51
Dental Laboratory Technicians is a notable career in the 51 category. This page provides verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0 (2024), helping you compare Dental Laboratory Technicians against similar careers and make data-driven decisions.
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11
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13
| soc | 51-9081 |
| title | Dental Laboratory Technicians |
| onet code | 51-9081.00 |
| description | Construct and repair full or partial dentures or dental appliances. |
| job zone | 2 |
| major group | 51 |
| tot emp | 33,920 |
| a mean | 54,060 |
| a median | 48,310 |
| a pct10 | 36,100 |
| a pct25 | 39,250 |
| a pct75 | 62,320 |
| a pct90 | 78,680 |
| h mean | 25 |
| h median | 23 |
The day-to-day work of a dental laboratory technicians typically centers on read prescriptions or specifications and examine models or impressions to determine the design of dental products to be constructed. 7 of these 8 tasks are Core O*NET duties; the remainder are common supplemental work. Task descriptions below are quoted from the U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET 29.0 occupation profile.
Workers in this occupation rely most on Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking, and Time Management. Across the top 10 skills, the average O*NET importance score is 3.11 out of 5 — moderately weighted for this role. Importance reflects how essential each skill is for adequate job performance.
Among working dental laboratory technicians, the most common entry qualification is a High School Diploma (51.7%). Bachelor's-degree-or-higher credentials are reported by 6% of incumbents. Most workers enter without a four-year degree, making this a relatively accessible career path.
Median annual pay is highest in Colorado at $63,170 and lowest in Louisiana at $36,720 — a 1.7× spread. The top five states (Colorado, Massachusetts, Alaska, Rhode Island, Minnesota) average $59,258. Figures reflect BLS OEWS May 2024 state-level wage estimates; percentiles shown are for full-time wage-earners in each state.
| State | Median | Mean | 10th % | 90th % | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado | $63,170 | $65,130 | $46,240 | $90,650 | 510 |
| Massachusetts | $59,270 | $66,860 | $42,420 | $105,110 | 280 |
| Alaska | $59,150 | $63,640 | $42,560 | $103,260 | 30 |
| Rhode Island | $57,520 | $52,160 | $36,870 | $68,040 | 50 |
| Minnesota | $57,180 | $56,500 | $38,170 | $73,880 | 440 |
| Florida | $56,910 | $57,890 | $36,540 | $80,620 | 2,170 |
| North Dakota | $56,540 | $59,370 | $39,450 | $81,920 | 70 |
| Washington | $56,360 | $59,220 | $41,390 | $82,160 | 830 |
| Vermont | $56,160 | $57,480 | $39,350 | $85,700 | 50 |
| Maine | $56,020 | $65,350 | $43,520 | $108,770 | 100 |
| New Hampshire | $55,670 | $53,060 | $38,640 | $66,660 | 170 |
| New York | $54,140 | $56,850 | $37,640 | $79,180 | 2,130 |
| Connecticut | $51,480 | $52,740 | $37,970 | $71,200 | 60 |
| Nevada | $50,620 | $57,190 | $35,840 | $86,410 | 190 |
| Montana | $50,540 | $56,050 | $34,510 | $89,630 | 170 |
| Illinois | $50,500 | $54,040 | $36,100 | $79,760 | 1,440 |
| Maryland | $49,850 | $62,910 | $40,000 | $95,750 | 370 |
| Pennsylvania | $49,750 | $54,380 | $34,820 | $81,970 | 1,100 |
| Kansas | $49,620 | $54,450 | $38,710 | $71,220 | 520 |
| North Carolina | $49,460 | $51,620 | $35,320 | $75,850 | 860 |
| Nebraska | $49,170 | $51,750 | $38,080 | $72,040 | 270 |
| New Jersey | $48,780 | $57,490 | $31,620 | $99,050 | 940 |
| Michigan | $48,720 | $54,390 | $36,270 | $76,590 | 1,290 |
| New Mexico | $48,590 | $49,480 | $33,930 | $68,720 | 160 |
| Iowa | $48,560 | $55,450 | $37,310 | $70,180 | 380 |
| Virginia | $48,510 | $58,410 | $35,270 | $79,680 | 1,020 |
| California | $48,480 | $57,240 | $37,850 | $82,770 | 3,950 |
| Oklahoma | $48,480 | $55,340 | $36,730 | $78,730 | 420 |
| Georgia | $48,440 | $53,180 | $34,090 | $77,790 | 1,380 |
| Ohio | $48,250 | $52,180 | $36,600 | $75,540 | 1,110 |
| Oregon | $48,090 | $52,010 | $38,100 | $71,190 | 660 |
| Idaho | $47,750 | $56,400 | $36,000 | $81,290 | 280 |
| Arizona | $47,560 | $55,990 | $36,330 | $81,890 | 930 |
| Indiana | $47,370 | $48,460 | $32,350 | $64,320 | 730 |
| Wisconsin | $47,250 | $51,130 | $37,070 | $68,770 | 810 |
| Missouri | $46,900 | $52,140 | $36,330 | $77,290 | 1,000 |
| Arkansas | $45,880 | $51,130 | $30,670 | $78,360 | 650 |
| Utah | $45,770 | $52,590 | $36,070 | $78,790 | 1,170 |
| South Dakota | $44,610 | $51,570 | $38,630 | $80,290 | 70 |
| Tennessee | $43,970 | $49,330 | $30,430 | $77,700 | 770 |
| Texas | $41,900 | $47,940 | $31,460 | $74,960 | 1,690 |
| Kentucky | $41,760 | $44,520 | $35,250 | $55,460 | 290 |
| Hawaii | $41,600 | $44,500 | $35,890 | $66,040 | 130 |
| Alabama | $40,980 | $42,540 | $30,110 | $56,960 | 1,090 |
| South Carolina | $39,920 | $45,400 | $28,260 | $79,830 | 330 |
| Mississippi | $37,390 | $45,010 | $27,960 | $73,730 | 160 |
| Delaware | $37,320 | $44,470 | $37,320 | $63,070 | — |
| West Virginia | $36,970 | $45,280 | $33,690 | $67,040 | 100 |
| Louisiana | $36,720 | $39,860 | $20,560 | $65,910 | 340 |
Recruiters and job boards use several alternate titles for dental laboratory technicians. Knowing these variants widens your job search — listings for Bridge Technician or Ceramist frequently describe the same role. The list below is a sample of the most common industry variants.
This data helps you understand how Dental Laboratory Technicians compares to others in the 51 category. Use it to make informed decisions based on verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0.
careers with the closest data values to Dental Laboratory Technicians
The CertifyWize editorial team aggregates and verifies careers data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0. Every statistic on this site is cross-referenced against the official source before publication, with quarterly re-verification cycles.
Read our full methodology or contact us with corrections.