SOC 29-1292

Dental Hygienist Salary in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO (2026)

Data updated · Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025, HUD FY 2027 Fair Market Rents, EPI 2026 Family Budget, 2026 tax tables · Methodology

Tax Tables: 2026 Fed + CO
COL Index: 137.11 (+37.1% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 69.9% Realized
$79,470 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $113,760 $54.69/hr
Effective Tax Drag 24.14% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 22% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$27,464 $1,056.30/check
Category 1 of 6

Wage Benchmarking & After-Tax Paycheck Engine

Dynamic statutory tax calculations based on IRS Publication 15-T and state statutory schedules.

$
2,080 annual statutory base hours $54.69 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$6,826/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$1,502/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$14,696
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$7,053
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$1,650
Colorado Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$3,997
Denver Occupational Privilege Tax
LOCAL
-$69
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$79,470 ($3,056.56 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO Dental Hygienist Wage Distribution

Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Percentiles & Career Ladders

Your Salary: $113,760
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $101k 25th $103k Median: $113,760 50th (Median) $114k 75th $127k 90th $128k You: $113,760
10th (Entry) $100,890 $48.50/hr
25th (Junior) $103,360 $49.69/hr
50th (Median) $113,760 $54.69/hr
75th (Senior) $126,860 $60.99/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $128,020 $61.55/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Dental Hygienist in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO
1
New-Graduate Dental HygienistAssociate's degree (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$86,857$41.76/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Dental HygienistDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities; state RDH license
$96,945$46.61/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Experienced Dental HygienistFull professional competence; leads projects or a small team; state RDH license
$113,760$54.69/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Lead Hygienist / Clinical CoordinatorOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$125,820$60.49/hr · 8-12 Years
5
Hygiene Program DirectorExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$146,114$70.25/hr · 12+ Years
Scaled to the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO medianView National Dental Hygienist Salary Data
Adjacent Career Pivots & National Pay Differences
Dental Assistants-$50,030/yr
National median: $48,070
Skill overlap: 84%
Veterinary Technologists and Technicians-$50,720/yr
National median: $47,380
Skill overlap: 80%
Surgical Assistants-$31,300/yr
National median: $66,800
Skill overlap: 78%
Medical Assistants-$52,410/yr
National median: $45,690
Skill overlap: 72%
Category 3 of 6

HUD Fair Market Rent & EPI Living Wage Affordability Index

Evaluating housing affordability vs. net take-home pay in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
28% of Net Income
✓ Passes 30% Housing Affordability Standard
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,831/month Requires minimum annual gross of $73,240
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $2,169/month Requires minimum annual gross of $86,760
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $30.32/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $28.13/hr
Category 4 of 6

Hourly Wage to Annual & Overtime Matrix

Translating base hourly pay and 1.5× overtime into net take-home pay based on 2,080 annual work hours in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO.

Swipe horizontally to inspect full pay schedule
Schedule Total Hours/Wk Gross Annual Est. Taxes Net Take-Home Bi-Weekly Check
Standard (40 hrs)40 hrs$113,760-$27,464$79,470$3,056.56
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$135,090-$34,493$92,492$3,557.38
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$156,420-$41,819$105,216$4,046.78
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$177,750-$49,145$117,940$4,536.17
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$199,080-$55,567$131,569$5,060.33
Category 5 of 6

Interstate MSA Relocation & State Tax Migration Comparator

Calculate required compensation, cost-of-living differences, and annual state/local tax savings between two metropolitan areas.

Equivalent Salary in Austin, TX $83,505 Cost of Living Ratio: 69.6%
Annual State & Local Tax Delta +$8,331/yr Tax savings in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
Annual Rent Difference (1BR) -$17,676/yr Based on HUD Fair Market Rents
Net Discretionary Cash Flow Impact

Combining state tax savings and annual rent variance when relocating from San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA to Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX.

+$26,007/year
Category 6 of 6 · Executive Economic Briefing
2026 Fiscal Intelligence

Dental Hygienist in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

Estimates compiled from BLS OEWS wages, IRS 2026 withholding rules, HUD Fair Market Rents, and Colorado tax codes.

Market Baseline
$113,760/yr
$54.69/hr · SOC 29-1292
Statutory Tax Drag
24.14% Effective
-$27,464 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
28% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$4,792/mo
Post-$1,831/mo 1BR Rent

Key Economic & Compensation Takeaways

Statutory Withholding Architecture

Frequently Asked Questions

Verified Government Data Sources & Statutory Attribution

Wages sourced from US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS OEWS). Rents calibrated to HUD Fair Market Rents. Tax schedules calibrated to IRS IRC Title 26, IRS Pub 15-T, and state statutory revenue codes.

BLS OEWS May 2025 HUD FY2027 FMR IRS 15-T
Metro Pay Comparison SOC 29-1292
2026 Statutory Thresholds
  • Federal Standard Deduction (Single) $16,100
  • FICA OASDI Wage Base Cap $184,500
  • Pre-Tax 401(k) Elective Deferral $24,500
  • HSA Individual Annual Limit $4,400

Dental Hygienist in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO: Market Snapshot

Dental Hygienist roles in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO report a median annual wage of $113,760, 16.0% above the national median of $98,100. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $100,890 to $128,020, and HUD’s $1,831 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 19.3% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $30.32 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Dental Hygienist

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$146,760+29.0%
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$139,990+23.1%
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$136,210+19.7%
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$135,990+19.5%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$133,740+17.6%
Anchorage, AK$132,740+16.7%
Fairbanks-College, AK$131,860+15.9%
Napa, CA$131,370+15.5%
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$131,040+15.2%
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA$130,600+14.8%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Computer and Information Systems Managers$203,340$97.76/hr
Financial Manager$193,400$92.98/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$191,440$92.04/hr
Marketing Managers$182,470$87.73/hr
Sales Managers$181,580$87.30/hr
Purchasing Managers$180,000$86.54/hr
Public Relations Managers$174,260$83.78/hr
Human Resources Managers$170,940$82.18/hr
Compensation and Benefits Managers$168,850$81.18/hr
Advertising and Promotions Managers$165,000$79.33/hr

Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025, 378 metropolitan areas publishing this occupation; HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rents; EPI Family Budget Calculator. Taxes use 2026 federal and state rules. Data last updated .

Regional Labor Market & Career Mobility Network

Explore adjacent occupations and neighboring metropolitan wage benchmarks for peer compensation analysis.

Dental Hygienist Salary in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO (2026) Overview

Dental Hygienist median pay in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO is $113,760 a year ($54.69/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents. Official 2026 economic data for Dental Hygienist in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.

Quick answers
What is the median salary for a Dental Hygienist in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO?

The median annual wage is $113,760 ($54.69 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $100,890 and $128,020. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Dental Hygienist in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO after taxes?

On the median wage of $113,760, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $84,494 a year ($7,041 a month) after $29,266 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 25.73%, using 2026 tax rules.