How Much Does a Dental Hygienist Make in Tuscaloosa, AL in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Hygienists in Tuscaloosa, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Alabama.
BLS OES May 2025 · Tuscaloosa metro area
A typical Dental Hygienist in Tuscaloosa, Alabama earns $29.09 per hour, or $60,500 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $5,042 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $51,440, and the top 10% of earners make over $62,100.
That pay is 1% below the Alabama figure of $61,160 and 38% below the national figure of $98,100. Tuscaloosa ranks 6th of 12 metro areas in Alabama for Dental Hygienist pay. About 130 Dental Hygienists work in the Tuscaloosa area.
Dental Hygienist pay in Tuscaloosa at a glance
- Typical pay is $29.09 an hour, or $60,500 a year.
- That is 1% below the Alabama figure, ranking 6th of 12 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $51,440; the top 10% make over $62,100.
- Typical pay rose +29% from 2015 to 2025, against +36% for Alabama as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Hygienist make in Tuscaloosa?
Pay in Tuscaloosa runs from entry-level positions at around $24.73 an hour to more than $29.86 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Alabama and national figures.
Dental Hygienist pay by career stage in Tuscaloosa
| Career stage | Tuscaloosa | Alabama | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $51,440$24.73 an hour | $48,960$23.54 an hour | $74,880$36.00 an hour |
| First years | $59,010$28.37 an hour | $58,800$28.27 an hour | $83,570$40.18 an hour |
| Typical Dental Hygienist | $60,500$29.09 an hour | $61,160$29.41 an hour | $98,100$47.16 an hour |
| Experienced | $61,100$29.37 an hour | $63,410$30.49 an hour | $108,480$52.16 an hour |
| Top 10% | $62,100$29.86 an hour | $72,410$34.81 an hour | $126,050$60.60 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Tuscaloosa area as BLS defines it
Dental Hygienist pay growth in Tuscaloosa
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Hygienists in the Tuscaloosa area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Hygienist pay in Tuscaloosa was $46,920 a year. By 2025 it had reached $60,500, a change of +29%, compared with +36% for Alabama over the same years.
How Tuscaloosa compares with other Alabama cities
Huntsville pays Dental Hygienists the most in Alabama at $62,370 a year, $1,870 more than Tuscaloosa. The lowest-paying area in the state is Gadsden at $55,840.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Tuscaloosa | Dental Hygienists employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Huntsville | $62,370 | $29.98 | +3% | 360 |
| 2 | Birmingham | $61,730 | $29.68 | +2% | 1,150 |
| 3 | Decatur | $61,340 | $29.49 | +1% | 80 |
| 4 | Foley | $61,000 | $29.33 | +1% | 160 |
| 5 | Mobile | $60,710 | $29.19 | 0% | 200 |
| 6 | Tuscaloosa | $60,500 | $29.09 | this city | 130 |
| 7 | Opelika metro incl. Auburn | $60,490 | $29.08 | 0% | 90 |
| 8 | Montgomery | $60,120 | $28.91 | -1% | 190 |
| 9 | Florence metro incl. Muscle Shoals | $58,660 | $28.20 | -3% | 80 |
| 10 | Dothan | $58,310 | $28.04 | -4% | 100 |
| 11 | Anniston metro incl. Oxford | $56,950 | $27.38 | -6% | 70 |
| 12 | Gadsden | $55,840 | $26.85 | -8% | 60 |
Every metro area in Alabama with Dental Hygienist wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Alabama typical pay $61,160
Is Tuscaloosa a good place to work as a Dental Hygienist?
Dental Hygienists in Tuscaloosa earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $60,500 a year, 38% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Tuscaloosa area, about 1.2 are Dental Hygienist positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 1.5. That makes Dental Hygienists a smaller part of the local job market than usual, so employers draw from a smaller pool of qualified candidates.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Dental Hygienist make in Tuscaloosa, AL?
- A typical Dental Hygienist in Tuscaloosa earns $60,500 a year, or $29.09 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $51,440 and the top 10% earn over $62,100.
- How much does a Dental Hygienist make an hour in Tuscaloosa?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Hygienists in Tuscaloosa is $29.09. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $24.73, and the top 10% earn over $29.86 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Hygienist in Tuscaloosa?
- Entry-level Dental Hygienist positions in Tuscaloosa typically offer around $24.73 an hour, or $51,440 a year.
- Is Dental Hygienist pay in Tuscaloosa higher than in the rest of Alabama?
- Tuscaloosa pay is 1% below the Alabama figure of $61,160 a year, ranking 6th of 12 metro areas in the state. Huntsville pays the most in Alabama at $62,370.