Dental Technicians

Median Salary: $34,800

Many dental technicians across the United States share a number of key professional traits. For example, independence, achievement/effort, and stress tolerance can be crucial for success in the industry, especially when mixed with career training. Around 40,480 individuals were working as dental technicians nationwide in 2009. With that much workplace competition, it's vital to hone these characteristics and receive proper training, particularly if you're aiming to progress in the field.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual income for dental technicians in the U.S. was $34,800 in 2009, which works out to a median hourly wage of $16.70. Of course, income can vary with training and by place. Below, you'll find more data about dental technicians, including wages and job density for metro areas all over the United States.

Dental technicians should be skilled in:

  • Near Vision
  • Problem Sensitivity
  • Arm-Hand Steadiness
  • Deductive Reasoning
  • Visualization

Different individuals go into different careers; dental technicians are typically:

  • Realistic
  • Investigative
  • Conventional

Working as a dental technician requires knowledge in subjects like:

  • Medicine and Dentistry
  • Production and Processing
  • Customer and Personal Service
  • Design

Related Occupations

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Below, you'll see links to more information on the top cities for this occupation (based on the number of individuals working as dental technicians). Note: "Job density" refers to the proportion of dental technicians in each city as compared to the national average.

Alabama
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Birmingham 170 $41,000 $19.70 $71,500 $34.40 9%
Decatur 60 $29,700 $14.30 $34,600 $16.60 267.1%
Dothan 90 $29,500 $14.20 $36,500 $17.60 402.3%
Florence 40 $28,200 $13.60 $33,100 $15.90 129%
Huntsville 310 $31,500 $15.10 $39,700 $19.10 382.3%
Mobile 50 $26,700 $12.90 $32,000 $15.40 -0.3%
Montgomery 40 $34,600 $16.60 $45,800 $22.00 -14.2%
Alaska
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Anchorage 80 $59,400 $28.60 $67,400 $32.40 57.4%
Arizona
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Phoenix 580 $32,000 $15.40 $38,900 $18.70 5.2%
Tucson 150 $32,600 $15.70 $41,900 $20.10 37.1%
Arkansas
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Little Rock NA $32,400 $15.60 $46,400 $22.30 NA
California
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Bakersfield 90 $29,200 $14.00 $36,700 $17.60 4.8%
Chico 70 $36,500 $17.60 $46,500 $22.30 203.5%
El Centro NA $37,000 $17.80 $50,700 $24.40 NA
Fresno 30 $37,300 $18.00 $60,400 $29.00 -69.7%
Los Angeles (Area) 1,780 $37,600 $18.10 $48,800 $23.50 25.2%
Modesto 30 $29,200 $14.00 $55,800 $26.80 -31%
Napa NA $38,600 $18.60 $51,200 $24.60 NA
Oakland 430 $40,600 $19.50 $52,700 $25.30 40.3%
Oxnard 60 $33,500 $16.10 $58,500 $28.10 -34.2%
Riverside 100 $47,400 $22.80 $76,500 $36.80 -72.3%
Sacramento 210 $39,300 $18.90 $50,100 $24.10 -21.9%
San Diego 450 $33,900 $16.30 $45,100 $21.70 14.2%
San Francisco (Area) 510 $36,300 $17.40 $50,600 $24.30 -17.1%
San Francisco (City) 80 $31,900 $15.40 $48,600 $23.40 -74.2%
San Jose 260 $30,900 $14.80 $39,800 $19.20 -4.2%
Santa Barbara 40 $34,500 $16.60 $52,600 $25.30 -15.2%
