Dental Laboratory Technicians Salary
The median pay for a dental laboratory technicians in Baton Rouge, LA is $40,060/year ($19.26/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $68K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.78), which stretches that salary to about $44,129 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,204/month, about 44.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $40K get you in Baton Rouge?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Baton Rouge’s Regional Price Parity (90.78). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About dental laboratory technicians
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What this looks like in Baton Rouge
Pay for dental laboratory technicians in Baton Rouge runs about 19% below the U.S. median of $50K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,204/month, which is 43.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.78 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for dental laboratory technicianss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for dental laboratory technicians in metros near Baton Rouge, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Shreveport-Bossier City | $37K | $44K |
| New Orleans-Metairie | $54K | $58K |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $48K | $47K |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $47K | $48K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Baton Rouge, LA
Entry-level dental laboratory technicians (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $40K. Top earners bring in $68K or more, a $37K spread from bottom to top.
Dental Laboratory Technicians pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Dental Laboratory Technicians salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $73K | +47% | 440 |
| North Dakota | $68K | +36% | 60 |
| Maine | $64K | +29% | 120 |
| Colorado | $61K | +23% | 410 |
| New Hampshire | $61K | +22% | 120 |
| Florida | $60K | +21% | 2,330 |
| Nebraska | $59K | +18% | 190 |
| Kansas | $57K | +14% | 570 |
| Washington | $56K | +14% | 670 |
| Minnesota | $56K | +13% | 390 |
| New York | $52K | +6% | 1,890 |
| Virginia | $52K | +5% | 1,050 |
| Illinois | $51K | +4% | 2,030 |
| Arkansas | $50K | +1% | 840 |
| Indiana | $50K | +1% | 680 |
| North Carolina | $50K | +0% | 990 |
| Michigan | $50K | -0% | 1,180 |
| Georgia | $49K | -1% | 1,460 |
| Pennsylvania | $49K | -1% | 930 |
| Tennessee | $49K | -1% | 610 |
| Oregon | $49K | -2% | 570 |
| Oklahoma | $49K | -2% | 250 |
| Ohio | $48K | -2% | 1,160 |
| South Dakota | $48K | -2% | 120 |
| Nevada | $48K | -3% | 200 |
| Arizona | $48K | -3% | 950 |
| Maryland | $48K | -4% | 590 |
| Mississippi | $48K | -4% | 140 |
| West Virginia | $48K | -4% | N/A |
| Montana | $48K | -4% | 110 |
| Iowa | $48K | -4% | 380 |
| California | $47K | -4% | 4,480 |
| Idaho | $47K | -4% | 370 |
| New Jersey | $47K | -5% | 780 |
| Wisconsin | $47K | -5% | 800 |
| Utah | $47K | -5% | 1,300 |
| Missouri | $47K | -6% | 740 |
| Kentucky | $47K | -6% | 420 |
| Texas | $46K | -7% | 1,770 |
| Alabama | $46K | -8% | 1,050 |
| Rhode Island | $45K | -9% | N/A |
| Hawaii | $45K | -9% | 120 |
| New Mexico | $45K | -9% | 130 |
| Delaware | $39K | -22% | N/A |
| Louisiana | $38K | -22% | 330 |
| South Carolina | $37K | -25% | 260 |
Showing 1–10 of 46 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track dental laboratory technicians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Baton Rouge numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a dental laboratory technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Baton Rouge?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $40K, rent takes 43.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,204/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for dental laboratory technicians in Baton Rouge?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new dental laboratory technicians typically earn — is $31K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,851/month. At HUD’s $1,204/month FMR, rent would take 65% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is dental laboratory technician a high-paying job in Baton Rouge?
Local pay runs 19% below the national median — $40K here vs. $50K nationally. Cost of living is 9% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Baton Rouge compare to the national average for dental laboratory technicians?
Baton Rouge pays $40K median vs. the U.S. average of $50K — that’s -19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $44K — below the national median.
How much do dental laboratory technicians make in Baton Rouge, LA?
The median is $40,060 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $30,850, and experienced dental laboratory technicians can clear $68,220. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $40K enough to live in Baton Rouge?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,753/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,204/month, which eats 43.7% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a dental laboratory technicians salary go in Baton Rouge?
Baton Rouge has a Regional Price Parity of 90.78 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median dental laboratory technicians salary is worth about $44,129 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do dental laboratory technicians get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.