How Much Does a Dental Hygienist Make in Columbia, MD in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Hygienists in Columbia, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Maryland.
BLS OES May 2025 · Baltimore · Columbia · Towson metro area
A typical Dental Hygienist in Columbia, Maryland earns $55.83 per hour, or $116,130 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $9,678 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $102,750, and the top 10% of earners make over $125,040.
That pay is 8% above the Maryland figure of $107,830 and 18% above the national figure of $98,100. Columbia ranks 2nd of 5 metro areas in Maryland for Dental Hygienist pay. About 1,900 Dental Hygienists work in the Baltimore · Columbia · Towson area. Columbia is part of the Baltimore · Columbia · Towson metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Towson and Baltimore share these figures.
Dental Hygienist pay in Columbia at a glance
- Typical pay is $55.83 an hour, or $116,130 a year.
- That is 8% above the Maryland figure, ranking 2nd of 5 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $102,750; the top 10% make over $125,040.
- Typical pay rose +33% from 2015 to 2025, against +26% for Maryland as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Hygienist make in Columbia?
Pay in Columbia runs from entry-level positions at around $49.40 an hour to more than $60.11 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Maryland and national figures.
Dental Hygienist pay by career stage in Columbia
| Career stage | Columbia | Maryland | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $102,750$49.40 an hour | $85,440$41.08 an hour | $74,880$36.00 an hour |
| First years | $104,990$50.48 an hour | $103,150$49.59 an hour | $83,570$40.18 an hour |
| Typical Dental Hygienist | $116,130$55.83 an hour | $107,830$51.84 an hour | $98,100$47.16 an hour |
| Experienced | $121,660$58.49 an hour | $120,070$57.73 an hour | $108,480$52.16 an hour |
| Top 10% | $125,040$60.11 an hour | $122,740$59.01 an hour | $126,050$60.60 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Baltimore · Columbia · Towson area as BLS defines it
Dental Hygienist pay growth in Columbia
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Hygienists in the Baltimore · Columbia · Towson area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Hygienist pay in Columbia was $87,030 a year. By 2025 it had reached $116,130, a change of +33%, compared with +26% for Maryland over the same years.
How Columbia compares with other Maryland cities
Alexandria pays Dental Hygienists the most in Maryland at $119,170 a year, $3,040 more than Columbia. The lowest-paying area in the state is Hagerstown at $83,460.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Columbia | Dental Hygienists employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alexandria | $119,170 | $57.30 | +3% | 2,200 |
| 2 | Columbia | $116,130 | $55.83 | this city | 1,900 |
| 3 | Lexington Park | $104,460 | $50.22 | -10% | 130 |
| 4 | Salisbury | $97,310 | $46.78 | -16% | 50 |
| 5 | Martinsburg metro incl. Hagerstown | $83,460 | $40.13 | -28% | 170 |
Every metro area in Maryland with Dental Hygienist wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Maryland typical pay $107,830
Is Columbia a good place to work as a Dental Hygienist?
Dental Hygienists in Columbia earn a strong wage by national standards: typical pay is $116,130 a year, 18% above the national figure. For every 1,000 jobs in the Baltimore · Columbia · Towson 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 Columbia, MD?
- A typical Dental Hygienist in Columbia earns $116,130 a year, or $55.83 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $102,750 and the top 10% earn over $125,040.
- How much does a Dental Hygienist make an hour in Columbia?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Hygienists in Columbia is $55.83. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $49.40, and the top 10% earn over $60.11 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Hygienist in Columbia?
- Entry-level Dental Hygienist positions in Columbia typically offer around $49.40 an hour, or $102,750 a year.
- Is Dental Hygienist pay in Columbia higher than in the rest of Maryland?
- Columbia pay is 8% above the Maryland figure of $107,830 a year, ranking 2nd of 5 metro areas in the state. Alexandria pays the most in Maryland at $119,170.