Santa Rosa 130 $33,300 $16.00 $41,900 $20.10 133.5%
Stockton 60 $30,600 $14.70 $39,000 $18.70 -13.2%
Vallejo 80 $39,100 $18.80 $47,000 $22.60 111.6%
Colorado
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Colorado Springs 110 $41,300 $19.90 $55,100 $26.50 43.9%
Denver 340 $35,400 $17.00 $53,600 $25.80 -9.7%
Grand Junction 30 $42,600 $20.50 $50,400 $24.30 66.8%
Greeley NA $24,200 $11.60 $25,800 $12.40 NA
Connecticut
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Bridgeport 210 $39,400 $18.90 $62,500 $30.00 64.5%
Hartford 100 $37,200 $17.90 $56,900 $27.40 -41.9%
Delaware
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Dover NA $21,100 $10.20 $24,900 $12.00 NA
District of Columbia
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Washington (Area) 640 $38,200 $18.30 $57,800 $27.80 -5.5%
Florida
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Bradenton 170 $31,800 $15.30 $56,300 $27.10 118.7%
Cape Coral NA $17,400 $8.40 $18,600 $9.00 NA
Fort Walton Beach 40 $23,800 $11.50 $36,100 $17.30 49.4%
Gainesville 50 $32,100 $15.40 $50,600 $24.30 41.9%
Jacksonville 310 $37,300 $17.90 $42,600 $20.50 71.3%
Lakeland NA $34,700 $16.70 $42,800 $20.60 NA
Miami (Area) 900 $31,300 $15.10 $38,700 $18.60 42.3%
Naples NA $37,000 $17.80 $43,200 $20.80 NA
Orlando 290 $31,500 $15.10 $39,600 $19.00 -6.8%
Palm Bay 60 $44,300 $21.30 $49,900 $24.00 -6.8%
Pensacola 190 $30,800 $14.80 $36,900 $17.80 307.7%
Port St. Lucie 60 NA NA NA NA 60%
Tampa 580 $34,500 $16.60 $44,100 $21.20 64.8%
Georgia
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Atlanta 570 $38,300 $18.40 $48,100 $23.10 -19.4%
Augusta 80 $37,300 $18.00 $51,600 $24.80 21.9%
Gainesville 190 $35,500 $17.10 $49,500 $23.80 767.4%
Macon 40 $36,000 $17.30 $47,900 $23.00 24.2%
Hawaii
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Honolulu 150 $30,900 $14.80 $40,800 $19.60 13.5%
Idaho
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Boise City 100 $26,600 $12.80 $43,900 $21.10 16.5%
Coeur d'Alene 50 $47,800 $23.00 $69,900 $33.60 176.8%
Illinois
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Chicago (Area) NA $33,800 $16.30 $42,100 $20.20 NA
Springfield 60 $32,800 $15.80 $40,700 $19.60 75.2%
Indiana
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Bloomington NA $16,400 $7.90 $39,200 $18.90 NA
Fort Wayne 130 $31,600 $15.20 $42,000 $20.20 103.5%
Indianapolis 320 $38,300 $18.40 $44,600 $21.50 17.1%
South Bend 30 $35,400 $17.00 $39,400 $18.90 -21.9%
Iowa
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Cedar Rapids 150 $35,600 $17.10 $44,500 $21.40 256.5%
Davenport 100 $34,500 $16.60 $39,700 $19.10 73.2%
Des Moines 90 $37,100 $17.80 $47,600 $22.90 -5.2%
Sioux City NA $34,700 $16.70 $38,700 $18.60 NA
Waterloo 50 $29,900 $14.40 $37,600 $18.10 84.2%
Kansas
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Topeka 30 $33,900 $16.30 $45,000 $21.60 -8.1%
Wichita 110 $29,700 $14.30 $39,100 $18.80 23.9%
Kentucky
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Lexington NA $34,300 $16.50 $40,100 $19.30 NA
Louisville 230 $38,300 $18.40 $49,800 $23.90 24.8%
Louisiana
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Baton Rouge 140 $31,100 $14.90 $36,800 $17.70 24.5%
Lafayette 70 $28,000 $13.50 $31,600 $15.20 65.2%
Lake Charles 50 $21,000 $10.10 $23,500 $11.30 61.6%
New Orleans 140 $27,100 $13.00 $33,600 $16.20 -11.6%
