How Much Does a Dental Hygienist Make in Bluffton, SC in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Hygienists in Bluffton, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across South Carolina.
BLS OES May 2025 · Hilton Head Island · Bluffton · Port Royal metro area
A typical Dental Hygienist in Bluffton, South Carolina earns $43.59 per hour, or $90,660 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $7,555 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $66,770, and the top 10% of earners make over $97,810.
That pay is 7% above the South Carolina figure of $84,340 and 8% below the national figure of $98,100. Bluffton ranks 3rd of 10 metro areas in South Carolina for Dental Hygienist pay. About 160 Dental Hygienists work in the Hilton Head Island · Bluffton · Port Royal area. Bluffton is part of the Hilton Head Island · Bluffton · Port Royal metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Port Royal and Hilton Head Island share these figures.
Dental Hygienist pay in Bluffton at a glance
- Typical pay is $43.59 an hour, or $90,660 a year.
- That is 7% above the South Carolina figure, ranking 3rd of 10 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $66,770; the top 10% make over $97,810.
- Typical pay rose +57% from 2015 to 2025, against +47% for South Carolina as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Hygienist make in Bluffton?
Pay in Bluffton runs from entry-level positions at around $32.10 an hour to more than $47.03 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the South Carolina and national figures.
Dental Hygienist pay by career stage in Bluffton
| Career stage | Bluffton | South Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $66,770$32.10 an hour | $65,700$31.59 an hour | $74,880$36.00 an hour |
| First years | $82,610$39.72 an hour | $79,400$38.17 an hour | $83,570$40.18 an hour |
| Typical Dental Hygienist | $90,660$43.59 an hour | $84,340$40.55 an hour | $98,100$47.16 an hour |
| Experienced | $95,260$45.80 an hour | $94,830$45.59 an hour | $108,480$52.16 an hour |
| Top 10% | $97,810$47.03 an hour | $97,220$46.74 an hour | $126,050$60.60 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Hilton Head Island · Bluffton · Port Royal area as BLS defines it
Dental Hygienist pay growth in Bluffton
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Hygienists in the Hilton Head Island · Bluffton · Port Royal area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Hygienist pay in Bluffton was $57,900 a year. By 2025 it had reached $90,660, a change of +57%, compared with +47% for South Carolina over the same years.
How Bluffton compares with other South Carolina cities
Gastonia pays Dental Hygienists the most in South Carolina at $98,390 a year, $7,730 more than Bluffton. The lowest-paying area in the state is Richmond County at $79,840.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Bluffton | Dental Hygienists employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gastonia metro incl. Concord | $98,390 | $47.30 | +9% | 1,910 |
| 2 | Charleston metro incl. North Charleston | $94,570 | $45.46 | +4% | 540 |
| 3 | Bluffton metro incl. Port Royal · Hilton Head Island | $90,660 | $43.59 | this city | 160 |
| 4 | Greer metro incl. Greenville · Anderson | $85,290 | $41.01 | -6% | 600 |
| 5 | Spartanburg | $83,780 | $40.28 | -8% | 170 |
| 6 | Columbia | $82,370 | $39.60 | -9% | 620 |
| 7 | Florence | $81,200 | $39.04 | -10% | 110 |
| 8 | Sumter | $81,150 | $39.01 | -10% | 60 |
| 9 | North Myrtle Beach metro incl. Conway · Myrtle Beach | $80,900 | $38.90 | -11% | 210 |
| 10 | Richmond County | $79,840 | $38.39 | -12% | 370 |
Every metro area in South Carolina with Dental Hygienist wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · South Carolina typical pay $84,340
Is Bluffton a good place to work as a Dental Hygienist?
Dental Hygienists in Bluffton earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $90,660 a year, 8% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Hilton Head Island · Bluffton · Port Royal area, about 2.0 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 Bluffton, SC?
- A typical Dental Hygienist in Bluffton earns $90,660 a year, or $43.59 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $66,770 and the top 10% earn over $97,810.
- How much does a Dental Hygienist make an hour in Bluffton?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Hygienists in Bluffton is $43.59. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $32.10, and the top 10% earn over $47.03 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Hygienist in Bluffton?
- Entry-level Dental Hygienist positions in Bluffton typically offer around $32.10 an hour, or $66,770 a year.
- Is Dental Hygienist pay in Bluffton higher than in the rest of South Carolina?
- Bluffton pay is 7% above the South Carolina figure of $84,340 a year, ranking 3rd of 10 metro areas in the state. Gastonia pays the most in South Carolina at $98,390.