51 Series · SOC 51-9081

Dental Laboratory Technicians Salary

National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$49,610
Median / year
+2.7%
2024→2025
$76,940
Top 10% earn
-4.7%
Growth '24–'34
34,410
Estimated US jobs

Dental Laboratory Technicians earn a median of $49,610 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $49,610, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $36,660 (10th percentile) to $76,940 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 34,410 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is Massachusetts ($72,800).

51 Series · Source: BLS OEWS Compare with another job →
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The pay verdict

Dental Laboratory Technicians earn a median of $49,610, putting them below the typical US occupation and higher than 32% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Production, it ranks #38 of 105 by median pay. Employment is projected to fall 4.7% by 2034.

$49,610
Median annual wage
Top 68%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#38 of 105
in Production
2.1×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: Massachusetts at $72,800. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.

Observed pay change

What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025

May 2019 → May 2025
  • The published national median for Dental Laboratory Technicians moved from $41,340 in May 2019 to $49,610 in May 2025 (+20.0%).
  • Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
  • Dental Laboratory Technicians sits -4.4 pp near that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.

Dental Laboratory Technicians (SOC 51-9081) has a national median of $49,610 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $36,660 to $76,940, and the published mean is $54,290. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 34,410 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 47 state or territory areas and 151 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $48,310 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $49,610 in May 2025, a rise of $1,300 (+2.7%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a -4.7% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as declining relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 3,900 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as typical education needed for entry, and BLS classifies its typical on-the-job preparation as moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Production Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.

Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Massachusetts pays the highest state median at $72,800, which is +47% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL at $78,010. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.

BLS OEWS May 2025 34,410 jobs Median $49,610/yr

Median Salary

$49,610

per year

Median Hourly

$23.85/hr

per hour

Mean Salary

$54,290

average

Employment

34,410

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Dental Laboratory Technicians pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$49,610 Bottom 32% higher than 32% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Above this entry. $180,000 and above: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $180,000+ every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
Band Count Share
$0–$20,000 0 US occupations 0%
$20,000–$40,000 98 US occupations 12%
$40,000–$60,000 (this entry) 298 US occupations 36%
$60,000–$80,000 209 US occupations 25%
$80,000–$100,000 82 US occupations 10%
$100,000–$120,000 58 US occupations 7%
$120,000–$140,000 32 US occupations 4%
$140,000–$160,000 14 US occupations 2%
$160,000–$180,000 9 US occupations 1%
$180,000 and above 25 US occupations 3%

$49,610 · 32nd percentile of 825 US occupations

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Does this job pay well and grow?

