How Much Does a Dental Hygienist Make in Owensboro, KY in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Hygienists in Owensboro, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Kentucky.
BLS OES May 2025 · Owensboro metro area
A typical Dental Hygienist in Owensboro, Kentucky earns $36.29 per hour, or $75,490 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $6,291 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $60,670, and the top 10% of earners make over $92,440.
That pay is 4% below the Kentucky figure of $78,830 and 23% below the national figure of $98,100. Owensboro ranks 5th of 7 metro areas in Kentucky for Dental Hygienist pay. About 80 Dental Hygienists work in the Owensboro area.
Dental Hygienist pay in Owensboro at a glance
- Typical pay is $36.29 an hour, or $75,490 a year.
- That is 4% below the Kentucky figure, ranking 5th of 7 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $60,670; the top 10% make over $92,440.
- Typical pay rose +38% from 2015 to 2025, against +39% for Kentucky as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Hygienist make in Owensboro?
Pay in Owensboro runs from entry-level positions at around $29.17 an hour to more than $44.44 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 Owensboro
| Career stage | Owensboro | Kentucky | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $60,670$29.17 an hour | $61,280$29.46 an hour | $74,880$36.00 an hour |
| First years | $65,060$31.28 an hour | $67,880$32.64 an hour | $83,570$40.18 an hour |
| Typical Dental Hygienist | $75,490$36.29 an hour | $78,830$37.90 an hour | $98,100$47.16 an hour |
| Experienced | $78,520$37.75 an hour | $91,800$44.14 an hour | $108,480$52.16 an hour |
| Top 10% | $92,440$44.44 an hour | $98,770$47.48 an hour | $126,050$60.60 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Owensboro area as BLS defines it
Dental Hygienist pay growth in Owensboro
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Hygienists in the Owensboro area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Hygienist pay in Owensboro was $54,870 a year. By 2025 it had reached $75,490, a change of +38%, compared with +39% for Kentucky over the same years.
How Owensboro compares with other Kentucky cities
Jefferson County pays Dental Hygienists the most in Kentucky at $81,390 a year, $5,900 more than Owensboro. The lowest-paying area in the state is Elizabethtown at $64,620.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Owensboro | Dental Hygienists employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jefferson County metro incl. Louisville | $81,390 | $39.13 | +8% | 780 |
| 2 | Lexington metro incl. Fayette | $80,110 | $38.51 | +6% | 410 |
| 3 | Paducah | $79,610 | $38.28 | +5% | 90 |
| 4 | Bowling Green | $75,690 | $36.39 | 0% | 120 |
| 5 | Owensboro | $75,490 | $36.29 | this city | 80 |
| 6 | Ashland | $73,470 | $35.32 | -3% | 180 |
| 7 | Elizabethtown | $64,620 | $31.07 | -14% | 70 |
Every metro area in Kentucky with Dental Hygienist wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Kentucky typical pay $78,830
Is Owensboro a good place to work as a Dental Hygienist?
Dental Hygienists in Owensboro earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $75,490 a year, 23% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Owensboro 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 Owensboro, KY?
- A typical Dental Hygienist in Owensboro earns $75,490 a year, or $36.29 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $60,670 and the top 10% earn over $92,440.
- How much does a Dental Hygienist make an hour in Owensboro?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Hygienists in Owensboro is $36.29. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $29.17, and the top 10% earn over $44.44 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Hygienist in Owensboro?
- Entry-level Dental Hygienist positions in Owensboro typically offer around $29.17 an hour, or $60,670 a year.
- Is Dental Hygienist pay in Owensboro higher than in the rest of Kentucky?
- Owensboro pay is 4% below the Kentucky figure of $78,830 a year, ranking 5th of 7 metro areas in the state. Jefferson County pays the most in Kentucky at $81,390.