How Much Does a Dental Hygienist Make in Fort Smith, AR in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Hygienists in Fort Smith, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Arkansas.
BLS OES May 2025 · Fort Smith metro area
A typical Dental Hygienist in Fort Smith, Arkansas earns $40.62 per hour, or $84,480 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $7,040 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $57,440, and the top 10% of earners make over $98,300.
That pay is 3% below the Arkansas figure of $86,760 and 14% below the national figure of $98,100. Fort Smith ranks 4th of 5 metro areas in Arkansas for Dental Hygienist pay. About 150 Dental Hygienists work in the Fort Smith area.
Dental Hygienist pay in Fort Smith at a glance
- Typical pay is $40.62 an hour, or $84,480 a year.
- That is 3% below the Arkansas figure, ranking 4th of 5 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $57,440; the top 10% make over $98,300.
- Typical pay rose +45% from 2015 to 2025, against +31% for Arkansas as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Hygienist make in Fort Smith?
Pay in Fort Smith runs from entry-level positions at around $27.62 an hour to more than $47.26 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Arkansas and national figures.
Dental Hygienist pay by career stage in Fort Smith
| Career stage | Fort Smith | Arkansas | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $57,440$27.62 an hour | $62,170$29.89 an hour | $74,880$36.00 an hour |
| First years | $80,450$38.68 an hour | $82,620$39.72 an hour | $83,570$40.18 an hour |
| Typical Dental Hygienist | $84,480$40.62 an hour | $86,760$41.71 an hour | $98,100$47.16 an hour |
| Experienced | $93,380$44.90 an hour | $93,600$45.00 an hour | $108,480$52.16 an hour |
| Top 10% | $98,300$47.26 an hour | $97,730$46.99 an hour | $126,050$60.60 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Fort Smith area as BLS defines it
Dental Hygienist pay growth in Fort Smith
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Hygienists in the Fort Smith area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Hygienist pay in Fort Smith was $58,130 a year. By 2025 it had reached $84,480, a change of +45%, compared with +31% for Arkansas over the same years.
How Fort Smith compares with other Arkansas cities
Conway pays Dental Hygienists the most in Arkansas at $89,160 a year, $4,680 more than Fort Smith. The lowest-paying area in the state is Hot Springs at $82,970.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Fort Smith | Dental Hygienists employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Conway metro incl. North Little Rock · Little Rock | $89,160 | $42.87 | +6% | 490 |
| 2 | Fayetteville metro incl. Springdale · Rogers | $87,210 | $41.93 | +3% | 410 |
| 3 | Jonesboro | $86,650 | $41.66 | +3% | 80 |
| 4 | Fort Smith | $84,480 | $40.62 | this city | 150 |
| 5 | Hot Springs | $82,970 | $39.89 | -2% | 70 |
Every metro area in Arkansas with Dental Hygienist wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Arkansas typical pay $86,760
Is Fort Smith a good place to work as a Dental Hygienist?
Dental Hygienists in Fort Smith earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $84,480 a year, 14% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Fort Smith area, about 1.6 are Dental Hygienist positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 1.4. Dental Hygienist jobs make up about the same share of the job market as they do across the country.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Dental Hygienist make in Fort Smith, AR?
- A typical Dental Hygienist in Fort Smith earns $84,480 a year, or $40.62 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $57,440 and the top 10% earn over $98,300.
- How much does a Dental Hygienist make an hour in Fort Smith?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Hygienists in Fort Smith is $40.62. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $27.62, and the top 10% earn over $47.26 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Hygienist in Fort Smith?
- Entry-level Dental Hygienist positions in Fort Smith typically offer around $27.62 an hour, or $57,440 a year.
- Is Dental Hygienist pay in Fort Smith higher than in the rest of Arkansas?
- Fort Smith pay is 3% below the Arkansas figure of $86,760 a year, ranking 4th of 5 metro areas in the state. Conway pays the most in Arkansas at $89,160.