How Much Does a Dental Hygienist Make in Columbus, OH in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Hygienists in Columbus, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Ohio.
BLS OES May 2025 · Columbus metro area
A typical Dental Hygienist in Columbus, Ohio earns $46.58 per hour, or $96,880 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $8,073 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $81,780, and the top 10% of earners make over $99,730.
That pay is 9% above the Ohio figure of $88,990 and 1% below the national figure of $98,100. Columbus ranks 2nd of 13 metro areas in Ohio for Dental Hygienist pay. About 1,700 Dental Hygienists work in the Columbus area.
Dental Hygienist pay in Columbus at a glance
- Typical pay is $46.58 an hour, or $96,880 a year.
- That is 9% above the Ohio figure, ranking 2nd of 13 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $81,780; the top 10% make over $99,730.
- Typical pay rose +35% from 2015 to 2025, against +32% for Ohio as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Hygienist make in Columbus?
Pay in Columbus runs from entry-level positions at around $39.32 an hour to more than $47.95 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Ohio and national figures.
Dental Hygienist pay by career stage in Columbus
| Career stage | Columbus | Ohio | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $81,780$39.32 an hour | $76,260$36.67 an hour | $74,880$36.00 an hour |
| First years | $90,620$43.57 an hour | $80,980$38.93 an hour | $83,570$40.18 an hour |
| Typical Dental Hygienist | $96,880$46.58 an hour | $88,990$42.78 an hour | $98,100$47.16 an hour |
| Experienced | $99,330$47.76 an hour | $97,210$46.74 an hour | $108,480$52.16 an hour |
| Top 10% | $99,730$47.95 an hour | $102,950$49.50 an hour | $126,050$60.60 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Columbus area as BLS defines it
Dental Hygienist pay growth in Columbus
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Hygienists in the Columbus area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Hygienist pay in Columbus was $71,990 a year. By 2025 it had reached $96,880, a change of +35%, compared with +32% for Ohio over the same years.
How Columbus compares with other Ohio cities
Cincinnati pays Dental Hygienists the most in Ohio at $102,940 a year, $6,060 more than Columbus. The lowest-paying area in the state is Steubenville at $75,240.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Columbus | Dental Hygienists employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cincinnati | $102,940 | $49.49 | +6% | 1,700 |
| 2 | Columbus | $96,880 | $46.58 | this city | 1,700 |
| 3 | Cleveland | $88,990 | $42.78 | -8% | 1,790 |
| 4 | Sandusky | $86,130 | $41.41 | -11% | 70 |
| 5 | Youngstown metro incl. Warren | $84,870 | $40.80 | -12% | 280 |
| 6 | Mansfield | $84,640 | $40.69 | -13% | 90 |
| 7 | Dayton metro incl. Kettering · Beavercreek | $84,500 | $40.62 | -13% | 620 |
| 8 | Canton metro incl. Massillon | $83,180 | $39.99 | -14% | 270 |
| 9 | Akron | $82,970 | $39.89 | -14% | 460 |
| 10 | Springfield | $80,600 | $38.75 | -17% | 80 |
| 11 | Lima | $78,530 | $37.75 | -19% | 70 |
| 12 | Toledo | $76,580 | $36.82 | -21% | 580 |
| 13 | Steubenville | $75,240 | $36.17 | -22% | 50 |
Every metro area in Ohio with Dental Hygienist wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Ohio typical pay $88,990
Is Columbus a good place to work as a Dental Hygienist?
Dental Hygienist pay in Columbus sits close to the national figure: $96,880 a year, 1% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Columbus area, about 1.5 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 Columbus, OH?
- A typical Dental Hygienist in Columbus earns $96,880 a year, or $46.58 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $81,780 and the top 10% earn over $99,730.
- How much does a Dental Hygienist make an hour in Columbus?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Hygienists in Columbus is $46.58. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $39.32, and the top 10% earn over $47.95 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Hygienist in Columbus?
- Entry-level Dental Hygienist positions in Columbus typically offer around $39.32 an hour, or $81,780 a year.
- Is Dental Hygienist pay in Columbus higher than in the rest of Ohio?
- Columbus pay is 9% above the Ohio figure of $88,990 a year, ranking 2nd of 13 metro areas in the state. Cincinnati pays the most in Ohio at $102,940.