Shreveport 130 $30,700 $14.80 $36,300 $17.50 143.9%
Maine
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Portland 60 $49,100 $23.60 $58,900 $28.30 -4.2%
Maryland
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Baltimore 220 $38,900 $18.70 $44,000 $21.20 -42.9%
Massachusetts
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Boston (Area) NA $44,400 $21.40 $60,100 $28.90 NA
Worcester NA $36,000 $17.30 $39,400 $18.90 NA
Michigan
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Battle Creek NA $32,700 $15.70 $42,400 $20.40 NA
Detroit (Area) 650 $35,700 $17.20 $43,300 $20.80 26.5%
Flint 90 $32,700 $15.70 $38,500 $18.50 106.8%
Grand Rapids 110 $31,600 $15.20 $39,800 $19.10 1%
Holland NA $35,400 $17.00 $39,500 $19.00 NA
Jackson 30 $48,200 $23.20 $52,800 $25.40 95.5%
Kalamazoo 50 $29,300 $14.10 $41,200 $19.80 9.4%
Lansing NA $37,100 $17.80 $40,200 $19.30 NA
Saginaw 40 $32,900 $15.80 $40,600 $19.50 60%
Minnesota
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Minneapolis 1,020 $46,100 $22.20 $57,200 $27.50 89.4%
Mississippi
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Gulfport NA $29,000 $14.00 $35,100 $16.90 NA
Jackson 50 $29,400 $14.10 $38,500 $18.50 -35.5%
Missouri
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Kansas City 490 $34,600 $16.60 $43,100 $20.70 61.3%
Springfield 110 $43,700 $21.00 $53,400 $25.70 85.2%
St. Louis 650 $36,800 $17.70 $49,200 $23.70 61.3%
Nebraska
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Lincoln 100 $34,100 $16.40 $47,800 $23.00 90.3%
Omaha 60 $33,900 $16.30 $46,600 $22.40 -57.1%
Nevada
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Las Vegas 100 $38,900 $18.70 $41,700 $20.10 -62.3%
Reno 90 $36,000 $17.30 $40,500 $19.50 44.8%
New Hampshire
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Manchester NA $42,600 $20.50 $47,600 $22.90 NA
New Mexico
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Albuquerque 60 $33,200 $16.00 $39,600 $19.10 -45.8%
New York
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Albany 90 $32,300 $15.50 $39,100 $18.80 -35.2%
Buffalo 500 $29,600 $14.20 $36,600 $17.60 200.3%
Glens Falls 50 NA NA NA NA 211.3%
New York (Area) 2,100 $36,600 $17.60 $50,100 $24.10 -7.4%
Poughkeepsie NA $49,000 $23.60 $59,400 $28.60 NA
Rochester 80 $33,600 $16.20 $37,700 $18.10 -50.6%
Syracuse NA $36,400 $17.50 $43,900 $21.10 NA
North Carolina
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Asheville 130 $43,100 $20.70 $49,700 $23.90 148.1%
Charlotte 180 $33,200 $16.00 $45,200 $21.70 -29%
Durham 90 $42,300 $20.30 $50,200 $24.20 9.7%
Fayetteville 40 $43,300 $20.80 $56,600 $27.20 4.2%
Greensboro 110 $34,700 $16.70 $38,600 $18.50 -1.9%
Raleigh 80 $40,000 $19.20 $55,100 $26.50 -47.7%
Winston-Salem NA $37,700 $18.10 $41,700 $20.10 NA
North Dakota
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Fargo 110 $29,500 $14.20 $33,700 $16.20 208.1%
Ohio
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Akron 80 $33,100 $15.90 $38,000 $18.30 -19.4%
Canton 30 $33,600 $16.20 $39,300 $18.90 -32.9%
Cincinnati 320 $37,100 $17.80 $52,800 $25.40 3.9%
Cleveland 470 $31,200 $15.00 $39,200 $18.90 52.3%
Columbus 330 $36,100 $17.40 $46,900 $22.50 16.5%
Dayton 130 $40,400 $19.40 $46,900 $22.60 14.5%
Toledo 80 $34,100 $16.40 $41,200 $19.80 -17.1%
Youngstown 50 $32,500 $15.60 $37,200 $17.90 -31.3%
Oklahoma
