Dental Laboratory Technicians
Dental Laboratory Technicians (SOC 51-9081) earn a median $49,610 a year ($23.85 an hour) in the United States, with 34,410 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Massachusetts.
What dental laboratory technicians do
Dental laboratory technicians make and repair dentures, crowns, bridges, inlays, and orthodontic appliances from a prescription or specification. Using models or impressions of a patient's mouth, they decide on the design, then build the device from materials such as acrylic, metal, and porcelain, including melting metals and mixing plaster, porcelain, or acrylic pastes to pour into molds or over frameworks. To check function, they mount tooth models on an articulator, a device that imitates the bite and jaw movement, and test the occlusion with micrometers. Excess metal or porcelain is removed and the surfaces polished with machines. Some technicians train or supervise other dental technicians or bench workers. Dental assistants are a separate occupation and are excluded from this one.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, a high school diploma or equivalent is the most common level of education reported by workers in this occupation.
Also called: Bridge Technician, CAD Tech (Computer-Aided Design Technician), CAM Tech (Computer-Aided Manufacturing Technician), Ceramist, Certified Dental Technologist (CDT).
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $17.62 | $19.43 | $23.85 | $29.84 | $36.99 | $26.10 | 34,410 |
| Annual | $36,660 | $40,420 | $49,610 | $62,070 | $76,940 | $54,290 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where dental laboratory technicians earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $22.81 | $29.31 | $35.00 | $38.03 | $39.82 | $33.82 | 440 | 0.12 | 0.55 |
| Annual | $47,450 | $60,960 | $72,800 | $79,110 | $82,820 | $70,340 | ||||
| North Dakota | Hourly | $26.44 | $27.87 | $32.49 | $32.87 | $37.19 | $31.82 | 60 | 0.15 | 0.67 |
| Annual | $54,990 | $57,970 | $67,580 | $68,380 | $77,360 | $66,190 | ||||
| Maine | Hourly | $21.00 | $24.91 | $30.78 | $35.00 | $53.82 | $32.62 | 120 | 0.20 | 0.88 |
| Annual | $43,680 | $51,810 | $64,020 | $72,800 | $111,940 | $67,860 | ||||
| Colorado | Hourly | $22.93 | $24.54 | $29.44 | $36.30 | $47.90 | $32.50 | 410 | 0.14 | 0.65 |
| Annual | $47,690 | $51,030 | $61,220 | $75,500 | $99,630 | $67,610 | ||||
| New Hampshire | Hourly | $19.69 | $24.72 | $29.14 | $29.86 | $42.00 | $28.71 | 120 | 0.17 | 0.78 |
| Annual | $40,960 | $51,410 | $60,610 | $62,120 | $87,360 | $59,720 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $17.62 | $18.84 | $22.80 | $29.21 | $35.68 | $25.58 | 4,480 | 0.25 | 1.11 |
| Annual | $36,660 | $39,190 | $47,410 | $60,750 | $74,200 | $53,210 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $17.67 | $22.80 | $28.74 | $35.00 | $37.51 | $28.61 | 2,330 | 0.23 | 1.06 |
| Annual | $36,750 | $47,430 | $59,790 | $72,800 | $78,010 | $59,520 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $19.29 | $23.28 | $24.70 | $26.39 | $32.28 | $25.52 | 2,030 | 0.33 | 1.50 |
| Annual | $40,120 | $48,430 | $51,380 | $54,890 | $67,150 | $53,070 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $18.55 | $22.63 | $25.22 | $29.59 | $36.55 | $27.54 | 1,890 | 0.20 | 0.88 |
| Annual | $38,580 | $47,080 | $52,460 | $61,540 | $76,010 | $57,290 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $14.98 | $17.21 | $22.28 | $28.46 | $35.29 | $24.32 | 1,770 | 0.13 | 0.57 |
| Annual | $31,160 | $35,790 | $46,330 | $59,190 | $73,400 | $50,580 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | Hourly | $23.33 | $29.30 | $37.51 | $37.51 | $37.51 | $33.98 | 110 | 0.37 | 1.65 |
| Annual | $48,520 | $60,940 | $78,010 | $78,010 | $78,010 | $70,690 | ||||
