Dental Laboratory Technicians Salary
The median pay for a dental laboratory technicians in Columbus, GA-AL is $43,850/year ($21.08/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $76K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.3), which stretches that salary to about $49,104 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,088/month, about 36.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $44K get you in Columbus?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Columbus’s Regional Price Parity (89.3). 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 Columbus
Pay for dental laboratory technicians in Columbus runs about 12% below the U.S. median of $50K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,088/month, which is 37% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.3 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% 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 Columbus, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $51K | $51K |
| Gainesville | $48K | $50K |
| Augusta-Richmond County | $54K | $59K |
| Athens-Clarke County | $49K | $53K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Columbus, GA-AL
Entry-level dental laboratory technicians (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $44K. Top earners bring in $76K or more, a $41K 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
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 Columbus numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a dental laboratory technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Columbus?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $44K, rent takes 37% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,088/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/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 Columbus?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new dental laboratory technicians typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,131/month. At HUD’s $1,088/month FMR, rent would take 51% 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 Columbus?
Local pay runs 12% below the national median — $44K here vs. $50K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Columbus compare to the national average for dental laboratory technicians?
Columbus pays $44K median vs. the U.S. average of $50K — that’s -12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.3), the purchasing-power equivalent is $49K — below the national median.
How much do dental laboratory technicians make in Columbus, GA-AL?
The median is $43,850 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,520, and experienced dental laboratory technicians can clear $76,070. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $44K enough to live in Columbus?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,943/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,088/month, which eats 37% 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 Columbus?
Columbus has a Regional Price Parity of 89.3 (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 $49,104 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.