Dental Hygienists Salary
The median pay for a dental hygienists in Birmingham, AL is $61,730/year ($29.68/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $57K at the entry level to $74K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.64), which stretches that salary to about $67,361 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,266/month, about 31.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $62K get you in Birmingham?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Birmingham’s Regional Price Parity (91.64). 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 Birmingham
Pay for dental hygienists in Birmingham runs about 37% below the U.S. median of $98K. Rent runs $1,266/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31.2% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.64 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for dental hygienists in metros near Birmingham, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Huntsville | $62K | $67K |
| Mobile | $61K | $69K |
| Montgomery | $60K | $67K |
| Daphne-Fairhope-Foley | $61K | $64K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Birmingham, AL
Entry-level dental hygienists (10th percentile) start around $57K. Mid-career wages sit at $62K. Top earners bring in $74K 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 Birmingham numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a dental hygienist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Birmingham?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $62K, rent takes 31.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,266/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for dental hygienists in Birmingham?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new dental hygienists typically earn — is $57K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,419/month. At HUD’s $1,266/month FMR, rent would take 37% 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 Birmingham?
Local pay runs 37% below the national median — $62K here vs. $98K nationally. Cost of living is 8% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Birmingham compare to the national average for dental hygienists?
Birmingham pays $62K median vs. the U.S. average of $98K — that’s -37%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.64), the purchasing-power equivalent is $67K — below the national median.
How much do dental hygienists make in Birmingham, AL?
The median is $61,730 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $56,990, and experienced dental hygienists can clear $74,070. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $62K enough to live in Birmingham?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,060/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,266/month, which eats 31.2% 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 Birmingham?
Birmingham has a Regional Price Parity of 91.64 (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 $67,361 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.