Dental laboratory technicians use impressions of a patient's teeth to create dentures, crowns and bridges. They also repair dental work. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, this position rarely requires education higher than a high school diploma, and dental lab technicians are primarily trained while on the job.
National Salary Statistics
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that dental laboratory technicians earned an average annual salary of $38,550 as of May 2011, and hourly pay averaging $18.54. The 25 percent of dental lab technicians who earned the least reported annual incomes of $27,370 or less; 10 percent earned $21,070 or less. Of those who earned more than the median wage of $35,590, 25 percent of all dental lab technicians earned $46,280 per year or more, and the highest-paid 10 percent reported earnings in excess of $59,360.
Pay by Employment Sector
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the vast majority of dental lab technicians worked in medical equipment and supplies manufacturing as of May 2011, where they earned an average annual salary of $38,050. Those working directly in dental offices reported a slightly higher average annual salary of $39,130. The handful of dental laboratory technicians employed by colleges, universities and other professional schools earned an average of $45,250 per year, while the 560 dental lab techs employed by the federal government earned the highest average salary reported for this occupation, $53,980.
State Variances in Pay
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics statistics indicate that dental lab technicians employed in Alaska earned an average salary of $58,930, higher than in any other state. Washington, D.C., ranked second-highest — the average annual salary there was $55,810 in 2011. Other high-paying states for dental laboratory technicians included Massachusetts, at $50,910; Utah, at $46,510; and Montana, at $45,330. As of May 2011, the lowest-paying state for dental lab technicians was South Dakota, where the average annual income was $30,550.
Municipal Variances in Pay
As of May 2011, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the most highly remunerated dental lab technicians of any metropolitan area were employed in and around Anchorage, Alaska, where they earned an average annual income of $58,910. Those employed in the Boston-Cambridge-Quincy area of Massachusetts averaged annual earnings of $57,910, while those employed in the Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Goleta area of California reported an average salary of $52,160 per year. Of all non-metropolitan areas in the United States, dental lab technicians working in west central Utah reported the highest average annual salary, $45,560.
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