Each dot is a 51-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Dental Laboratory Technicians; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 23 51-series occupations with growth data, Dental Laboratory Technicians sits on the slower-growing side at -4.7% growth and $49,610 median pay. Scatter plot of 23 data points. $30000$40000$50000$60000$70000$80000 -15%-10%-5%0%5%10% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage Miscellaneous Assemb… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -0.1% · Median annual wage: $44650First-Line Superviso… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1.2% · Median annual wage: $74450Welders, Cutters, So… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 2.2% · Median annual wage: $53750Packaging and Fillin… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.5% · Median annual wage: $43220Production Workers, … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 0.5% · Median annual wage: $40110Electrical, Electron… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.6% · Median annual wage: $45850Bakers - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5.6% · Median annual wage: $37160Laundry and Dry-Clea… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5.4% · Median annual wage: $34890Food Batchmakers - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 6.9% · Median annual wage: $42290Cutting, Punching, a… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -12.1% · Median annual wage: $46330Computer Numerically… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -10.7% · Median annual wage: $50690Helpers--Production … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -8.9% · Median annual wage: $39070Coating, Painting, a… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 0.7% · Median annual wage: $48250Molding, Coremaking,… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -3.8% · Median annual wage: $44350Meat, Poultry, and F… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5.5% · Median annual wage: $38300Printing Press Opera… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -8.1% · Median annual wage: $45780Chemical Equipment O… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.3% · Median annual wage: $58040Butchers and Meat Cu… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1% · Median annual wage: $40140Water and Wastewater… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -6.5% · Median annual wage: $60020Multiple Machine Too… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -0.5% · Median annual wage: $47180Sewing Machine Opera… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -10.8% · Median annual wage: $36670Paper Goods Machine … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -6.3% · Median annual wage: $50270Dental Laboratory Technicians - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -4.7% · Median annual wage: $49610
Among 23 51-series occupations with growth data, Dental Laboratory Technicians sits on the slower-growing side at -4.7% growth and $49,610 median pay.
Read the chart as text
  • Miscellaneous Assemb…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.1%, Median annual wage $44650
  • First-Line Superviso…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.2%, Median annual wage $74450
  • Welders, Cutters, So…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.2%, Median annual wage $53750
  • Packaging and Fillin…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.5%, Median annual wage $43220
  • Production Workers, …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.5%, Median annual wage $40110
  • Electrical, Electron…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.6%, Median annual wage $45850
  • Bakers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.6%, Median annual wage $37160
  • Laundry and Dry-Clea…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.4%, Median annual wage $34890
  • Food Batchmakers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.9%, Median annual wage $42290
  • Cutting, Punching, a…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -12.1%, Median annual wage $46330
  • Computer Numerically…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -10.7%, Median annual wage $50690
  • Helpers--Production …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -8.9%, Median annual wage $39070
  • Coating, Painting, a…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.7%, Median annual wage $48250
  • Molding, Coremaking,…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -3.8%, Median annual wage $44350
  • Meat, Poultry, and F…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.5%, Median annual wage $38300
  • Printing Press Opera…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -8.1%, Median annual wage $45780
  • Chemical Equipment O…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.3%, Median annual wage $58040
  • Butchers and Meat Cu…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1%, Median annual wage $40140
  • Water and Wastewater…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -6.5%, Median annual wage $60020
  • Multiple Machine Too…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.5%, Median annual wage $47180
  • Sewing Machine Opera…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -10.8%, Median annual wage $36670
  • Paper Goods Machine …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -6.3%, Median annual wage $50270
  • Dental Laboratory Technicians: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -4.7%, Median annual wage $49610

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

-4.7%

Declining

Annual Openings

3,900

per year (projected)

Employment Change

-1,600

35,200 (2024) → 33,600 (2034)

Typical Education

High school diploma or equivalent

On-the-Job Training

Moderate-term on-the-job training

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034

Workplace Safety

All safety ratings →
Group

Production Occupations context

Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade

Fatality Rate

3.5/100K

Injury Rate

3.2/100

Danger Index

14.6/100

Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023

Career Intelligence

Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Dental Laboratory Technicians roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Top Skills

Reading Comprehension 3.4
Critical Thinking 3.3
Time Management 3.3
Operations Monitoring 3.1
Judgment and Decision Making 3.1
Active Listening 3.0
Speaking 3.0
Active Learning 3.0
Monitoring 3.0
Complex Problem Solving 3.0

Knowledge Areas

Administration and Management 3.8
Design 3.8
English Language 3.6
Medicine and Dentistry 3.6
Production and Processing 3.5
Education and Training 3.5
Customer and Personal Service 3.4
Mechanical 3.2
Computers and Electronics 3.0
Engineering and Technology 2.8

Key Tasks

  • Read prescriptions or specifications and examine models or impressions to determine the design of dental products to be constructed.
  • Test appliances for conformance to specifications and accuracy of occlusion, using articulators and micrometers.
  • Fabricate, alter, or repair dental devices, such as dentures, crowns, bridges, inlays, or appliances for straightening teeth.
  • Prepare metal surfaces for bonding with porcelain to create artificial teeth, using small hand tools.
  • Rebuild or replace linings, wire sections, or missing teeth to repair dentures.
  • Place tooth models on an apparatus that mimics bite and movement of patient's jaw to evaluate functionality of model.
  • Apply porcelain paste or wax over prosthesis frameworks or setups, using brushes and spatulas.
  • Remove excess metal or porcelain and polish surfaces of prostheses or frameworks, using polishing machines.
  • Build and shape wax teeth, using small hand instruments and information from observations or dentists' specifications.
  • Load newly constructed teeth into porcelain furnaces to bake the porcelain onto the metal framework.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

10th$36,660
25th$40,420
Median$49,610
75th$62,070
90th$76,940

Hourly Rate Distribution

10th$17.62
25th$19.43
Median$23.85
75th$29.84
90th$36.99

Dental Laboratory Technicians pay history, 2015–2025

Published national median across 11 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.

