Dental Lab Technician Salary
According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics May 2009 report, the average annual salary for a dental lab technician was $37,690 or an hourly wage of $18.12. The median hourly wage was slightly less at $16.74 with the 10th percentile making $10.27 or lower and the 90th percentile making over $28.07. This shows the range of income that dental lab technicians can make. The annual mean salary for the majority of dental laboratory technicians employed at medical equipment manufacturing companies and offices of dentists was right around the national average. Those that worked in education facilities had an average of $44,270 and those that worked in federal facilities had the highest pay at $53,090.
A dental lab technician’s salary varies on geographical location, experience, and the industry of employment. Dental laboratory technicians can work in a variety of settings including large laboratories, dentist offices, hospitals, educational facilities, manufacturing companies, sales, and even their own lab. Dental lab technicians that become lab managers or become educators can make more. Those that become sales representatives, hold other positions like sales, research, and marketing in dental supplies and manufacturing companies, or operate their own laboratory can make some of the highest income.
Locations also makes a huge different in how much a dental lab technician makes and the table below shows the huge variety between some states. For example the District of Columbia had the highest median hourly wage at $30.21 which in contrast to Delaware’s amount of $13.27 is much greater. The majority of states had a median hourly wage over $15.00. The chart below can be used to determine the possible hourly wage of dental lab technicians in each state but other factors still affect individual pay.
Dental Lab Technician Salary by State
Occupation: Dental Laboratory Technicians
Period: May 2009
| Area name | Employment(1) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage(2) |
|
Alabama |
850 | $16.59 | $34,510 |
|
Alaska |
80 | $26.34 | $54,790 |
|
Arizona |
800 | $15.67 | $32,580 |
|
Arkansas |
370 | $16.85 | $35,050 |
|
California |
4130 | $19.46 | $40,470 |
|
Colorado |
590 | $19.29 | $40,120 |
|
Connecticut |
390 | $20.27 | $42,160 |
|
Delaware |
390 | $13.27 | $27,610 |
|
D.C. |
70 | $30.21 | $62,840 |
|
Florida |
3230 | $16.88 | $35,110 |
|
Georgia |
1100 | $18.68 | $38,850 |
|
Hawaii |
170 | $18.24 | $37,930 |
|
Idaho |
250 | $17.26 | $35,900 |
|
Illinois |
1270 | $18.14 | $37,730 |
|
Indiana |
1270 | $16.71 | $34,750 |
|
Iowa |
470 | $18.46 | $38,400 |
|
Kansas |
550 | $16.39 | $34,090 |
|
Kentucky |
440 | $18.16 | $37,770 |
|
Louisiana |
620 | $13.86 | $28,840 |
|
Maine |
180 | $17.69 | $36,790 |
|
Maryland |
540 | $18.73 | $38,950 |
|
Massachusetts |
860 | $22.66 | $47,130 |
|
Michigan |
1680 | $17.50 | $36,400 |
|
Minnesota |
1180 | $22.50 | $46,800 |
|
Mississippi |
240 | $14.97 | $31,140 |
|
Missouri |
1080 | $18.55 | $38,590 |
|
Montana |
(8)- | $25.20 | $52,420 |
|
Nebraska |
210 | $18.31 | $38,090 |
|
Nevada |
190 | $18.18 | $37,800 |
|
New Hampshire |
160 | $18.75 | $39,000 |
|
New Jersey |
960 | $19.57 | $40,710 |
|
New Mexico |
120 | $16.06 | $33,400 |
|
New York |
2480 | $17.80 | $37,030 |
|
North Carolina |
1210 | $17.78 | $36,970 |
|
North Dakota |
180 | $14.45 | $30,050 |
|
Ohio |
1580 | $17.50 | $36,390 |
|
Oklahoma |
320 | $15.69 | $32,640 |
|
Oregon |
1040 | $18.77 | $39,040 |
|
Pennsylvania |
1520 | $19.21 | $39,960 |
|
Puerto Rico |
80 | $8.36 | $17,380 |
|
Rhode Island |
80 | $14.57 | $30,310 |
|
South Carolina |
240 | $16.65 | $34,640 |
|
South Dakota |
110 | $13.28 | $27,630 |
|
Tennessee |
810 | $16.31 | $33,930 |
|
Texas |
2130 | $16.03 | $33,340 |
|
Utah |
970 | $20.44 | $42,510 |
|
Vermont |
130 | $16.35 | $34,010 |
|
Virginia |
970 | $19.60 | $40,780 |
|
Washington |
1080 | $19.61 | $40,800 |
|
West Virginia |
130 | $14.38 | $29,900 |
|
Wisconsin |
920 | $17.62 | $36,640 |
Footnotes:
Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.
Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by 2,080 hours; where an hourly mean wage is not published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.