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | Hourly | $18.95 | $20.34 | $36.62 | $36.62 | $36.79 | $29.46 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $39,420 | $42,310 | $76,170 | $76,170 | $76,530 | $61,270 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $22.81 | $29.36 | $36.29 | $38.03 | $39.29 | $33.87 | 350 | 0.13 | 0.58 |
| Annual | $47,450 | $61,060 | $75,480 | $79,110 | $81,720 | $70,440 | ||||
| Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | Hourly | $20.30 | $24.65 | $33.00 | $33.91 | $36.96 | $30.25 | 40 | 0.18 | 0.80 |
| Annual | $42,220 | $51,280 | $68,640 | $70,540 | $76,870 | $62,920 | ||||
| Colorado Springs, CO | Hourly | $22.52 | $28.94 | $32.81 | $39.20 | $48.84 | $34.12 | 60 | 0.20 | 0.92 |
| Annual | $46,830 | $60,200 | $68,230 | $81,540 | $101,580 | $70,970 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $17.62 | $17.62 | $22.34 | $28.96 | $35.11 | $24.10 | 2,710 | 0.43 | 1.95 |
| Annual | $36,660 | $36,660 | $46,460 | $60,230 | $73,020 | $50,120 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $22.90 | $24.70 | $24.70 | $24.70 | $32.28 | $25.80 | 1,440 | 0.32 | 1.44 |
| Annual | $47,630 | $51,380 | $51,380 | $51,380 | $67,140 | $53,670 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $17.95 | $22.34 | $27.96 | $31.38 | $43.24 | $28.91 | 1,400 | 0.15 | 0.67 |
| Annual | $37,340 | $46,460 | $58,160 | $65,270 | $89,950 | $60,130 | ||||
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | Hourly | $18.74 | $18.74 | $22.65 | $29.04 | $36.30 | $25.48 | 710 | 0.85 | 3.86 |
| Annual | $38,980 | $38,980 | $47,110 | $60,410 | $75,500 | $53,000 | ||||
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | Hourly | $16.72 | $22.21 | $24.38 | $30.06 | $37.28 | $26.45 | 690 | 0.24 | 1.08 |
| Annual | $34,790 | $46,200 | $50,700 | $62,520 | $77,540 | $55,010 | ||||
Top industries employing dental laboratory technicians
Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing employ 80.8% of dental laboratory technicians nationally (27,790 jobs) at a median $48,730 a year ($23.43 an hour), followed by Offices of Dentists (16.6%) and Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) (1.3%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing NAICS 339100 | 27,790 | 80.8% | $48,730 | $23.43 |
| Offices of Dentists NAICS 621200 | 5,700 | 16.6% | $51,380 | $24.70 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999100 | 440 | 1.3% | $73,740 | $35.45 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools NAICS 611300 | 90 | 0.3% | $61,060 | $29.36 |
| Offices of Physicians NAICS 621100 | 60 | 0.2% | $46,870 | $22.53 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (34,410). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $45,770 for dental laboratory technicians in May 2021 and $49,610 in May 2025, with employment of 34,150 and 34,410.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $45,770 | $22.00 | 34,150 |
| May 2022 | $46,050 | $22.14 | 33,330 |
| May 2023 | $47,690 | $22.93 | 34,190 |
| May 2024 | $48,310 | $23.23 | 33,920 |
| May 2025 | $49,610 | $23.85 | 34,410 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
46 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts profile | $35.00 | $72,800 | $47,450 | $82,820 | 440 | 0.12 | 0.55 |
| 2 | North Dakota profile | $32.49 | $67,580 | $54,990 | $77,360 | 60 | 0.15 | 0.67 |
| 3 | Maine profile | $30.78 | $64,020 | $43,680 | $111,940 | 120 | 0.20 | 0.88 |
| 4 | Colorado profile | $29.44 | $61,220 | $47,690 | $99,630 | 410 | 0.14 | 0.65 |
| 5 | New Hampshire profile | $29.14 | $60,610 | $40,960 | $87,360 | 120 | 0.17 | 0.78 |
| 6 | Florida profile | $28.74 | $59,790 | $36,750 | $78,010 | 2,330 | 0.23 | 1.06 |
| 7 | Nebraska profile | $28.17 | $58,590 | $40,410 | $69,990 | 190 | 0.18 | 0.83 |
