Dental Laboratory Technician salary in the U.S.
Dental Laboratory Technicians in the U.S. earn a median of $49,610 a year ($23.85 an hour), based on BLS data for 34,410 workers.
Pay ranges from $36,660 for the lowest-paid 10% to $76,940 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $54,290, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for dental laboratory technicians in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $36,660 | $17.62 |
| 25th percentile | $40,420 | $19.43 |
| Median | $49,610 | $23.85 |
| 75th percentile | $62,070 | $29.84 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $76,940 | $36.99 |
| Average (mean) | $54,290 | $26.10 |
Half of dental laboratory technicians earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $4,134.17 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $2,067.08 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,908.08 |
| Weekly | $954.04 |
| Hourly | $23.85 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Dental Laboratory Technician salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $72,800 | 440 |
| North Dakota | $67,580 | 60 |
| Maine | $64,020 | 120 |
| Colorado | $61,220 | 410 |
| New Hampshire | $60,610 | 120 |
| Florida | $59,790 | 2,330 |
| Nebraska | $58,590 | 190 |
| Kansas | $56,790 | 570 |
| Washington | $56,400 | 670 |
| Minnesota | $56,090 | 390 |
| New York | $52,460 | 1,890 |
| Virginia | $51,900 | 1,050 |
| Illinois | $51,380 | 2,030 |
| Arkansas | $49,960 | 840 |
| Indiana | $49,920 | 680 |
| North Carolina | $49,700 | 990 |
| Michigan | $49,570 | 1,180 |
| Georgia | $49,310 | 1,460 |
| Pennsylvania | $49,280 | 930 |
| Tennessee | $48,880 | 610 |
| Oregon | $48,800 | 570 |
| Oklahoma | $48,670 | 250 |
| Ohio | $48,480 | 1,160 |
| South Dakota | $48,370 | 120 |
| Nevada | $48,190 | 200 |
| Arizona | $47,930 | 950 |
| Maryland | $47,850 | 590 |
| Mississippi | $47,770 | 140 |
| West Virginia | $47,740 | n/a |
| Montana | $47,560 | 110 |
| Iowa | $47,520 | 380 |
| California | $47,410 | 4,480 |
| Idaho | $47,380 | 370 |
| New Jersey | $47,270 | 780 |
| Wisconsin | $47,170 | 800 |
| Utah | $47,110 | 1,300 |
| Missouri | $46,870 | 740 |
| Kentucky | $46,770 | 420 |
| Texas | $46,330 | 1,770 |
| Alabama | $45,760 | 1,050 |
| Rhode Island | $45,320 | n/a |
| Hawaii | $45,300 | 120 |
| New Mexico | $45,300 | 130 |
| Delaware | $38,500 | n/a |
| Louisiana | $38,490 | 330 |
| South Carolina | $37,170 | 260 |
| Puerto Rico | $22,490 | 100 |
Best-paying metro areas for dental laboratory technicians
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $78,010 | 110 |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $76,170 | n/a |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $75,480 | 350 |
| Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $68,640 | 40 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $68,230 | 60 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $65,500 | 40 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | $64,020 | 60 |
| Worcester, MA | $63,730 | 40 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | $61,370 | 30 |
| North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $61,360 | 100 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $61,250 | 490 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $61,220 | 230 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $60,940 | 280 |
| Manchester-Nashua, NH | $60,600 | 60 |
| Naples-Marco Island, FL | $60,560 | 50 |
Metro areas with the most dental laboratory technicians
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 2,710 | $46,460 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 1,440 | $51,380 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 1,400 | $58,160 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | 710 | $47,110 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 690 | $50,700 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 690 | $49,260 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 640 | $50,850 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 610 | $48,010 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 590 | $59,940 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 520 | $59,920 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | 500 | $47,160 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 490 | $55,170 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 490 | $61,250 |
| Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | 430 | $45,770 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | 420 | $56,790 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | $48,570 | $23.35 |
| Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | $43,220 | $20.78 |
| Production Workers, All Other | $40,110 | $19.29 |
| Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operator | $50,690 | $24.37 |
| Helpers--Production Workers | $39,070 | $18.78 |
| Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $48,250 | $23.20 |
| Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders | $58,040 | $27.90 |
| Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $50,270 | $24.17 |
| Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $48,990 | $23.55 |
| Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $51,610 | $24.81 |
| Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $45,760 | $22.00 |
| Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $46,570 | $22.39 |
| Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic | $46,170 | $22.20 |
| Semiconductor Processing Technician | $51,430 | $24.73 |
More: Production Occupations
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 51-9081. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a dental laboratory technician make in the U.S.?
The median salary for dental laboratory technicians in the U.S. is $49,610 a year, or $23.85 an hour. Pay ranges from $36,660 for the lowest-paid 10% to $76,940 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid dental laboratory technicians make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of dental laboratory technicians in the U.S. earn at least $76,940 a year. The top 25% earn $62,070 or more.
What is the starting pay for dental laboratory technicians in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $36,660 a year, and a quarter of dental laboratory technicians earn $40,420 or less.
How many dental laboratory technicians work in the U.S.?
About 34,410 dental laboratory technicians are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.