How Much Does a Dental Hygienist Make in Nebraska in 2026?

A typical Dental Hygienist in Nebraska earns about $44.51 per hour ($92,580 per year), according to the latest government wage data (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that comes to roughly $7,715 a month and $1,780 a week. This is the typical pay for the role across the state, before accounting for city or experience differences.

Nebraska's typical pay runs 6% below the national figure of $98,100 a year, or $47.16 an hour, according to the same data. That places the state 31st among the 50 states for Dental Hygienist pay. About 1,280 Dental Hygienists work in Nebraska, compared with 222,740 nationwide, giving a sense of the size of the state's workforce. Lower pay in Nebraska tends to track its lower cost of living compared with higher-cost states.

Entry-level Dental Hygienists in Nebraska typically start around $32.50 an hour, or about $67,600 a year. That reflects pay for those newest to the field, often in their first couple of years on the job. Pay tends to climb from there as hygienists gain experience and build a steady patient base, moving toward the statewide typical figure of $92,580 within a few years.

Experienced Dental Hygienists in Nebraska often earn upwards of $85,140 a year, and the top 10% of earners make over $98,080. That's a spread of $30,480 between the entry-level and top figures. Setting, years of practice, and city all play a part in where an individual hygienist lands within that range.

Nebraska Dental Hygienist pay has climbed steadily over the past decade, from $66,370 in 2015 to $92,580 in 2025. That's a gain of $26,210, a rise of 39% over ten years. The increase wasn't perfectly even year to year, but the direction has been consistently upward, including a notable jump between 2024 and 2025.

That 39% increase outpaced the national rise of 36% over the same ten years. For someone starting out now, this history shows pay has moved up meaningfully in Nebraska, though nothing about future increases is guaranteed. Current entry-level and typical figures reflect where that decade of growth has landed the profession today.

Pay runs highest in Lincoln, where Dental Hygienists typically earn $95,100 a year ($45.72 an hour), about 3% above the statewide figure. Omaha follows closely at $94,170 a year, with hourly pay of $45.27. These figures, like others in this section, cover each city's full metro area rather than just the city limits.

Grand Island posts the lowest pay among Nebraska's reported cities, at $85,660 a year ($41.18 an hour), a spread of $9,440 between the highest and lowest local figures. Omaha, with 580 Dental Hygienists, has the largest workforce of the three cities. Pay differences like these usually line up with differences in local living costs, with higher-cost metro areas paying more.

Nebraska's Dental Hygienist pay sits close to neighboring Missouri ($92,750) and South Dakota ($92,210), both roughly even with the state figure. Colorado pays noticeably more, at $109,580 a year, about 18% higher than Nebraska. Iowa and Wyoming both pay somewhat less, at $84,010 and $85,130. A hygienist licensed in Nebraska can often transfer or have their license endorsed into a neighboring state, which can simplify a move across state lines.

Dental Hygienists in Nebraska typically earn $92,580 a year, a figure that has climbed 39% over the past decade. Pay varies some by city, with Lincoln and Omaha running above the state figure and Grand Island below it. Readers considering the field can check the Nebraska dental board's licensing requirements and review city-level pages here for local pay figures before making a decision.