Data current as of August 2026 · sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET
Average base salary, Tennessee
$56,000 / year
≈ $4,650 per month · $26.92 per hour
BLS May 2025 state data for Tennessee · median $50,500
25th percentile
$42,000Average
$56,00075th percentile
$64,500
$42,000Average
$56,00075th percentile
$64,500
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.
Dental Laboratory Technician salary by state
Alabama$47,000
Arizona$55,500
Arkansas$51,000
California$55,000
Colorado$70,000
Delaware$45,000
Florida$61,500
Georgia$57,000
Hawaii$49,000
Idaho$61,000
Illinois$55,000
Indiana$54,500
Iowa$54,500
Kansas$63,000
Kentucky$50,000
Louisiana$46,000
Maine$70,000
Maryland$57,500
Massachusetts$73,000
Michigan$56,500
Minnesota$58,000
Mississippi$48,500
Missouri$56,000
Montana$55,500
Nebraska$58,500
Nevada$56,000
New Hampshire$62,000
New Jersey$61,000
New Mexico$50,000
New York$59,500
North Carolina$54,500
North Dakota$68,500
Ohio$55,000
Oklahoma$53,500
Oregon$53,000
Pennsylvania$56,500
Rhode Island$52,500
South Carolina$45,000
South Dakota$54,000
Tennessee$56,000
Texas$52,500
Utah$54,500
Virginia$61,500
Washington$60,000
West Virginia$51,000
Wisconsin$52,000
About this role
Dental Laboratory Technician is a professional role within the function in the Production job family.
Pay for this title reflects both its level and its scope; see our Title Level and Organization Responsibility guides for how WePayFairly defines them.
What Dental Laboratory Technicians do
Typical education: High School Diploma
- 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.
- Place tooth models on an apparatus that mimics bite and movement of patient's jaw to evaluate functionality of model.
- Remove excess metal or porcelain and polish surfaces of prostheses or frameworks, using polishing machines.
Top skills: Reading Comprehension Time Management Critical Thinking Operations Monitoring Judgment and Decision Making Speaking
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Dental Laboratory Technician pay by experience level
Entry level$38,000
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$42,000
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$51,500
Mid-career median pay
Senior$64,000
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$79,500
Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)
Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.
Job outlook
-4.7%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
3,900
projected openings per year
Declining
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Dental Laboratory Technician salary by industry
Miscellaneous Manufacturing
27,810 workers
$56,000Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing
27,790 workers
$56,000Ambulatory Health Care Services
5,800 workers
$56,000Offices of Dentists
5,700 workers
$56,000Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS
450 workers
$76,000Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation)
440 workers
$76,500Educational Services
130 workers
$57,500Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools
90 workers
$62,500Educational Services, Privately Owned
70 workers
$59,000Educational Services, State Government Owned
60 workers
$57,000National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
How this role compares
Dental Laboratory Technician pays 0% below the average across 112 roles in the Production job family (family average $56,000).
Similar-paying roles in Production
Careers related to Dental Laboratory Technician
Medical Appliance Technician$54,500
Dental Assistant$52,000
Medical Equipment Repairer$68,000
Potters, Manufacturing$49,000
Related occupations from O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Dental Laboratory Technician make?
The average base salary for a Dental Laboratory Technician in the United States is $56,000 per year, or about $26.92 per hour.
What is the typical salary range?
Pay typically falls between $42,000 and $64,500 per year (25th to 75th percentile) depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.
How does this compare with other Production roles?
The Production job family averages $56,000 across 112 roles tracked by WePayFairly.
Need a defensible market price for this role?
WePayFairly data is compiled from published survey sources and maintained by compensation professionals.
Put this data to work
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