Dental Hygienists Salary
The median pay for a dental hygienists in Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL is $93,080/year ($44.75/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $77K at the entry level to $96K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.14), that's roughly $95,820 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,497/month, or 24% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $93K get you in Lakeland-Winter Haven?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Lakeland-Winter Haven’s Regional Price Parity (97.14). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Lakeland-Winter Haven
Dental hygienists pay in Lakeland-Winter Haven tracks closely to the national median, $93K locally vs. $98K nationwide, a 5% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,497/month, 24.3% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 97.14) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for dental hygienists in metros near Lakeland-Winter Haven, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | $83K | $73K |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater | $96K | $95K |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford | $93K | $91K |
| Jacksonville | $95K | $95K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL
Entry-level dental hygienists (10th percentile) start around $77K. Mid-career wages sit at $93K. Top earners bring in $96K or more, a $19K 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 Lakeland-Winter Haven numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a dental hygienist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Lakeland-Winter Haven?
Yes — at the median salary of $93K, rent takes 24.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,497/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for dental hygienists in Lakeland-Winter Haven?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new dental hygienists typically earn — is $77K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,627/month. At HUD’s $1,497/month FMR, rent would take 32% 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 Lakeland-Winter Haven?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $93K locally vs. $98K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Lakeland-Winter Haven compare to the national average for dental hygienists?
Lakeland-Winter Haven pays $93K median vs. the U.S. average of $98K — that’s -5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.14), the purchasing-power equivalent is $96K — below the national median.
How much do dental hygienists make in Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL?
The median is $93,080 a year, that works out to about $45 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $77,110, and experienced dental hygienists can clear $95,850. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $93K enough to live in Lakeland-Winter Haven?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,156/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,497/month, which eats 24.3% 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 Lakeland-Winter Haven?
Lakeland-Winter Haven has a Regional Price Parity of 97.14 (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 $95,820 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.