How Much Does a Dental Hygienist Make in Columbia, MO 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 Missouri.
BLS OES May 2025 · Columbia metro area
A typical Dental Hygienist in Columbia, Missouri earns $41.49 per hour, or $86,300 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $7,192 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $53,020, and the top 10% of earners make over $97,850.
That pay is 7% below the Missouri figure of $92,750 and 12% below the national figure of $98,100. Columbia ranks 4th of 8 metro areas in Missouri for Dental Hygienist pay. About 140 Dental Hygienists work in the Columbia area.
Dental Hygienist pay in Columbia at a glance
- Typical pay is $41.49 an hour, or $86,300 a year.
- That is 7% below the Missouri figure, ranking 4th of 8 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $53,020; the top 10% make over $97,850.
- Typical pay rose +10% from 2015 to 2025, against +34% for Missouri 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 $25.49 an hour to more than $47.05 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Missouri and national figures.
Dental Hygienist pay by career stage in Columbia
| Career stage | Columbia | Missouri | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $53,020$25.49 an hour | $59,880$28.79 an hour | $74,880$36.00 an hour |
| First years | $85,550$41.13 an hour | $83,890$40.33 an hour | $83,570$40.18 an hour |
| Typical Dental Hygienist | $86,300$41.49 an hour | $92,750$44.59 an hour | $98,100$47.16 an hour |
| Experienced | $95,850$46.08 an hour | $98,240$47.23 an hour | $108,480$52.16 an hour |
| Top 10% | $97,850$47.05 an hour | $99,400$47.79 an hour | $126,050$60.60 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Columbia area as BLS defines it
Dental Hygienist pay growth in Columbia
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Hygienists in the Columbia 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 $78,470 a year. By 2025 it had reached $86,300, a change of +10%, compared with +34% for Missouri over the same years.
How Columbia compares with other Missouri cities
St. Louis pays Dental Hygienists the most in Missouri at $97,650 a year, $11,350 more than Columbia. The lowest-paying area in the state is Joplin at $83,270.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Columbia | Dental Hygienists employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St. Louis | $97,650 | $46.95 | +13% | 2,150 |
| 2 | Kansas City | $92,750 | $44.59 | +7% | 1,800 |
| 3 | St. Joseph | $87,370 | $42.01 | +1% | 80 |
| 4 | Columbia | $86,300 | $41.49 | this city | 140 |
| 5 | Springfield | $85,840 | $41.27 | -1% | 360 |
| 6 | Jefferson City | $85,290 | $41.01 | -1% | 80 |
| 7 | Cape Girardeau | $83,690 | $40.24 | -3% | 80 |
| 8 | Joplin | $83,270 | $40.03 | -4% | 120 |
Every metro area in Missouri with Dental Hygienist wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Missouri typical pay $92,750
Is Columbia a good place to work as a Dental Hygienist?
Dental Hygienists in Columbia earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $86,300 a year, 12% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Columbia area, about 1.3 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, MO?
- A typical Dental Hygienist in Columbia earns $86,300 a year, or $41.49 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $53,020 and the top 10% earn over $97,850.
- How much does a Dental Hygienist make an hour in Columbia?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Hygienists in Columbia is $41.49. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $25.49, and the top 10% earn over $47.05 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Hygienist in Columbia?
- Entry-level Dental Hygienist positions in Columbia typically offer around $25.49 an hour, or $53,020 a year.
- Is Dental Hygienist pay in Columbia higher than in the rest of Missouri?
- Columbia pay is 7% below the Missouri figure of $92,750 a year, ranking 4th of 8 metro areas in the state. St. Louis pays the most in Missouri at $97,650.