SOC 29-1292

Dental Hygienist Salary in Lexington-Fayette, KY (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 + KY + Municipal
COL Index: 96.93 (-3.1% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 70.8% Realized
$56,717 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $80,110 $38.51/hr
Effective Tax Drag 23.2% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 22% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$18,586 $714.85/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 $38.51 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$4,807/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$1,057/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$7,737
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$4,967
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$1,162
Kentucky Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$2,518
Lexington-Fayette occupational and school tax
2.75%
-$2,203
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$56,717 ($2,181.43 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Lexington-Fayette, KY Dental Hygienist Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $80,110
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $57.5k 25th $78.6k Median: $80,110 50th (Median) $80.1k 75th $91.3k 90th $96.8k You: $80,110
10th (Entry) $57,450 $27.62/hr
25th (Junior) $78,640 $37.81/hr
50th (Median) $80,110 $38.51/hr
75th (Senior) $91,330 $43.91/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $96,790 $46.53/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Dental Hygienist in Lexington-Fayette, KY
1
New-Graduate Dental HygienistAssociate's degree (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$61,165$29.41/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Dental HygienistDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities; state RDH license
$68,269$32.82/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Experienced Dental HygienistFull professional competence; leads projects or a small team; state RDH license
$80,110$38.51/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Lead Hygienist / Clinical CoordinatorOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$88,603$42.60/hr · 8-12 Years
5
Hygiene Program DirectorExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$102,894$49.47/hr · 12+ Years
Scaled to the Lexington-Fayette, KY 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 Lexington-Fayette, KY under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
25% of Net Income
✓ Passes 30% Housing Affordability Standard
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,205/month Requires minimum annual gross of $48,200
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,416/month Requires minimum annual gross of $56,640
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $21.44/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $20.42/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 Lexington-Fayette, KY.

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$80,110-$18,586$56,717$2,181.43
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$95,131-$23,749$65,674$2,525.92
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$110,151-$28,911$74,631$2,870.42
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$125,172-$34,074$83,588$3,214.91
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$140,193-$39,436$92,345$3,551.72
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 Lexington-Fayette, KY: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$80,110/yr
$38.51/hr · SOC 29-1292
Statutory Tax Drag
23.2% Effective
-$18,586 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
25% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$3,521/mo
Post-$1,205/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 Lexington-Fayette, KY: Market Snapshot

Dental Hygienist roles in Lexington-Fayette, KY report a median annual wage of $80,110, 18.3% below the national median of $98,100. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $57,450 to $96,790, and HUD’s $1,205 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 18.1% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $21.44 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Dental Hygienist

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$146,760+83.2%
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$139,990+74.7%
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$136,210+70.0%
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$135,990+69.8%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$133,740+66.9%
Anchorage, AK$132,740+65.7%
Fairbanks-College, AK$131,860+64.6%
Napa, CA$131,370+64.0%
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$131,040+63.6%
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA$130,600+63.0%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Lexington-Fayette, KY

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$179,520$86.31/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$161,450$77.62/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$161,170$77.49/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$144,160$69.31/hr
Fundraising Managers$140,090$67.35/hr
Education Administrators, Postsecondary$137,250$65.99/hr
Financial Manager$135,760$65.27/hr
Purchasing Managers$128,910$61.98/hr
Marketing Managers$127,040$61.08/hr
Sales Managers$124,860$60.03/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 Lexington-Fayette, KY (2026) Overview

Dental Hygienist median pay in Lexington-Fayette, KY is $80,110 a year ($38.51/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents. Official 2026 economic data for Dental Hygienist in Lexington-Fayette, KY 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 Lexington-Fayette, KY?

The median annual wage is $80,110 ($38.51 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $57,450 and $96,790. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Dental Hygienist in Lexington-Fayette, KY after taxes?

On the median wage of $80,110, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $60,298 a year ($5,025 a month) after $19,812 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 24.73%, using 2026 tax rules.