Dental Hygienists Salary
The median pay for a dental hygienists in El Paso, TX is $84,660/year ($40.7/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $73K at the entry level to $95K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.91), which stretches that salary to about $94,161 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $973/month, or 17.2% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $85K get you in El Paso?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by El Paso’s Regional Price Parity (89.91). 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 El Paso
Pay for dental hygienists in El Paso runs about 14% below the U.S. median of $98K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $973/month, 17.2% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.91 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, El Paso 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 El Paso, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $102K | $99K |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $105K | $106K |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $105K | $108K |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $98K | $104K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, El Paso, TX
Entry-level dental hygienists (10th percentile) start around $73K. Mid-career wages sit at $85K. Top earners bring in $95K or more, a $22K 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 El Paso numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a dental hygienist afford a 2BR apartment alone in El Paso?
Yes — at the median salary of $85K, rent takes 17.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $973/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for dental hygienists in El Paso?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new dental hygienists typically earn — is $73K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,394/month. At HUD’s $973/month FMR, rent would take 22% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is dental hygienist a high-paying job in El Paso?
Local pay runs 14% below the national median — $85K here vs. $98K nationally. Cost of living is 10% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does El Paso compare to the national average for dental hygienists?
El Paso pays $85K median vs. the U.S. average of $98K — that’s -14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.91), the purchasing-power equivalent is $94K — below the national median.
How much do dental hygienists make in El Paso, TX?
The median is $84,660 a year, that works out to about $41 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $73,240, and experienced dental hygienists can clear $95,020. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $85K enough to live in El Paso?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,662/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $973/month, which eats 17.2% 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 El Paso?
El Paso has a Regional Price Parity of 89.91 (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 $94,161 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.