$35,000$40,000$45,000$50,000$55,000 20152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 National median - 2015: $37,190National median - 2016: $37,680National median - 2017: $38,670National median - 2018: $40,440National median - 2019: $41,340National median - 2020: $42,110National median - 2021: $45,770National median - 2022: $46,050National median - 2023: $47,690National median - 2024: $48,310National median - 2025: $49,610$49,610
National median annual wage for Dental Laboratory Technicians, May 2015 to May 2025 OEWS releases
Read the chart as text
Period National median
2015 $37,190
2016 $37,680
2017 $38,670
2018 $40,440
2019 $41,340
2020 $42,110
2021 $45,770
2022 $46,050
2023 $47,690
2024 $48,310
2025 $49,610

2015 median

$37,190

2025 median

$49,610

2019–2025 change (same SOC)

+$8,270 (+20%)

Avg/year (same SOC)

+3.1%

Published national median annual wage and estimated employment for Dental Laboratory Technicians by OEWS release year
Release Median Change Estimated jobs
May 2015 $37,190 First banked release 37,520
May 2016 $37,680 +1.3% 37,110
May 2017 $38,670 +2.6% 35,630
May 2018 $40,440 +4.6% 34,480
May 2019 $41,340 Classification break 34,460
May 2020 $42,110 +1.9% 30,800
May 2021 $45,770 +8.7% 34,150
May 2022 $46,050 +0.6% 33,330
May 2023 $47,690 +3.6% 34,190
May 2024 $48,310 +1.3% 33,920
May 2025 $49,610 +2.7% 34,410

Across the 11 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $37,190 in May 2015 to $49,610 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +3.1% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 34,460 in May 2019 to 34,410 in May 2025.

Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in. This span also crosses a classification change: releases before May 2019 use the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification and later releases use the 2018 SOC, so figures either side of that boundary are not strictly like-for-like. Headline change rates on this page use only the same-classification subset.

Salary by State

View all 47 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 Massachusetts $72,800 +47% above national
2 North Dakota $67,580 +36% above national
3 Maine $64,020 +29% above national
4 Colorado $61,220 +23% above national
5 New Hampshire $60,610 +22% above national
6 Florida $59,790 +21% above national
7 Nebraska $58,590 +18% above national
8 Kansas $56,790 +14% above national
9 Washington $56,400 +14% above national
10 Minnesota $56,090 +13% above national
11 New York $52,460 +6% above national
12 Virginia $51,900 +5% above national
13 Illinois $51,380 +4% above national
14 Arkansas $49,960 +1% above national
15 Indiana $49,920 +1% above national
16 North Carolina $49,700 same as national
17 Michigan $49,570 same as national
18 Georgia $49,310 1% below national
19 Pennsylvania $49,280 1% below national
20 Tennessee $48,880 1% below national
21 Oregon $48,800 2% below national
22 Oklahoma $48,670 2% below national
23 Ohio $48,480 2% below national
24 South Dakota $48,370 2% below national
25 Nevada $48,190 3% below national
26 Arizona $47,930 3% below national
27 Maryland $47,850 4% below national
28 Mississippi $47,770 4% below national
29 West Virginia $47,740 4% below national
30 Montana $47,560 4% below national
31 Iowa $47,520 4% below national
32 California $47,410 4% below national
33 Idaho $47,380 4% below national
34 New Jersey $47,270 5% below national
35 Wisconsin $47,170 5% below national
36 Utah $47,110 5% below national
37 Missouri $46,870 6% below national
38 Kentucky $46,770 6% below national
39 Texas $46,330 7% below national
40 Alabama $45,760 8% below national
41 Rhode Island $45,320 9% below national
42 Hawaii $45,300 9% below national
43 New Mexico $45,300 9% below national
44 Delaware $38,500 22% below national
45 Louisiana $38,490 22% below national
46 South Carolina $37,170 25% below national
47 Puerto Rico $22,490 55% below national

