How Much Does a Dental Hygienist Make in Lexington, KY in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Hygienists in Lexington, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Kentucky.
BLS OES May 2025 · Lexington · Fayette metro area
A typical Dental Hygienist in Lexington, Kentucky earns $38.51 per hour, or $80,110 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $6,676 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $57,450, and the top 10% of earners make over $96,790.
That pay is 2% above the Kentucky figure of $78,830 and 18% below the national figure of $98,100. Lexington ranks 2nd of 7 metro areas in Kentucky for Dental Hygienist pay. About 410 Dental Hygienists work in the Lexington · Fayette area. Lexington is part of the Lexington · Fayette metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Fayette share these figures.
Dental Hygienist pay in Lexington at a glance
- Typical pay is $38.51 an hour, or $80,110 a year.
- That is 2% above the Kentucky figure, ranking 2nd of 7 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $57,450; the top 10% make over $96,790.
- Typical pay rose +34% from 2015 to 2025, against +39% for Kentucky as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Hygienist make in Lexington?
Pay in Lexington runs from entry-level positions at around $27.62 an hour to more than $46.53 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Kentucky and national figures.
Dental Hygienist pay by career stage in Lexington
| Career stage | Lexington | Kentucky | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $57,450$27.62 an hour | $61,280$29.46 an hour | $74,880$36.00 an hour |
| First years | $78,640$37.81 an hour | $67,880$32.64 an hour | $83,570$40.18 an hour |
| Typical Dental Hygienist | $80,110$38.51 an hour | $78,830$37.90 an hour | $98,100$47.16 an hour |
| Experienced | $91,330$43.91 an hour | $91,800$44.14 an hour | $108,480$52.16 an hour |
| Top 10% | $96,790$46.53 an hour | $98,770$47.48 an hour | $126,050$60.60 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Lexington · Fayette area as BLS defines it
Dental Hygienist pay growth in Lexington
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Hygienists in the Lexington · Fayette area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Hygienist pay in Lexington was $59,580 a year. By 2025 it had reached $80,110, a change of +34%, compared with +39% for Kentucky over the same years.
How Lexington compares with other Kentucky cities
Jefferson County pays Dental Hygienists the most in Kentucky at $81,390 a year, $1,280 more than Lexington. The lowest-paying area in the state is Elizabethtown at $64,620.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Lexington | Dental Hygienists employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jefferson County metro incl. Louisville | $81,390 | $39.13 | +2% | 780 |
| 2 | Lexington metro incl. Fayette | $80,110 | $38.51 | this city | 410 |
| 3 | Paducah | $79,610 | $38.28 | -1% | 90 |
| 4 | Bowling Green | $75,690 | $36.39 | -6% | 120 |
| 5 | Owensboro | $75,490 | $36.29 | -6% | 80 |
| 6 | Ashland | $73,470 | $35.32 | -8% | 180 |
| 7 | Elizabethtown | $64,620 | $31.07 | -19% | 70 |
Every metro area in Kentucky with Dental Hygienist wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Kentucky typical pay $78,830
Is Lexington a good place to work as a Dental Hygienist?
Dental Hygienists in Lexington earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $80,110 a year, 18% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Lexington · Fayette area, about 1.4 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 Lexington, KY?
- A typical Dental Hygienist in Lexington earns $80,110 a year, or $38.51 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $57,450 and the top 10% earn over $96,790.
- How much does a Dental Hygienist make an hour in Lexington?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Hygienists in Lexington is $38.51. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $27.62, and the top 10% earn over $46.53 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Hygienist in Lexington?
- Entry-level Dental Hygienist positions in Lexington typically offer around $27.62 an hour, or $57,450 a year.
- Is Dental Hygienist pay in Lexington higher than in the rest of Kentucky?
- Lexington pay is 2% above the Kentucky figure of $78,830 a year, ranking 2nd of 7 metro areas in the state. Jefferson County pays the most in Kentucky at $81,390.