Dental Laboratory Technicians Salary
The median pay for a dental laboratory technicians in Colorado is $61,220/year ($29.44/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $48K at the entry level to $100K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.71), that's roughly $59,030 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,832/month, about 44.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Colorado. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $61K actually covers in Colorado, month by month
About dental laboratory technicians
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What this looks like in Colorado
Colorado sits well above the national pay line for dental laboratory technicians, local pay runs about 23% higher than the U.S. median of $50K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,832/month, which is 45.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 103.71) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Colorado
Entry-level dental laboratory technicians (10th percentile) start around $48K. Mid-career wages sit at $61K. Top earners bring in $100K or more, a $52K spread from bottom to top.
Dental Laboratory Technicians salary by metro in Colorado
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado Springs | $68K | +11% | 60 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $61K | +0% | 230 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland | $49K | -20% | 30 |
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Track dental laboratory technicians salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Colorado numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a dental laboratory technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Colorado?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $61K, rent takes 45.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,832/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/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 Colorado?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new dental laboratory technicians typically earn — is $48K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,188/month. At HUD’s $1,832/month FMR, rent would take 57% 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 Colorado?
Local pay is 23% above the national median — $61K here vs. $50K nationally.
How does Colorado compare to the national average for dental laboratory technicians?
Colorado pays $61K median vs. the U.S. average of $50K — that’s +23%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.71), the purchasing-power equivalent is $59K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do dental laboratory technicians make in Colorado?
The median is $61,220 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $47,690, and experienced dental laboratory technicians can clear $99,630. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $61K enough to live in Colorado?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,045/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,832/month, which eats 45.3% 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 Colorado?
Colorado has a Regional Price Parity of 103.71 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median dental laboratory technicians salary is worth about $59,030 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.