners bring in $98K or more, a $36K spread from bottom to top.
Dental Hygienists salary by metro in Arkansas
5 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway | $89K | +3% | 490 |
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers | $87K | +1% | 410 |
| Jonesboro | $87K | -0% | 80 |
| Fort Smith | $84K | -3% | 150 |
| Hot Springs | $83K | -4% | 70 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Arkansas numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a dental hygienist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Arkansas?
Yes — at the median salary of $87K, rent takes 18.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,021/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for dental hygienists in Arkansas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new dental hygienists typically earn — is $62K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,145/month. At HUD’s $1,021/month FMR, rent would take 25% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is dental hygienist a high-paying job in Arkansas?
Local pay runs 12% below the national median — $87K here vs. $98K nationally. Cost of living is 12% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Arkansas compare to the national average for dental hygienists?
Arkansas pays $87K median vs. the U.S. average of $98K — that’s -12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.64), the purchasing-power equivalent is $99K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do dental hygienists make in Arkansas?
The median is $86,760 a year, that works out to about $42 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $62,170, and experienced dental hygienists can clear $97,730. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $87K enough to live in Arkansas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,517/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,021/month, which eats 18.5% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a dental hygienists salary go in Arkansas?
Arkansas has a Regional Price Parity of 87.64 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median dental hygienists salary is worth about $98,996 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.