Dental Hygienists Salary
The median pay for a dental hygienists in State College, PA is $78,530/year ($37.76/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $66K at the entry level to $93K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.76), that's roughly $81,160 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,406/month, or 26.7% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $79K get you in State College?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by State College’s Regional Price Parity (96.76). 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 State College
Pay for dental hygienists in State College runs about 20% below the U.S. median of $98K. Rent runs $1,406/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27.6% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 96.76) 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 State College, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $101K | $98K |
| Pittsburgh | $76K | $80K |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $82K | $82K |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre | $71K | $76K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, State College, PA
Entry-level dental hygienists (10th percentile) start around $66K. Mid-career wages sit at $79K. Top earners bring in $93K or more, a $28K 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 State College numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a dental hygienist afford a 2BR apartment alone in State College?
Yes — at the median salary of $79K, rent takes 27.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,406/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for dental hygienists in State College?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new dental hygienists typically earn — is $66K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,952/month. At HUD’s $1,406/month FMR, rent would take 36% 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 State College?
Local pay runs 20% below the national median — $79K here vs. $98K nationally.
How does State College compare to the national average for dental hygienists?
State College pays $79K median vs. the U.S. average of $98K — that’s -20%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.76), the purchasing-power equivalent is $81K — below the national median.
How much do dental hygienists make in State College, PA?
The median is $78,530 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $65,870, and experienced dental hygienists can clear $93,470. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $79K enough to live in State College?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,102/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,406/month, which eats 27.6% 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 State College?
State College has a Regional Price Parity of 96.76 (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 $81,160 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.