Dental Laboratory Technicians Salary
The median pay for a dental laboratory technicians in Salem, OR is $55,050/year ($26.47/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $34K at the entry level to $63K for experienced workers.
So what does $55K get you in Salem?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Salem’s Regional Price Parity (103.6). 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 Salem
Salem sits well above the national pay line for dental laboratory technicians, local pay runs about 11% 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 $1,560/month, which is 44.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 103.6) 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.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for dental laboratory technicians in metros near Salem, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro | $49K | , |
| Eugene-Springfield | $50K | , |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $46K | , |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | $58K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Salem, OR
Entry-level dental laboratory technicians (10th percentile) start around $34K. Mid-career wages sit at $55K. Top earners bring in $63K or more, a $29K 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 Salem numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a dental laboratory technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Salem?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $55K, rent takes 44.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,560/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 Salem?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new dental laboratory technicians typically earn — is $34K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,048/month. At HUD’s $1,560/month FMR, rent would take 76% 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 Salem?
Local pay is 11% above the national median — $55K here vs. $50K nationally.
How does Salem compare to the national average for dental laboratory technicians?
Salem pays $55K median vs. the U.S. average of $50K — that’s +11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.6), the purchasing-power equivalent is $53K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do dental laboratory technicians make in Salem, OR?
The median is $55,050 a year, that works out to about $26 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,140, and experienced dental laboratory technicians can clear $62,920. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $55K enough to live in Salem?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,498/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,560/month, which eats 44.6% 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 Salem?
Salem 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 $53,137 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.