Dental Laboratory Technicians Salary
The median pay for a dental laboratory technicians in Pennsylvania is $49,280/year ($23.69/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $85K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.97), which stretches that salary to about $51,890 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,351/month, about 39.5% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Pennsylvania. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $49K get you in Pennsylvania?
About dental laboratory technicians
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What this looks like in Pennsylvania
Dental laboratory technicians pay in Pennsylvania tracks closely to the national median, $49K locally vs. $50K nationwide, a 1% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,351/month, which is 40.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Pennsylvania
Entry-level dental laboratory technicians (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $49K. Top earners bring in $85K or more, a $53K spread from bottom to top.
Dental Laboratory Technicians salary by metro in Pennsylvania
7 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre | $76K | +55% | N/A |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $51K | +3% | 640 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $50K | +1% | 60 |
| Reading | $50K | +1% | 40 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $49K | -0% | 60 |
| Pittsburgh | $49K | -0% | 220 |
| Lancaster | $49K | -1% | 70 |
Compare to other states
Track dental laboratory technicians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Pennsylvania numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a dental laboratory technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Pennsylvania?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $49K, rent takes 40.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,351/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/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 Pennsylvania?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new dental laboratory technicians typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,901/month. At HUD’s $1,351/month FMR, rent would take 71% 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 Pennsylvania?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $49K locally vs. $50K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Pennsylvania compare to the national average for dental laboratory technicians?
Pennsylvania pays $49K median vs. the U.S. average of $50K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $52K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do dental laboratory technicians make in Pennsylvania?
The median is $49,280 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,680, and experienced dental laboratory technicians can clear $84,570. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $49K enough to live in Pennsylvania?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,344/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,351/month, which eats 40.4% 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 Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has a Regional Price Parity of 94.97 (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 $51,890 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.