How Much Does a Dental Hygienist Make in Columbia, SC 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 South Carolina.
BLS OES May 2025 · Columbia metro area
A typical Dental Hygienist in Columbia, South Carolina earns $39.60 per hour, or $82,370 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $6,864 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $63,030, and the top 10% of earners make over $91,250.
That pay is 2% below the South Carolina figure of $84,340 and 16% below the national figure of $98,100. Columbia ranks 6th of 10 metro areas in South Carolina for Dental Hygienist pay. About 620 Dental Hygienists work in the Columbia area.
Dental Hygienist pay in Columbia at a glance
- Typical pay is $39.60 an hour, or $82,370 a year.
- That is 2% below the South Carolina figure, ranking 6th of 10 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $63,030; the top 10% make over $91,250.
- Typical pay rose +48% from 2015 to 2025, against +47% for South Carolina 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 $30.30 an hour to more than $43.87 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 Columbia
| Career stage | Columbia | South Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $63,030$30.30 an hour | $65,700$31.59 an hour | $74,880$36.00 an hour |
| First years | $77,400$37.21 an hour | $79,400$38.17 an hour | $83,570$40.18 an hour |
| Typical Dental Hygienist | $82,370$39.60 an hour | $84,340$40.55 an hour | $98,100$47.16 an hour |
| Experienced | $91,080$43.79 an hour | $94,830$45.59 an hour | $108,480$52.16 an hour |
| Top 10% | $91,250$43.87 an hour | $97,220$46.74 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 $55,700 a year. By 2025 it had reached $82,370, a change of +48%, compared with +47% for South Carolina over the same years.
How Columbia compares with other South Carolina cities
Gastonia pays Dental Hygienists the most in South Carolina at $98,390 a year, $16,020 more than Columbia. The lowest-paying area in the state is Richmond County at $79,840.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Columbia | Dental Hygienists employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gastonia metro incl. Concord | $98,390 | $47.30 | +19% | 1,910 |
| 2 | Charleston metro incl. North Charleston | $94,570 | $45.46 | +15% | 540 |
| 3 | Port Royal metro incl. Hilton Head Island · Bluffton | $90,660 | $43.59 | +10% | 160 |
| 4 | Greer metro incl. Greenville · Anderson | $85,290 | $41.01 | +4% | 600 |
| 5 | Spartanburg | $83,780 | $40.28 | +2% | 170 |
| 6 | Columbia | $82,370 | $39.60 | this city | 620 |
| 7 | Florence | $81,200 | $39.04 | -1% | 110 |
| 8 | Sumter | $81,150 | $39.01 | -1% | 60 |
| 9 | North Myrtle Beach metro incl. Conway · Myrtle Beach | $80,900 | $38.90 | -2% | 210 |
| 10 | Richmond County | $79,840 | $38.39 | -3% | 370 |
Every metro area in South Carolina with Dental Hygienist wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · South Carolina typical pay $84,340
Is Columbia a good place to work as a Dental Hygienist?
Dental Hygienists in Columbia earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $82,370 a year, 16% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Columbia area, about 1.6 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, SC?
- A typical Dental Hygienist in Columbia earns $82,370 a year, or $39.60 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $63,030 and the top 10% earn over $91,250.
- How much does a Dental Hygienist make an hour in Columbia?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Hygienists in Columbia is $39.60. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $30.30, and the top 10% earn over $43.87 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Hygienist in Columbia?
- Entry-level Dental Hygienist positions in Columbia typically offer around $30.30 an hour, or $63,030 a year.
- Is Dental Hygienist pay in Columbia higher than in the rest of South Carolina?
- Columbia pay is 2% below the South Carolina figure of $84,340 a year, ranking 6th of 10 metro areas in the state. Gastonia pays the most in South Carolina at $98,390.