How Much Does a Dental Hygienist Make in Fort Wayne, IN in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Hygienists in Fort Wayne, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Indiana.
BLS OES May 2025 · Fort Wayne metro area
A typical Dental Hygienist in Fort Wayne, Indiana earns $41.40 per hour, or $86,120 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $7,177 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $79,900, and the top 10% of earners make over $93,970.
That pay is 7% below the Indiana figure of $92,330 and 12% below the national figure of $98,100. Fort Wayne ranks 8th of 14 metro areas in Indiana for Dental Hygienist pay. About 460 Dental Hygienists work in the Fort Wayne area.
Dental Hygienist pay in Fort Wayne at a glance
- Typical pay is $41.40 an hour, or $86,120 a year.
- That is 7% below the Indiana figure, ranking 8th of 14 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $79,900; the top 10% make over $93,970.
- Typical pay rose +38% from 2015 to 2025, against +33% for Indiana as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Hygienist make in Fort Wayne?
Pay in Fort Wayne runs from entry-level positions at around $38.42 an hour to more than $45.18 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Indiana and national figures.
Dental Hygienist pay by career stage in Fort Wayne
| Career stage | Fort Wayne | Indiana | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $79,900$38.42 an hour | $74,970$36.04 an hour | $74,880$36.00 an hour |
| First years | $84,030$40.40 an hour | $81,250$39.06 an hour | $83,570$40.18 an hour |
| Typical Dental Hygienist | $86,120$41.40 an hour | $92,330$44.39 an hour | $98,100$47.16 an hour |
| Experienced | $91,270$43.88 an hour | $99,020$47.61 an hour | $108,480$52.16 an hour |
| Top 10% | $93,970$45.18 an hour | $102,280$49.17 an hour | $126,050$60.60 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Fort Wayne area as BLS defines it
Dental Hygienist pay growth in Fort Wayne
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Hygienists in the Fort Wayne 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 Wayne was $62,250 a year. By 2025 it had reached $86,120, a change of +38%, compared with +33% for Indiana over the same years.
How Fort Wayne compares with other Indiana cities
Elgin pays Dental Hygienists the most in Indiana at $100,260 a year, $14,140 more than Fort Wayne. The lowest-paying area in the state is Terre Haute at $79,210.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Fort Wayne | Dental Hygienists employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elgin metro incl. Naperville | $100,260 | $48.20 | +16% | 6,470 |
| 2 | Carmel metro incl. Indianapolis · Greenwood | $97,470 | $46.86 | +13% | 1,780 |
| 3 | Kokomo | $94,230 | $45.30 | +9% | 80 |
| 4 | Goshen metro incl. Elkhart | $92,050 | $44.26 | +7% | 160 |
| 5 | Lafayette metro incl. West Lafayette | $91,750 | $44.11 | +7% | 150 |
| 6 | Muncie | $91,060 | $43.78 | +6% | 70 |
| 7 | Bloomington | $86,280 | $41.48 | 0% | 130 |
| 8 | Fort Wayne | $86,120 | $41.40 | this city | 460 |
| 9 | Columbus | $84,810 | $40.78 | -2% | 70 |
| 10 | Evansville | $82,800 | $39.81 | -4% | 200 |
| 11 | South Bend metro incl. Mishawaka | $82,650 | $39.74 | -4% | 280 |
| 12 | Jefferson County | $81,390 | $39.13 | -5% | 780 |
| 13 | La Porte metro incl. Michigan City | $80,640 | $38.77 | -6% | 60 |
| 14 | Terre Haute | $79,210 | $38.08 | -8% | 90 |
Every metro area in Indiana with Dental Hygienist wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Indiana typical pay $92,330
Is Fort Wayne a good place to work as a Dental Hygienist?
Dental Hygienists in Fort Wayne earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $86,120 a year, 12% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Fort Wayne area, about 2.0 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 Fort Wayne, IN?
- A typical Dental Hygienist in Fort Wayne earns $86,120 a year, or $41.40 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $79,900 and the top 10% earn over $93,970.
- How much does a Dental Hygienist make an hour in Fort Wayne?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Hygienists in Fort Wayne is $41.40. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $38.42, and the top 10% earn over $45.18 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Hygienist in Fort Wayne?
- Entry-level Dental Hygienist positions in Fort Wayne typically offer around $38.42 an hour, or $79,900 a year.
- Is Dental Hygienist pay in Fort Wayne higher than in the rest of Indiana?
- Fort Wayne pay is 7% below the Indiana figure of $92,330 a year, ranking 8th of 14 metro areas in the state. Elgin pays the most in Indiana at $100,260.