How Much Does a Dental Hygienist Make in Waterloo, IA in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Hygienists in Waterloo, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Iowa.
BLS OES May 2025 · Waterloo · Cedar Falls metro area
A typical Dental Hygienist in Waterloo, Iowa earns $39.66 per hour, or $82,500 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $6,875 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $76,770, and the top 10% of earners make over $93,890.
That pay is 2% below the Iowa figure of $84,010 and 16% below the national figure of $98,100. Waterloo ranks 5th of 8 metro areas in Iowa for Dental Hygienist pay. About 130 Dental Hygienists work in the Waterloo · Cedar Falls area. Waterloo is part of the Waterloo · Cedar Falls metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Cedar Falls share these figures.
Dental Hygienist pay in Waterloo at a glance
- Typical pay is $39.66 an hour, or $82,500 a year.
- That is 2% below the Iowa figure, ranking 5th of 8 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $76,770; the top 10% make over $93,890.
- Typical pay rose +21% from 2015 to 2025, against +21% for Iowa as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Hygienist make in Waterloo?
Pay in Waterloo runs from entry-level positions at around $36.91 an hour to more than $45.14 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 Waterloo
| Career stage | Waterloo | Iowa | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $76,770$36.91 an hour | $78,320$37.65 an hour | $74,880$36.00 an hour |
| First years | $80,250$38.58 an hour | $80,950$38.92 an hour | $83,570$40.18 an hour |
| Typical Dental Hygienist | $82,500$39.66 an hour | $84,010$40.39 an hour | $98,100$47.16 an hour |
| Experienced | $92,760$44.60 an hour | $93,880$45.14 an hour | $108,480$52.16 an hour |
| Top 10% | $93,890$45.14 an hour | $95,810$46.06 an hour | $126,050$60.60 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Waterloo · Cedar Falls area as BLS defines it
Dental Hygienist pay growth in Waterloo
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Hygienists in the Waterloo · Cedar Falls area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Hygienist pay in Waterloo was $68,270 a year. By 2025 it had reached $82,500, a change of +21%, compared with +21% for Iowa over the same years.
How Waterloo compares with other Iowa cities
Des Moines pays Dental Hygienists the most in Iowa at $93,660 a year, $11,160 more than Waterloo. The lowest-paying area in the state is Dubuque at $81,410.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Waterloo | Dental Hygienists employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Des Moines metro incl. West Des Moines | $93,660 | $45.03 | +14% | 750 |
| 2 | Iowa City | $92,020 | $44.24 | +12% | 120 |
| 3 | Ames | $89,130 | $42.85 | +8% | 80 |
| 4 | Sioux City | $83,920 | $40.35 | +2% | 120 |
| 5 | Waterloo metro incl. Cedar Falls | $82,500 | $39.66 | this city | 130 |
| 6 | Cedar Rapids | $82,270 | $39.55 | 0% | 200 |
| 7 | Davenport | $82,000 | $39.42 | -1% | 280 |
| 8 | Dubuque | $81,410 | $39.14 | -1% | 110 |
Every metro area in Iowa with Dental Hygienist wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Iowa typical pay $84,010
Is Waterloo a good place to work as a Dental Hygienist?
Dental Hygienists in Waterloo earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $82,500 a year, 16% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Waterloo · Cedar Falls area, about 1.5 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 Waterloo, IA?
- A typical Dental Hygienist in Waterloo earns $82,500 a year, or $39.66 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $76,770 and the top 10% earn over $93,890.
- How much does a Dental Hygienist make an hour in Waterloo?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Hygienists in Waterloo is $39.66. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $36.91, and the top 10% earn over $45.14 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Hygienist in Waterloo?
- Entry-level Dental Hygienist positions in Waterloo typically offer around $36.91 an hour, or $76,770 a year.
- Is Dental Hygienist pay in Waterloo higher than in the rest of Iowa?
- Waterloo pay is 2% below the Iowa figure of $84,010 a year, ranking 5th of 8 metro areas in the state. Des Moines pays the most in Iowa at $93,660.