Dental Salaries in Saginaw, Michigan

Dentist: a median of $165,410 a year ($79.52 an hour) in BLS's May 2025 estimate. BLS rates the Saginaw dentist wage estimate at ±19.7%. Treat the Saginaw dentist figure as a rough signal, not a market rate.

Dental Hygienist: a median of $79,400 a year ($38.18 an hour). That is $4,390 below the Michigan dental hygienist median of $83,790 and $18,700 below the national median of $98,100. It ranks 13th of the 15 Michigan metro areas where BLS publishes a dental hygienist median.

Dental Assistant: a median of $46,050 a year ($22.14 an hour). That is $2,770 below the Michigan dental assistant median of $48,820 and $2,020 below the national median of $48,070. It ranks 12th of the 15 Michigan metro areas where BLS publishes a dental assistant median.

Dentist: the middle half of Saginaw dentists earn $125,620 to $213,580. The lowest-paid tenth earn under $106,500. The top tenth earn over $328,360. The gap between the two is $221,860.

Dental Hygienist: the middle half of Saginaw dental hygienists earn $77,280 to $81,700. The lowest-paid tenth earn under $76,790 (against $77,230 statewide and $74,880 nationally). The top tenth earn over $91,700 (against $96,970 statewide and $126,050 nationally). The gap between the two is $14,910.

Dental Assistant: the middle half of Saginaw dental assistants earn $44,800 to $54,960. The lowest-paid tenth earn under $37,380 (against $37,110 statewide and $37,130 nationally). The top tenth earn over $58,340 (against $58,900 statewide and $62,250 nationally). The gap between the two is $20,960.

The Bureau of Economic Analysis puts the Saginaw metro's 2024 price level at 90.9 (U.S. = 100), so prices overall run 9.1% below the national average, and housing costs (index 63.6) run 36.4% below. Michigan as a whole sits at 96.2.

Converted to national average prices:

• Dentist: $165,410 here buys about what $181,990 buys at national average prices (low-reliability estimate).
• Dental Hygienist: $79,400 here buys about what $87,360 buys at national average prices — $10,740 below the national median of $98,100.
• Dental Assistant: $46,050 here buys about what $50,670 buys at national average prices — $2,600 above the national median of $48,070.

Dentists: about 40 jobs in the metro, or 0.473 per 1,000 jobs of all kinds. Dentists hold a 41% smaller share of local jobs than nationally (location quotient 0.59).

Dental Hygienists: about 160 jobs in the metro, or 1.979 per 1,000 jobs of all kinds. Dental hygienists hold a 38% larger share of local jobs than nationally (location quotient 1.38).

Dental Assistants: about 170 jobs in the metro, or 2.141 per 1,000 jobs of all kinds. Dental assistants hold a 14% smaller share of local jobs than nationally (location quotient 0.86).

The closest metro areas with their own salary page and a published median for each role (distance between metro centers, up to 250 miles).

Dentist: Midland (27 mi) pays $167,770, Flint (28 mi) pays $177,720 and Lansing (51 mi) pays $164,610.

Dental Hygienist: Midland (27 mi) pays $82,160, Flint (28 mi) pays $81,500 and Lansing (51 mi) pays $90,710. Saginaw's $79,400 is below all 3.

Dental Assistant: Midland (27 mi) pays $48,360, Flint (28 mi) pays $48,360 and Lansing (51 mi) pays $56,150. Saginaw's $46,050 is below all 3.