How Much Does a Dental Hygienist Make in Traverse City, MI in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Hygienists in Traverse City, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Michigan.
BLS OES May 2025 · Traverse City metro area
A typical Dental Hygienist in Traverse City, Michigan earns $39.22 per hour, or $81,570 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $6,798 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $78,050, and the top 10% of earners make over $94,730.
That pay is 3% below the Michigan figure of $83,790 and 17% below the national figure of $98,100. Traverse City ranks 7th of 16 metro areas in Michigan for Dental Hygienist pay. About 190 Dental Hygienists work in the Traverse City area.
Dental Hygienist pay in Traverse City at a glance
- Typical pay is $39.22 an hour, or $81,570 a year.
- That is 3% below the Michigan figure, ranking 7th of 16 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $78,050; the top 10% make over $94,730.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Hygienist make in Traverse City?
Pay in Traverse City runs from entry-level positions at around $37.53 an hour to more than $45.55 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Michigan and national figures.
Dental Hygienist pay by career stage in Traverse City
| Career stage | Traverse City | Michigan | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $78,050$37.53 an hour | $77,230$37.13 an hour | $74,880$36.00 an hour |
| First years | $79,830$38.38 an hour | $79,670$38.30 an hour | $83,570$40.18 an hour |
| Typical Dental Hygienist | $81,570$39.22 an hour | $83,790$40.28 an hour | $98,100$47.16 an hour |
| Experienced | $92,850$44.64 an hour | $93,310$44.86 an hour | $108,480$52.16 an hour |
| Top 10% | $94,730$45.55 an hour | $96,970$46.62 an hour | $126,050$60.60 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Traverse City area as BLS defines it
How Traverse City compares with other Michigan cities
Ann Arbor pays Dental Hygienists the most in Michigan at $91,900 a year, $10,330 more than Traverse City. The lowest-paying area in the state is Monroe at $78,660.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Traverse City | Dental Hygienists employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ann Arbor | $91,900 | $44.18 | +13% | 360 |
| 2 | Lansing metro incl. East Lansing | $90,710 | $43.61 | +11% | 450 |
| 3 | Detroit | $84,480 | $40.61 | +4% | 3,780 |
| 4 | Wyoming metro incl. Grand Rapids · Kentwood | $84,290 | $40.52 | +3% | 1,160 |
| 5 | Mishawaka | $82,650 | $39.74 | +1% | 280 |
| 6 | Midland | $82,160 | $39.50 | +1% | 110 |
| 7 | Traverse City | $81,570 | $39.22 | this city | 190 |
| 8 | Flint | $81,500 | $39.18 | 0% | 440 |
| 9 | Niles | $80,020 | $38.47 | -2% | 100 |
| 10 | Bay City | $79,920 | $38.42 | -2% | 90 |
| 11 | Battle Creek | $79,700 | $38.32 | -2% | 80 |
| 12 | Portage metro incl. Kalamazoo | $79,670 | $38.30 | -2% | 250 |
| 13 | Norton Shores metro incl. Muskegon | $79,660 | $38.30 | -2% | 90 |
| 14 | Saginaw | $79,400 | $38.18 | -3% | 160 |
| 15 | Jackson | $78,990 | $37.98 | -3% | 110 |
| 16 | Monroe | $78,660 | $37.82 | -4% | 60 |
Every metro area in Michigan with Dental Hygienist wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Michigan typical pay $83,790
Is Traverse City a good place to work as a Dental Hygienist?
Dental Hygienists in Traverse City earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $81,570 a year, 17% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Traverse City area, about 2.8 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 Traverse City, MI?
- A typical Dental Hygienist in Traverse City earns $81,570 a year, or $39.22 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $78,050 and the top 10% earn over $94,730.
- How much does a Dental Hygienist make an hour in Traverse City?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Hygienists in Traverse City is $39.22. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $37.53, and the top 10% earn over $45.55 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Hygienist in Traverse City?
- Entry-level Dental Hygienist positions in Traverse City typically offer around $37.53 an hour, or $78,050 a year.
- Is Dental Hygienist pay in Traverse City higher than in the rest of Michigan?
- Traverse City pay is 3% below the Michigan figure of $83,790 a year, ranking 7th of 16 metro areas in the state. Ann Arbor pays the most in Michigan at $91,900.