Dental Hygienists Salary
The median pay for a dental hygienists in Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN is $81,390/year ($39.13/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $64K at the entry level to $99K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.07), which stretches that salary to about $87,450 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,272/month, or 24.7% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $81K get you in Louisville/Jefferson County?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Louisville/Jefferson County’s Regional Price Parity (93.07). 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 Louisville/Jefferson County
Pay for dental hygienists in Louisville/Jefferson County runs about 17% below the U.S. median of $98K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,272/month, 24.5% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.07 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Louisville/Jefferson County 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 Louisville/Jefferson County, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Lexington-Fayette | $80K | $86K |
| Bowling Green | $76K | $84K |
| Paducah | $80K | $92K |
| Owensboro | $75K | $85K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN
Entry-level dental hygienists (10th percentile) start around $64K. Mid-career wages sit at $81K. Top earners bring in $99K or more, a $35K 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 Louisville/Jefferson County numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a dental hygienist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Louisville/Jefferson County?
Yes — at the median salary of $81K, rent takes 24.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,272/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for dental hygienists in Louisville/Jefferson County?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new dental hygienists typically earn — is $64K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,832/month. At HUD’s $1,272/month FMR, rent would take 33% 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 Louisville/Jefferson County?
Local pay runs 17% below the national median — $81K here vs. $98K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Louisville/Jefferson County compare to the national average for dental hygienists?
Louisville/Jefferson County pays $81K median vs. the U.S. average of $98K — that’s -17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.07), the purchasing-power equivalent is $87K — below the national median.
How much do dental hygienists make in Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN?
The median is $81,390 a year, that works out to about $39 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $63,870, and experienced dental hygienists can clear $99,250. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $81K enough to live in Louisville/Jefferson County?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,199/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,272/month, which eats 24.5% 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 Louisville/Jefferson County?
Louisville/Jefferson County has a Regional Price Parity of 93.07 (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 $87,450 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.