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Oklahoma City 80 $26,800 $12.90 $35,100 $16.90 -56.8%
Tulsa 130 $31,800 $15.30 $41,500 $20.00 -1.6%
Oregon
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Corvallis NA $40,700 $19.60 $50,300 $24.20 NA
Eugene NA $38,000 $18.30 $46,600 $22.40 NA
Medford 60 $35,200 $16.90 $41,300 $19.90 163.5%
Portland 640 $38,000 $18.30 $44,900 $21.60 107.1%
Salem 50 $37,600 $18.10 $44,100 $21.20 9.4%
Pennsylvania
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Harrisburg 130 $33,200 $16.00 $49,900 $24.00 30.6%
Lancaster 40 $28,100 $13.50 $34,600 $16.60 -39.7%
Philadelphia (Area) 870 $39,100 $18.80 $48,100 $23.10 -2.9%
Reading 110 $31,600 $15.20 $38,100 $18.30 111%
Scranton 80 $38,400 $18.50 $47,400 $22.80 0.3%
York NA $27,900 $13.40 $43,000 $20.70 NA
Rhode Island
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Providence 150 $26,900 $12.90 $33,900 $16.30 -12.6%
South Carolina
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Charleston 60 $26,800 $12.90 $31,600 $15.20 -30.6%
Greenville 50 $29,500 $14.20 $54,400 $26.20 -42.3%
South Dakota
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Rapid City 30 $28,300 $13.60 $33,200 $16.00 83.9%
Tennessee
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Chattanooga NA $38,700 $18.60 $48,600 $23.40 NA
Kingsport 60 $31,300 $15.10 $40,000 $19.20 59%
Knoxville 70 $29,900 $14.40 $34,000 $16.40 -28.7%
Memphis 210 $31,000 $14.90 $37,500 $18.00 11.3%
Nashville 240 $30,900 $14.90 $39,000 $18.80 6.1%
Texas
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Amarillo 30 $37,000 $17.80 $45,600 $21.90 -9%
Austin 300 $28,400 $13.60 $33,300 $16.00 27.7%
Corpus Christi 60 $33,200 $16.00 $47,500 $22.80 11.3%
Dallas (Area) 770 $35,800 $17.20 $44,400 $21.30 -8.1%
El Paso 50 $18,400 $8.80 $24,200 $11.60 -38.1%
Houston 140 $25,800 $12.40 $34,300 $16.50 -82.9%
Lubbock 60 $24,300 $11.70 $31,600 $15.20 55.5%
San Angelo NA $33,700 $16.20 $42,300 $20.30 NA
San Antonio 200 $29,700 $14.30 $39,600 $19.00 -23.9%
Tyler 110 $29,900 $14.40 $33,600 $16.20 269.4%
Waco 40 $38,300 $18.40 $57,900 $27.80 21.3%
Utah
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Ogden 50 $29,900 $14.40 $34,600 $16.60 -13.5%
Provo 160 $42,200 $20.30 $64,900 $31.20 196.8%
Salt Lake City 650 $37,600 $18.10 $42,300 $20.30 241.9%
Vermont
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Burlington 90 $37,700 $18.10 $44,400 $21.30 162.6%
Virginia
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Richmond 180 $28,400 $13.70 $35,800 $17.20 -1%
Roanoke 80 $33,200 $16.00 $40,600 $19.50 64.2%
Virginia Beach 280 $39,800 $19.10 $50,900 $24.50 23.2%
Washington
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Bellingham 50 $40,800 $19.60 $52,500 $25.30 101.6%
Bremerton 80 $28,900 $13.90 $46,400 $22.30 234.8%
Olympia 90 $40,400 $19.40 $60,600 $29.10 192.3%
Seattle (Area) 550 $37,200 $17.90 $50,600 $24.40 23.5%
Spokane 120 $32,200 $15.50 $38,200 $18.40 90.6%
Yakima 50 $31,000 $14.90 $36,300 $17.50 116.5%
West Virginia
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Huntington 40 $30,900 $14.90 $37,700 $18.10 27.1%
Wisconsin
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Green Bay 160 $32,900 $15.80 $40,400 $19.40 218.4%
Madison 170 $34,300 $16.50 $46,300 $22.30 64.5%
Milwaukee 270 $31,800 $15.30 $42,500 $20.40 7.1%
Racine NA $28,200 $13.60 $38,000 $18.30 NA