Dental Hygienists salary in South Bend, IN
Median pay for dental hygienists in South Bend, IN: $81,420/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $64,470 – $100,370 · about 240 employed locally
Above the typical metro median ($81,085) by +$335 (+0%).
What it's really worth in South Bend
With South Bend's cost of living at 91 (US=100), that $81,420 has the buying power of about $89,102 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $62,448 · median home $238,866 · median rent $1,340/mo.
How South Bend ranks for this job
On raw pay, South Bend, IN is 87th of the 184 metros we hold dental hygienists wages for. Once South Bend's cost of living is applied, it ranks 79th.
Pay and living costs are roughly in step here, so South Bend sits in much the same place whether you look at raw salary or spending power.
What that salary buys in South Bend
A median home in South Bend, IN costs $238,866 — about 2.9× this salary, against a typical US metro figure of 4.7×. Buying is more attainable here than in the average metro on this income.
Median rent of $1,340/mo works out at 20% of gross pay — inside the conventional 30% affordability ceiling.
Where dental hygienists earn more
Pay on its own is only half the picture, so each row shows what rent costs there relative to South Bend.
| Metro | Median pay | vs South Bend | Rent vs South Bend |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | $137,450 | +69% | 2.4× |
| San Jose, CA | $135,460 | +66% | 2.7× |
| Santa Maria, CA | $132,360 | +63% | 2.5× |
| Seattle, WA | $129,410 | +59% | 1.7× |
Same job elsewhere in IN
| Metro | Median pay | vs South Bend | Rent vs South Bend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis, IN | $91,140 | +12% | 1.2× |
| Fort Wayne, IN | $77,650 | −5% | 0.9× |
| Evansville, IN | $76,030 | −7% | 0.8× |
Staying in IN keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires dental hygienists around South Bend
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- Memorial Health System · Healthcare
- Saint Joseph Health · Healthcare
Other jobs in South Bend
Source: US BLS OEWS (May 2023) median annual wage; cost of living from BEA; home price and rent from Zillow; household income from US Census ACS. Rankings are across the 184 metros we hold wage data for in this occupation. Estimates for guidance only. See methodology.