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Orthodontic laboratory technician education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become an orthodontic laboratory technician. Orthodontic laboratory technicians usually study general studies, biology, or dental assisting. 39% of orthodontic laboratory technicians hold a bachelor's degree, and 22% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 127 real orthodontic laboratory technician resumes to see exactly what orthodontic laboratory technician education sections show.

The most common colleges for orthodontic laboratory technicians are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.

There are also many online orthodontic laboratory technician courses to help get the education required to be an orthodontic laboratory technician.

What education do you need to become an orthodontic laboratory technician?

What degree do you need to be an orthodontic laboratory technician?

The most common degree for orthodontic laboratory technicians is bachelor's degree, with 39% of orthodontic laboratory technicians earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 22% and associate degree degree at 20%.
  • Bachelor's, 39%
  • Associate, 22%
  • High School Diploma, 20%
  • Diploma, 10%
  • Other Degrees, 9%

What should I major in to become an orthodontic laboratory technician?

You should major in general studies to become an orthodontic laboratory technician. 11% of orthodontic laboratory technicians major in general studies. Other common majors for an orthodontic laboratory technician include biology and dental assisting.

Most common colleges for orthodontic laboratory technicians

Orthodontic laboratory technicians often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, Montana State University - Bozeman, and Western Washington University. Here are the most common colleges for orthodontic laboratory technicians in the US based on their resumes.
Orthodontic laboratory technician common collegePercentages
University of Phoenix9.52%
Montana State University - Bozeman4.76%
Western Washington University4.76%
Southwestern University4.76%
College of the Atlantic4.76%

Best majors for orthodontic laboratory technicians

Best colleges for orthodontic laboratory technicians

The best colleges for orthodontic laboratory technicians are New York University, University of Maryland - College Park, and Boston University.

An orthodontic laboratory technician with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for orthodontic laboratory technicians. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become orthodontic laboratory technicians.

1. University of Maryland - College Park

College Park, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$10,595

Enrollment

30,184

2. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

3. Howard University

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$26,756

Enrollment

6,166

4. Ohio State University

Columbus, OH • Private

In-state tuition

$10,726

Enrollment

45,769

5. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

New Brunswick, NJ • Private

In-state tuition

$14,974

Enrollment

35,656

6. University of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$19,080

Enrollment

19,127

7. Rhode Island College

Providence, RI • Private

In-state tuition

$8,929

Enrollment

6,480

8. Midwestern State University

Wichita Falls, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$9,233

Enrollment

5,372

9. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$8,987

Enrollment

18,946

10. University of Alaska Southeast

Juneau, AK • Private

In-state tuition

$7,092

Enrollment

1,216

20 best online courses for orthodontic laboratory technicians

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Top 10 most affordable universities for orthodontic laboratory technicians

The most affordable schools for orthodontic laboratory technicians are SUNY Farmingdale, midwestern state university, and hunter college of the city university of new york.

If the best universities for orthodontic laboratory technicians are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for orthodontic laboratory technicians.

1. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

2. Midwestern State University

Wichita Falls, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$9,233

Cost of attendance

18,110

3. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Cost of attendance

13,998

4. Louisiana State University at Alexandria

Alexandria, LA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,668

Cost of attendance

14,488

5. University of Alaska Southeast

Juneau, AK • Private

In-state tuition

$7,092

Cost of attendance

16,853

6. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

7. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

8. Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College

Tifton, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$3,503

Cost of attendance

12,843

9. University of Louisiana at Monroe

Monroe, LA • Private

In-state tuition

$8,554

Cost of attendance

20,052

10. Clayton State University

Morrow, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$5,419

Cost of attendance

17,697

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for orthodontic laboratory technicians

The hardest universities for orthodontic laboratory technicians to get into are New York University, University of Maryland - College Park, and Boston University.

Some great schools for orthodontic laboratory technicians are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for orthodontic laboratory technicians based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

2. University of Maryland - College Park

College Park, MD • Private

Admissions rate

47%

SAT average

1,390

3. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

4. University of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

59%

SAT average

1,367

5. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

New Brunswick, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

60%

SAT average

1,303

6. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

Admissions rate

58%

SAT average

1,309

7. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

Admissions rate

23%

SAT average

1,398

8. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

9. Ohio State University

Columbus, OH • Private

Admissions rate

52%

SAT average

1,359

10. SUNY at Buffalo

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

56%

SAT average

1,250

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for orthodontic laboratory technicians

The easiest schools for orthodontic laboratory technicians to get into are AdventHealth University, midwestern state university, and oregon institute of technology.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an orthodontic laboratory technician without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for orthodontic laboratory technicians.

1. AdventHealth University

Orlando, FL • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,016

2. Midwestern State University

Wichita Falls, TX • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,033

3. Oregon Institute of Technology

Klamath Falls, OR • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,139

4. Southwestern Oklahoma State University

Weatherford, OK • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,085

5. Rhode Island College

Providence, RI • Private

Admissions rate

73%

SAT average

994

6. Texas Woman's University

Denton, TX • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,059

7. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

8. Old Dominion University

Norfolk, VA • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,093

9. Washington Adventist Hospital

Takoma Park, MD • Private

Admissions rate

52%

SAT average

958

10. Manor College

Jenkintown, PA • Private

Admissions rate

94%

SAT average

898

Average orthodontic laboratory technician salary by education level

According to our data, orthodontic laboratory technicians with a Master's degree earn the highest average salary, at $38,859 annually. Orthodontic laboratory technicians with a Doctorate degree earn an average annual salary of $38,285.
Orthodontic laboratory technician education levelOrthodontic laboratory technician salary
Master's Degree$38,859
High School Diploma or Less$28,100
Bachelor's Degree$37,421
Doctorate Degree$38,285
Some College/ Associate Degree$32,663

Orthodontic laboratory technician education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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