Salary by Metro Area

View all 142 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL $78,010 +57% above national
2 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA $76,170 +54% above national
3 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $75,480 +52% above national
4 Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL $68,640 +38% above national
5 Colorado Springs, CO $68,230 +38% above national
6 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $65,500 +32% above national
7 Portland-South Portland, ME $64,020 +29% above national
8 Worcester, MA $63,730 +28% above national
9 Ann Arbor, MI $61,370 +24% above national
10 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL $61,360 +24% above national
11 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $61,250 +23% above national
12 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $61,220 +23% above national
13 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $60,940 +23% above national
14 Manchester-Nashua, NH $60,600 +22% above national
15 Naples-Marco Island, FL $60,560 +22% above national
16 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $60,510 +22% above national
17 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $59,940 +21% above national
18 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $59,920 +21% above national
19 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL $59,730 +20% above national
20 Bellingham, WA $59,660 +20% above national
21 Twin Falls, ID $59,390 +20% above national
22 Stockton-Lodi, CA $59,110 +19% above national
23 Jacksonville, FL $58,880 +19% above national
24 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $58,780 +18% above national
25 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC $58,720 +18% above national
26 Omaha, NE-IA $58,630 +18% above national
27 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $58,160 +17% above national
28 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL $58,040 +17% above national
29 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $57,610 +16% above national
30 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $57,020 +15% above national
31 Kansas City, MO-KS $56,790 +14% above national
32 Lexington-Fayette, KY $55,540 +12% above national
33 Knoxville, TN $55,340 +12% above national
34 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $55,170 +11% above national
35 Salem, OR $55,050 +11% above national
36 New Orleans-Metairie, LA $54,170 +9% above national
37 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC $53,930 +9% above national
38 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $53,150 +7% above national
39 Ogden, UT $52,970 +7% above national
40 Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL $52,880 +7% above national
41 Columbus, OH $52,570 +6% above national
42 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN $51,750 +4% above national
43 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $51,380 +4% above national
44 Oshkosh-Neenah, WI $51,300 +3% above national
45 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL $51,220 +3% above national
46 Raleigh-Cary, NC $51,110 +3% above national
47 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN $51,050 +3% above national
48 Lincoln, NE $51,020 +3% above national
49 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $50,910 +3% above national
50 Rochester, NY $50,880 +3% above national
51 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $50,850 +2% above national
52 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $50,700 +2% above national
53 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $50,690 +2% above national
54 Memphis, TN-MS-AR $50,590 +2% above national
55 Tallahassee, FL $50,540 +2% above national
56 Asheville, NC $50,440 +2% above national
57 Jackson, MS $50,430 +2% above national
58 Fort Wayne, IN $50,380 +2% above national
59 Winston-Salem, NC $50,230 +1% above national
60 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ $49,920 +1% above national
61 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN $49,920 +1% above national
62 Cleveland, OH $49,820 same as national
63 St. Cloud, MN $49,800 same as national
64 Wichita, KS $49,750 same as national
65 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA $49,660 same as national
66 Tulsa, OK $49,660 same as national
67 Eugene-Springfield, OR $49,610 same as national
68 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH $49,600 same as national
69 Reading, PA $49,550 same as national
70 Rockford, IL $49,310 1% below national
71 Topeka, KS $49,300 1% below national
72 Athens-Clarke County, GA $49,280 1% below national
73 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $49,260 1% below national
74 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA $49,110 1% below national
75 Pittsburgh, PA $49,060 1% below national
76 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO $49,040 1% below national
77 Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA $48,880 1% below national
78 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC $48,810 2% below national
79 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $48,800 2% below national
80 Peoria, IL $48,730 2% below national
81 Lancaster, PA $48,710 2% below national
82 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR $48,710 2% below national
83 Toledo, OH $48,710 2% below national
84 Greensboro-High Point, NC $48,550 2% below national
85 Roanoke, VA $48,550 2% below national
86 Gainesville, GA $48,080 3% below national
87 Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL $48,050 3% below national
88 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $48,010 3% below national
89 Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY $47,970 3% below national
90 Lansing-East Lansing, MI $47,770 4% below national
91 Coeur d'Alene, ID $47,760 4% below national
92 Green Bay, WI $47,750 4% below national
93 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH $47,740 4% below national
94 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $47,610 4% below national
95 Madison, WI $47,570 4% below national
96 Billings, MT $47,560 4% below national
97 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA $47,550 4% below national
98 Syracuse, NY $47,510 4% below national
99 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $47,480 4% below national
100 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $47,460 4% below national
101 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $47,410 4% below national
102 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA $47,400 4% below national
103 Dothan, AL $47,390 4% below national
104 Youngstown-Warren, OH $47,360 5% below national
105 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $47,200 5% below national
106 St. Louis, MO-IL $47,160 5% below national
107 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $47,110 5% below national
108 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $47,080 5% below national
109 Boise City, ID $47,070 5% below national
110 Cedar Rapids, IA $47,030 5% below national
111 Oklahoma City, OK $46,950 5% below national
112 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $46,880 6% below national
113 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $46,880 6% below national
114 Auburn-Opelika, AL $46,770 6% below national
115 Richmond, VA $46,700 6% below national
116 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $46,460 6% below national
117 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA $46,300 7% below national
118 Albuquerque, NM $46,260 7% below national
119 Utica-Rome, NY $46,070 7% below national
120 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR $45,840 8% below national
121 Rapid City, SD $45,800 8% below national
122 Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT $45,770 8% below national
123 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX $45,710 8% below national
124 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $45,320 9% below national
125 Urban Honolulu, HI $45,300 9% below national
126 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI $45,220 9% below national
127 Tucson, AZ $45,190 9% below national
128 Tyler, TX $45,110 9% below national
129 Fresno, CA $45,010 9% below national
130 Mobile, AL $45,000 9% below national
131 Springfield, MO $44,260 11% below national
132 Columbus, GA-AL $43,850 12% below national
133 Birmingham, AL $43,750 12% below national
134 Huntsville, AL $43,580 12% below national
135 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $41,430 16% below national
136 Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ $40,200 19% below national
137 Baton Rouge, LA $40,060 19% below national
138 Wilmington, NC $38,990 21% below national
139 Shreveport-Bossier City, LA $37,450 25% below national
140 Waco, TX $36,490 26% below national
141 Lubbock, TX $36,170 27% below national
142 San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR $22,490 55% below national

