Dental Laboratory Technicians Salary
The median pay for a dental laboratory technicians in Wilmington, NC is $38,990/year ($18.75/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $61K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.42), that's roughly $40,438 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,426/month, about 52.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $39K get you in Wilmington?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Wilmington’s Regional Price Parity (96.42). 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 Wilmington
Pay for dental laboratory technicians in Wilmington runs about 21% below the U.S. median of $50K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,426/month, which is 54.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 96.42) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. 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 Wilmington, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $47K | $48K |
| Greensboro-High Point | $49K | $52K |
| Raleigh-Cary | $51K | $52K |
| Asheville | $50K | $52K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Wilmington, NC
Entry-level dental laboratory technicians (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $39K. Top earners bring in $61K or more, a $24K 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 with published data
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 Wilmington numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a dental laboratory technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Wilmington?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $39K, rent takes 54.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,426/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/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 Wilmington?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new dental laboratory technicians typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,225/month. At HUD’s $1,426/month FMR, rent would take 64% 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 Wilmington?
Local pay runs 21% below the national median — $39K here vs. $50K nationally.
How does Wilmington compare to the national average for dental laboratory technicians?
Wilmington pays $39K median vs. the U.S. average of $50K — that’s -21%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.42), the purchasing-power equivalent is $40K — below the national median.
How much do dental laboratory technicians make in Wilmington, NC?
The median is $38,990 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,080, and experienced dental laboratory technicians can clear $60,620. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $39K enough to live in Wilmington?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,634/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,426/month, which eats 54.1% 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 Wilmington?
Wilmington has a Regional Price Parity of 96.42 (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 $40,438 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.