Dental Laboratory Technicians Salary
The median pay for a dental laboratory technicians in Rapid City, SD is $45,800/year ($22.02/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $66K for experienced workers.
So what does $46K get you in Rapid City?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Rapid City’s Regional Price Parity (89.2). 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 Rapid City
Dental laboratory technicians pay in Rapid City tracks closely to the national median, $46K locally vs. $50K nationwide, a 8% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,336/month, which is 41.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.2 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for dental laboratory technicians in metros near Rapid City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $59K | , |
| Cedar Rapids | $47K | , |
| Omaha | $59K | , |
| Lincoln | $51K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Rapid City, SD
Entry-level dental laboratory technicians (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $46K. Top earners bring in $66K or more, a $28K 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 Rapid City numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a dental laboratory technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Rapid City?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $46K, rent takes 41.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,336/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 Rapid City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new dental laboratory technicians typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,272/month. At HUD’s $1,336/month FMR, rent would take 59% 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 Rapid City?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $46K locally vs. $50K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Rapid City compare to the national average for dental laboratory technicians?
Rapid City pays $46K median vs. the U.S. average of $50K — that’s -8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.2), the purchasing-power equivalent is $51K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do dental laboratory technicians make in Rapid City, SD?
The median is $45,800 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,860, and experienced dental laboratory technicians can clear $65,990. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $46K enough to live in Rapid City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,237/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,336/month, which eats 41.3% 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 Rapid City?
Rapid City has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median dental laboratory technicians salary is worth about $51,345 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.