How Much Does a Dental Hygienist Make in Bristol, VA in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Hygienists in Bristol, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Virginia.
BLS OES May 2025 · Kingsport · Bristol metro area
A typical Dental Hygienist in Bristol, Virginia earns $39.84 per hour, or $82,870 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $6,906 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $64,080, and the top 10% of earners make over $96,680.
That pay is 20% below the Virginia figure of $102,950 and 16% below the national figure of $98,100. Bristol ranks 11th of 11 metro areas in Virginia for Dental Hygienist pay. About 210 Dental Hygienists work in the Kingsport · Bristol area.
Dental Hygienist pay in Bristol at a glance
- Typical pay is $39.84 an hour, or $82,870 a year.
- That is 20% below the Virginia figure, ranking 11th of 11 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $64,080; the top 10% make over $96,680.
- Typical pay rose +57% from 2015 to 2025, against +27% for Virginia as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Hygienist make in Bristol?
Pay in Bristol runs from entry-level positions at around $30.81 an hour to more than $46.48 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Virginia and national figures.
Dental Hygienist pay by career stage in Bristol
| Career stage | Bristol | Virginia | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $64,080$30.81 an hour | $86,730$41.70 an hour | $74,880$36.00 an hour |
| First years | $80,090$38.51 an hour | $97,630$46.94 an hour | $83,570$40.18 an hour |
| Typical Dental Hygienist | $82,870$39.84 an hour | $102,950$49.50 an hour | $98,100$47.16 an hour |
| Experienced | $93,070$44.75 an hour | $119,690$57.54 an hour | $108,480$52.16 an hour |
| Top 10% | $96,680$46.48 an hour | $125,560$60.37 an hour | $126,050$60.60 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Kingsport · Bristol area as BLS defines it
Dental Hygienist pay growth in Bristol
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Hygienists in the Kingsport · Bristol area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Hygienist pay in Bristol was $52,800 a year. By 2025 it had reached $82,870, a change of +57%, compared with +27% for Virginia over the same years.
How Bristol compares with other Virginia cities
Arlington pays Dental Hygienists the most in Virginia at $119,170 a year, $36,300 more than Bristol. The lowest-paying area in the state is Bristol at $82,870.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Bristol | Dental Hygienists employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arlington | $119,170 | $57.30 | +44% | 2,200 |
| 2 | Charlottesville | $107,690 | $51.78 | +30% | 120 |
| 3 | Richmond | $104,250 | $50.12 | +26% | 780 |
| 4 | Winchester | $100,640 | $48.38 | +21% | 100 |
| 5 | Harrisonburg | $100,620 | $48.37 | +21% | 100 |
| 6 | Staunton metro incl. Stuarts Draft | $100,350 | $48.24 | +21% | 60 |
| 7 | Virginia Beach | $98,890 | $47.54 | +19% | 940 |
| 8 | Roanoke | $98,550 | $47.38 | +19% | 170 |
| 9 | Lynchburg | $96,990 | $46.63 | +17% | 120 |
| 10 | Blacksburg metro incl. Christiansburg · Radford | $90,550 | $43.53 | +9% | 70 |
| 11 | Bristol | $82,870 | $39.84 | this city | 210 |
Every metro area in Virginia with Dental Hygienist wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Virginia typical pay $102,950
Is Bristol a good place to work as a Dental Hygienist?
Dental Hygienists in Bristol earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $82,870 a year, 16% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Kingsport · Bristol area, about 1.8 are Dental Hygienist positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 1.5. 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 Bristol, VA?
- A typical Dental Hygienist in Bristol earns $82,870 a year, or $39.84 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $64,080 and the top 10% earn over $96,680.
- How much does a Dental Hygienist make an hour in Bristol?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Hygienists in Bristol is $39.84. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $30.81, and the top 10% earn over $46.48 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Hygienist in Bristol?
- Entry-level Dental Hygienist positions in Bristol typically offer around $30.81 an hour, or $64,080 a year.
- Is Dental Hygienist pay in Bristol higher than in the rest of Virginia?
- Bristol pay is 20% below the Virginia figure of $102,950 a year, ranking 11th of 11 metro areas in the state. Arlington pays the most in Virginia at $119,170.