Dental Hygienists Salary
The median pay for a dental hygienists in Decatur, AL is $61,340/year ($29.49/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $47K at the entry level to $72K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.21), which stretches that salary to about $70,336 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $961/month, or 23.8% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $61K get you in Decatur?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Decatur’s Regional Price Parity (87.21). 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 Decatur
Pay for dental hygienists in Decatur runs about 37% below the U.S. median of $98K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $961/month, 23.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.21 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Decatur can be a reasonable trade-off for dental hygienistss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for dental hygienists in metros near Decatur, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | $62K | $67K |
| Huntsville | $62K | $67K |
| Mobile | $61K | $69K |
| Montgomery | $60K | $67K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Decatur, AL
Entry-level dental hygienists (10th percentile) start around $47K. Mid-career wages sit at $61K. Top earners bring in $72K or more, a $25K 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 Decatur numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a dental hygienist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Decatur?
Yes — at the median salary of $61K, rent takes 23.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $961/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for dental hygienists in Decatur?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new dental hygienists typically earn — is $47K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,843/month. At HUD’s $961/month FMR, rent would take 34% 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 Decatur?
Local pay runs 37% below the national median — $61K here vs. $98K nationally. Cost of living is 13% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Decatur compare to the national average for dental hygienists?
Decatur pays $61K median vs. the U.S. average of $98K — that’s -37%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.21), the purchasing-power equivalent is $70K — below the national median.
How much do dental hygienists make in Decatur, AL?
The median is $61,340 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $47,390, and experienced dental hygienists can clear $72,390. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $61K enough to live in Decatur?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,035/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $961/month, which eats 23.8% 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 Decatur?
Decatur has a Regional Price Parity of 87.21 (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 $70,336 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.