Dental Hygienists Salary
The median pay for a dental hygienists in Traverse City, MI is $81,570/year ($39.22/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $78K at the entry level to $95K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.37), which stretches that salary to about $87,362 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,224/month, or 23.7% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $82K get you in Traverse City?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Traverse City’s Regional Price Parity (93.37). 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 Traverse City
Pay for dental hygienists in Traverse City runs about 17% below the U.S. median of $98K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,224/month, 23.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.37 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Traverse City 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 Traverse City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn | $84K | $84K |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood | $84K | $88K |
| Lansing-East Lansing | $91K | $95K |
| Flint | $82K | $88K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Traverse City, MI
Entry-level dental hygienists (10th percentile) start around $78K. Mid-career wages sit at $82K. Top earners bring in $95K or more, a $17K 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 Traverse City numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a dental hygienist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Traverse City?
Yes — at the median salary of $82K, rent takes 23.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,224/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for dental hygienists in Traverse City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new dental hygienists typically earn — is $78K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,683/month. At HUD’s $1,224/month FMR, rent would take 26% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is dental hygienist a high-paying job in Traverse City?
Local pay runs 17% below the national median — $82K here vs. $98K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Traverse City compare to the national average for dental hygienists?
Traverse City pays $82K median vs. the U.S. average of $98K — that’s -17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.37), the purchasing-power equivalent is $87K — below the national median.
How much do dental hygienists make in Traverse City, MI?
The median is $81,570 a year, that works out to about $39 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $78,050, and experienced dental hygienists can clear $94,730. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $82K enough to live in Traverse City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,192/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,224/month, which eats 23.6% 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 Traverse City?
Traverse City has a Regional Price Parity of 93.37 (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 $87,362 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.