Dental Hygienists Salary
The median pay for a dental hygienists in Tucson, AZ is $96,740/year ($46.51/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $86K at the entry level to $103K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.9), that's roughly $99,835 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,402/month, or 22.5% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $97K get you in Tucson?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Tucson’s Regional Price Parity (96.9). 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 Tucson
Dental hygienists pay in Tucson tracks closely to the national median, $97K locally vs. $98K nationwide, a 1% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,402/month, 22.7% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 96.9) 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 Tucson, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler | $103K | $99K |
| Lake Havasu City-Kingman | $103K | $109K |
| Prescott Valley-Prescott | $98K | $100K |
| Flagstaff | $101K | $101K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Tucson, AZ
Entry-level dental hygienists (10th percentile) start around $86K. Mid-career wages sit at $97K. Top earners bring in $103K 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 Tucson numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a dental hygienist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Tucson?
Yes — at the median salary of $97K, rent takes 22.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,402/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for dental hygienists in Tucson?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new dental hygienists typically earn — is $86K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,159/month. At HUD’s $1,402/month FMR, rent would take 27% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is dental hygienist a high-paying job in Tucson?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $97K locally vs. $98K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Tucson compare to the national average for dental hygienists?
Tucson pays $97K median vs. the U.S. average of $98K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.9), the purchasing-power equivalent is $100K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do dental hygienists make in Tucson, AZ?
The median is $96,740 a year, that works out to about $47 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $85,980, and experienced dental hygienists can clear $102,760. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $97K enough to live in Tucson?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,169/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,402/month, which eats 22.7% 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 Tucson?
Tucson has a Regional Price Parity of 96.9 (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 $99,835 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.