Pay for a dental lab techniciandepends on experience, setting, and metro. Group practices and dental support organizations (DSOs) often sit toward the upper end of the range, since they compete for talent across multiple locations and can offer benefits and advancement a single practice can't.

Across dentistry, hiring is hard and getting harder: staffing is consistently ranked among dentists' top challenges, and open roles routinely take well over two months to fill. For candidates, that means leverage; for employers, it means speed and fit matter more than ever.

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Dental Lab Technician salary in Illinois: FAQ

What is the average dental lab technician salary in Illinois?

The median dental lab technician salary in Illinois is about $51,380 per year ($24.70/hr), based on BLS OEWS data (May 2025). Most earn between $48,430 and $54,890.

How does Illinois compare to the national average?

At a $51,380 median, dental lab technician pay in Illinois runs about 4% above the national median. Local cost of living and demand drive most of the difference.

Which Illinois cities pay dental lab technicians the most?

Among Illinois metros, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin is at the top, with a median around $51,380.

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Dental Lab Technician salary by state