Same SOC major group

Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 51 (Production Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.

Showing 5 of 104 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.

Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale

Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Production Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($49,610 here) and reported employment (34,410 jobs here).

Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Dental Laboratory Technicians make?
The median annual salary for Dental Laboratory Technicians is $49,610 ($23.85/hour). The salary range spans from $36,660 at the 10th percentile to $76,940 at the 90th percentile.
Where does Dental Laboratory Technicians pay rank nationally?
At a published national median of $49,610, Dental Laboratory Technicians pay is higher than 32% of the 825 detailed occupations with a published BLS annual median in the May 2025 OEWS release. This compares occupation-level medians, not individual workers, job offers, or this occupation's own worker pay-percentile range.
What state pays Dental Laboratory Technicians the most?
Massachusetts pays the highest median salary for Dental Laboratory Technicians at $72,800/year, which is +47% above the national median.
What education do Dental Laboratory Technicians need?
BLS assigns Dental Laboratory Technicians to High school diploma or equivalent for typical education needed for entry. Typical on-the-job training assignment: Moderate-term on-the-job training.
Does BLS publish a safety rate for Dental Laboratory Technicians?
BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for Dental Laboratory Technicians in this release. WageDex shows the Production Occupations SOC-group rate only as broad context and does not rank it as this occupation's measured rate.
Is Dental Laboratory Technicians a good career?
Employment for Dental Laboratory Technicians is projected to decline 4.7% from 2024 to 2034, which is declining. About 3,900 openings are projected each year.
How does Dental Laboratory Technicians pay vary by state?
Dental Laboratory Technicians salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is Massachusetts at $72,800/year, while Puerto Rico pays the least at $22,490/year. BLS data covers 47 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Dental Laboratory Technicians?
The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL at $78,010/year. BLS reports a median for 142 metropolitan areas for this occupation. The ranking does not establish why values differ.

What to do with this data

How to use Dental Laboratory Technicians pay figures in a real decision

  • The 75th-percentile wage is about $62,070/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
  • Location moves pay significantly: Massachusetts leads at $72,800/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
  • Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs

These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.