Dental Hygienists Salary
The median pay for a dental hygienists in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC is $90,660/year ($43.59/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $67K at the entry level to $98K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.02), that's roughly $92,491 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,816/month, about 31.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $91K get you in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal’s Regional Price Parity (98.02). 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 Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal
Dental hygienists pay in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal tracks closely to the national median, $91K locally vs. $98K nationwide, a 8% difference. Rent runs $1,816/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32.1% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 98.02) 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 Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Columbia | $82K | $88K |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $85K | $91K |
| Charleston-North Charleston | $95K | $94K |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach | $81K | $86K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC
Entry-level dental hygienists (10th percentile) start around $67K. Mid-career wages sit at $91K. Top earners bring in $98K or more, a $31K 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 Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a dental hygienist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $91K, rent takes 32.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,816/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for dental hygienists in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new dental hygienists typically earn — is $67K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,006/month. At HUD’s $1,816/month FMR, rent would take 45% 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 Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $91K locally vs. $98K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal compare to the national average for dental hygienists?
Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal pays $91K median vs. the U.S. average of $98K — that’s -8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.02), the purchasing-power equivalent is $92K — below the national median.
How much do dental hygienists make in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC?
The median is $90,660 a year, that works out to about $44 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $66,770, and experienced dental hygienists can clear $97,810. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $91K enough to live in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,666/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,816/month, which eats 32.1% 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 Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal?
Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal has a Regional Price Parity of 98.02 (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 $92,491 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.