How Much Does a Dental Hygienist Make in Des Moines, IA in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Hygienists in Des Moines, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Iowa.
BLS OES May 2025 · Des Moines · West Des Moines metro area
A typical Dental Hygienist in Des Moines, Iowa earns $45.03 per hour, or $93,660 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $7,805 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $74,630, and the top 10% of earners make over $96,060.
That pay is 11% above the Iowa figure of $84,010 and 5% below the national figure of $98,100. Des Moines ranks 1st of 8 metro areas in Iowa for Dental Hygienist pay. About 750 Dental Hygienists work in the Des Moines · West Des Moines area. Des Moines is part of the Des Moines · West Des Moines metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so West Des Moines share these figures.
Dental Hygienist pay in Des Moines at a glance
- Typical pay is $45.03 an hour, or $93,660 a year.
- That is 11% above the Iowa figure, ranking 1st of 8 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $74,630; the top 10% make over $96,060.
- Typical pay rose +32% from 2015 to 2025, against +21% for Iowa as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Hygienist make in Des Moines?
Pay in Des Moines runs from entry-level positions at around $35.88 an hour to more than $46.18 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Iowa and national figures.
Dental Hygienist pay by career stage in Des Moines
| Career stage | Des Moines | Iowa | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $74,630$35.88 an hour | $78,320$37.65 an hour | $74,880$36.00 an hour |
| First years | $83,010$39.91 an hour | $80,950$38.92 an hour | $83,570$40.18 an hour |
| Typical Dental Hygienist | $93,660$45.03 an hour | $84,010$40.39 an hour | $98,100$47.16 an hour |
| Experienced | $94,500$45.44 an hour | $93,880$45.14 an hour | $108,480$52.16 an hour |
| Top 10% | $96,060$46.18 an hour | $95,810$46.06 an hour | $126,050$60.60 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Des Moines · West Des Moines area as BLS defines it
Dental Hygienist pay growth in Des Moines
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Hygienists in the Des Moines · West Des Moines area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Hygienist pay in Des Moines was $71,060 a year. By 2025 it had reached $93,660, a change of +32%, compared with +21% for Iowa over the same years.
How Des Moines compares with other Iowa cities
Des Moines pays Dental Hygienists the most of any metro area in Iowa. The lowest-paying area in the state is Dubuque at $81,410.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Des Moines | Dental Hygienists employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Des Moines metro incl. West Des Moines | $93,660 | $45.03 | this city | 750 |
| 2 | Iowa City | $92,020 | $44.24 | -2% | 120 |
| 3 | Ames | $89,130 | $42.85 | -5% | 80 |
| 4 | Sioux City | $83,920 | $40.35 | -10% | 120 |
| 5 | Cedar Falls metro incl. Waterloo | $82,500 | $39.66 | -12% | 130 |
| 6 | Cedar Rapids | $82,270 | $39.55 | -12% | 200 |
| 7 | Davenport | $82,000 | $39.42 | -12% | 280 |
| 8 | Dubuque | $81,410 | $39.14 | -13% | 110 |
Every metro area in Iowa with Dental Hygienist wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Iowa typical pay $84,010
Is Des Moines a good place to work as a Dental Hygienist?
Dental Hygienists in Des Moines earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $93,660 a year, 5% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Des Moines · West Des Moines area, about 1.9 are Dental Hygienist positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 1.4. That makes the local economy more reliant on Dental Hygienists than most places, and turnover keeps positions opening through the year.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Dental Hygienist make in Des Moines, IA?
- A typical Dental Hygienist in Des Moines earns $93,660 a year, or $45.03 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $74,630 and the top 10% earn over $96,060.
- How much does a Dental Hygienist make an hour in Des Moines?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Hygienists in Des Moines is $45.03. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $35.88, and the top 10% earn over $46.18 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Hygienist in Des Moines?
- Entry-level Dental Hygienist positions in Des Moines typically offer around $35.88 an hour, or $74,630 a year.
- Is Dental Hygienist pay in Des Moines higher than in the rest of Iowa?
- Des Moines pay is 11% above the Iowa figure of $84,010 a year, ranking 1st of 8 metro areas in the state.