How Much Does a Dental Hygienist Make in South Dakota in 2026?

A typical Dental Hygienist in South Dakota earns about $44.33 per hour ($92,210 per year), according to the latest government wage data (May 2025). That works out to roughly $7,684 a month and $1,773 a week, both calculated from the annual figure. Pay in this field covers hygienists working in general and specialty dental practices across the state.

That is about 6% below the national typical pay of $47.16 an hour ($98,100 a year), which places South Dakota 33rd among all 50 states for Dental Hygienist pay. Roughly 630 Dental Hygienists work across the state, a modest workforce that keeps local pay figures closely tied to a handful of employers. Lower pay next to the national figure often lines up with South Dakota's lower cost of living.

Entry-level positions in South Dakota typically offer around $35.33 an hour ($73,480 a year) according to the same wage data. Hygienists in these early roles are often newly licensed or working in lower-volume practices. Pay tends to move toward the state's typical figure of $92,210 within the first few years on the job, as hygienists gain speed and take on more patients.

Experienced Dental Hygienists in South Dakota often earn upwards of $46.26 an hour ($96,230 a year), and the top 10% of earners make over $47.25 an hour ($98,290 a year). That leaves a spread of $24,810 between entry-level and top pay. Practice setting, years of experience, and city all factor into where a hygienist lands within that range.

South Dakota's typical Dental Hygienist pay rose from $57,790 in 2015 to $92,210 in 2025, a gain of $34,420 in government wage data recorded over that decade. That is a 60% increase over ten years, though the climb was not a straight line. Pay dipped slightly between 2015 and 2016, and again between 2021 and 2022, before continuing upward through 2025.

Nationally, Dental Hygienist pay rose 36% over the same decade, so South Dakota's increase outpaced the national trend. For someone starting out now, that history shows pay has moved up steadily in recent years. Past growth does not guarantee future increases, but the trend has been consistently upward since 2015.

Sioux Falls pays Dental Hygienists the most in South Dakota, with typical pay of $92,350 a year ($44.40 an hour) across the metro area. That figure sits almost exactly at the statewide typical pay of $92,210, showing little gap between the top city and the state as a whole. Rapid City is the only other metro area tracked, with typical pay of $91,890 a year ($44.18 an hour).

Rapid City is also the state's lowest-paying tracked city, putting the spread between South Dakota's two metro areas at just $460 a year. Sioux Falls has the largest Dental Hygienist workforce, with 250 employed there compared with 120 in Rapid City. With such a small gap between the two cities, pay for Dental Hygienists is fairly uniform across South Dakota, and local cost of living plays only a small role in that difference.

South Dakota's Dental Hygienist pay sits in the middle of its neighbors. Minnesota pays the most nearby, with typical pay of $103,970 a year, about 13% above South Dakota. Iowa pays the least among neighboring states, at $84,010 a year, about 9% below. Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, and Wyoming fall in between. A dental hygiene license earned in South Dakota can often be endorsed into a neighboring state without starting the process over.

Dental Hygienists in South Dakota typically earn $92,210 a year ($44.33 an hour) as of the latest wage data, up 60% over the past decade. Pay is fairly consistent between Sioux Falls and Rapid City, though nearby states like Minnesota pay more. Readers considering the field can check South Dakota's dental hygiene licensing board for requirements, and look at city-level pages for local pay figures before choosing where to practice.