Dental Hygienists Salary
The median pay for a dental hygienists in Ithaca, NY is $96,620/year ($46.45/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $79K at the entry level to $106K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.32), that's roughly $93,515 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,753/month, or 28.9% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $97K get you in Ithaca?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Ithaca’s Regional Price Parity (103.32). 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 Ithaca
Dental hygienists pay in Ithaca tracks closely to the national median, $97K locally vs. $98K nationwide, a 2% difference. Rent runs $1,753/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29.4% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 103.32) 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 Ithaca, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $110K | $97K |
| Rochester | $94K | $97K |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga | $82K | $86K |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy | $98K | $98K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Ithaca, NY
Entry-level dental hygienists (10th percentile) start around $79K. Mid-career wages sit at $97K. Top earners bring in $106K or more, a $27K 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 Ithaca numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a dental hygienist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Ithaca?
Yes — at the median salary of $97K, rent takes 29.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,753/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for dental hygienists in Ithaca?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new dental hygienists typically earn — is $79K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,710/month. At HUD’s $1,753/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 Ithaca?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $97K locally vs. $98K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Ithaca compare to the national average for dental hygienists?
Ithaca pays $97K median vs. the U.S. average of $98K — that’s -2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.32), the purchasing-power equivalent is $94K — below the national median.
How much do dental hygienists make in Ithaca, NY?
The median is $96,620 a year, that works out to about $46 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $78,500, and experienced dental hygienists can clear $105,860. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $97K enough to live in Ithaca?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,968/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,753/month, which eats 29.4% 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 Ithaca?
Ithaca has a Regional Price Parity of 103.32 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median dental hygienists salary is worth about $93,515 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.