How Much Does a Dental Hygienist Make in Wausau, WI in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Hygienists in Wausau, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Wisconsin.
BLS OES May 2025 · Wausau metro area
A typical Dental Hygienist in Wausau, Wisconsin earns $42.05 per hour, or $87,470 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $7,289 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $77,670, and the top 10% of earners make over $99,830.
That pay is 9% below the Wisconsin figure of $96,540 and 11% below the national figure of $98,100. Wausau ranks 13th of 14 metro areas in Wisconsin for Dental Hygienist pay. About 150 Dental Hygienists work in the Wausau area.
Dental Hygienist pay in Wausau at a glance
- Typical pay is $42.05 an hour, or $87,470 a year.
- That is 9% below the Wisconsin figure, ranking 13th of 14 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $77,670; the top 10% make over $99,830.
- Typical pay rose +47% from 2015 to 2025, against +51% for Wisconsin as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Hygienist make in Wausau?
Pay in Wausau runs from entry-level positions at around $37.34 an hour to more than $48.00 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Wisconsin and national figures.
Dental Hygienist pay by career stage in Wausau
| Career stage | Wausau | Wisconsin | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $77,670$37.34 an hour | $80,370$38.64 an hour | $74,880$36.00 an hour |
| First years | $79,010$37.99 an hour | $83,880$40.33 an hour | $83,570$40.18 an hour |
| Typical Dental Hygienist | $87,470$42.05 an hour | $96,540$46.41 an hour | $98,100$47.16 an hour |
| Experienced | $97,620$46.94 an hour | $100,750$48.44 an hour | $108,480$52.16 an hour |
| Top 10% | $99,830$48.00 an hour | $110,240$53.00 an hour | $126,050$60.60 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Wausau area as BLS defines it
Dental Hygienist pay growth in Wausau
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Hygienists in the Wausau area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Hygienist pay in Wausau was $59,310 a year. By 2025 it had reached $87,470, a change of +47%, compared with +51% for Wisconsin over the same years.
How Wausau compares with other Wisconsin cities
St. Paul pays Dental Hygienists the most in Wisconsin at $112,630 a year, $25,160 more than Wausau. The lowest-paying area in the state is Eau Claire at $86,830.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Wausau | Dental Hygienists employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St. Paul metro incl. Bloomington | $112,630 | $54.15 | +29% | 2,590 |
| 2 | Madison | $100,340 | $48.24 | +15% | 680 |
| 3 | Sheboygan | $98,940 | $47.57 | +13% | 110 |
| 4 | Milwaukee metro incl. Waukesha | $98,780 | $47.49 | +13% | 1,360 |
| 5 | Kenosha | $96,620 | $46.45 | +10% | 100 |
| 6 | Appleton | $96,350 | $46.32 | +10% | 240 |
| 7 | Beloit metro incl. Janesville | $96,200 | $46.25 | +10% | 120 |
| 8 | Onalaska metro incl. La Crosse | $95,950 | $46.13 | +10% | 150 |
| 9 | Racine metro incl. Mount Pleasant | $95,310 | $45.82 | +9% | 160 |
| 10 | Neenah metro incl. Oshkosh | $93,850 | $45.12 | +7% | 130 |
| 11 | Fond du Lac | $93,150 | $44.78 | +6% | 90 |
| 12 | Green Bay | $91,920 | $44.19 | +5% | 340 |
| 13 | Wausau | $87,470 | $42.05 | this city | 150 |
| 14 | Eau Claire | $86,830 | $41.74 | -1% | 180 |
Every metro area in Wisconsin with Dental Hygienist wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Wisconsin typical pay $96,540
Is Wausau a good place to work as a Dental Hygienist?
Dental Hygienists in Wausau earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $87,470 a year, 11% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Wausau area, about 2.2 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 Wausau, WI?
- A typical Dental Hygienist in Wausau earns $87,470 a year, or $42.05 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $77,670 and the top 10% earn over $99,830.
- How much does a Dental Hygienist make an hour in Wausau?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Hygienists in Wausau is $42.05. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $37.34, and the top 10% earn over $48.00 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Hygienist in Wausau?
- Entry-level Dental Hygienist positions in Wausau typically offer around $37.34 an hour, or $77,670 a year.
- Is Dental Hygienist pay in Wausau higher than in the rest of Wisconsin?
- Wausau pay is 9% below the Wisconsin figure of $96,540 a year, ranking 13th of 14 metro areas in the state. St. Paul pays the most in Wisconsin at $112,630.