| 8 | Kansas profile | $27.31 | $56,790 | $42,800 | $84,700 | 570 | 0.39 | 1.78 |
| 9 | Washington profile | $27.12 | $56,400 | $39,970 | $78,340 | 670 | 0.19 | 0.86 |
| 10 | Minnesota profile | $26.97 | $56,090 | $39,350 | $76,650 | 390 | 0.13 | 0.59 |
| 11 | New York profile | $25.22 | $52,460 | $38,580 | $76,010 | 1,890 | 0.20 | 0.88 |
| 12 | Virginia profile | $24.95 | $51,900 | $36,100 | $89,490 | 1,050 | 0.26 | 1.16 |
| 13 | Illinois profile | $24.70 | $51,380 | $40,120 | $67,150 | 2,030 | 0.33 | 1.50 |
| 14 | Arkansas profile | $24.02 | $49,960 | $36,410 | $66,470 | 840 | 0.65 | 2.93 |
| 15 | Indiana profile | $24.00 | $49,920 | $35,360 | $67,090 | 680 | 0.21 | 0.95 |
| 16 | North Carolina profile | $23.90 | $49,700 | $36,580 | $75,660 | 990 | 0.20 | 0.91 |
| 17 | Michigan profile | $23.83 | $49,570 | $37,560 | $77,420 | 1,180 | 0.27 | 1.22 |
| 18 | Georgia profile | $23.71 | $49,310 | $34,790 | $80,310 | 1,460 | 0.30 | 1.35 |
| 19 | Pennsylvania profile | $23.69 | $49,280 | $31,680 | $84,570 | 930 | 0.15 | 0.69 |
| 20 | Tennessee profile | $23.50 | $48,880 | $36,520 | $79,020 | 610 | 0.19 | 0.84 |
| 21 | Oregon profile | $23.46 | $48,800 | $35,300 | $71,860 | 570 | 0.29 | 1.31 |
| 22 | Oklahoma profile | $23.40 | $48,670 | $30,470 | $77,420 | 250 | 0.14 | 0.65 |
| 23 | Ohio profile | $23.31 | $48,480 | $36,420 | $76,780 | 1,160 | 0.21 | 0.94 |
| 24 | South Dakota profile | $23.25 | $48,370 | $39,420 | $65,990 | 120 | 0.26 | 1.16 |
| 25 | Nevada profile | $23.17 | $48,190 | $35,310 | $82,240 | 200 | 0.13 | 0.59 |
| 26 | Arizona profile | $23.04 | $47,930 | $36,530 | $77,840 | 950 | 0.29 | 1.33 |
| 27 | Maryland profile | $23.00 | $47,850 | $36,960 | $77,250 | 590 | 0.21 | 0.97 |
| 28 | Mississippi profile | $22.97 | $47,770 | $26,520 | $70,760 | 140 | 0.12 | 0.55 |
| 29 | West Virginia profile | $22.95 | $47,740 | $36,080 | $69,210 | ** | ** | ** |
| 30 | Montana profile | $22.87 | $47,560 | $39,420 | $67,650 | 110 | 0.21 | 0.96 |
| 31 | Iowa profile | $22.85 | $47,520 | $35,750 | $67,450 | 380 | 0.25 | 1.11 |
| 32 | California profile | $22.80 | $47,410 | $36,660 | $74,200 | 4,480 | 0.25 | 1.11 |
| 33 | Idaho profile | $22.78 | $47,380 | $36,280 | $101,230 | 370 | 0.43 | 1.94 |
| 34 | New Jersey profile | $22.73 | $47,270 | $37,340 | $99,240 | 780 | 0.18 | 0.82 |
| 35 | Wisconsin profile | $22.68 | $47,170 | $36,840 | $68,680 | 800 | 0.27 | 1.23 |
| 36 | Utah profile | $22.65 | $47,110 | $37,210 | $79,170 | 1,300 | 0.75 | 3.39 |
| 37 | Missouri profile | $22.53 | $46,870 | $38,650 | $78,430 | 740 | 0.25 | 1.14 |
| 38 | Kentucky profile | $22.48 | $46,770 | $21,120 | $68,660 | 420 | 0.21 | 0.96 |
| 39 | Texas profile | $22.28 | $46,330 | $31,160 | $73,400 | 1,770 | 0.13 | 0.57 |
| 40 | Alabama profile | $22.00 | $45,760 | $32,350 | $61,250 | 1,050 | 0.50 | 2.24 |
| 41 | Rhode Island profile | $21.79 | $45,320 | $38,920 | $66,000 | ** | ** | ** |
| 42 | Hawaii profile | $21.78 | $45,300 | $37,220 | $65,460 | 120 | 0.19 | 0.84 |
| 43 | New Mexico profile | $21.78 | $45,300 | $36,100 | $64,970 | 130 | 0.14 | 0.65 |
| 44 | Delaware profile | $18.51 | $38,500 | $38,410 | $61,200 | ** | ** | ** |
| 45 | Louisiana profile | $18.50 | $38,490 | $23,850 | $71,320 | 330 | 0.17 | 0.78 |
| 46 | South Carolina profile | $17.87 | $37,170 | $29,380 | $61,980 | 260 | 0.11 | 0.51 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (51-9080), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Production Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 51-9081 Dental Laboratory Technicians.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 51-9081, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 51-9081.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.