Average Ophthalmic Medical Technicians Salary in the United States
The national median salary for Ophthalmic Medical Technicians is $44,080 per year. The middle 50% earn between $37,100 and $49,730, with 76,520 workers employed nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2024 estimates . Data covers 51 states and 246 metro areas.
Wage range
Pay distribution
Here is how Ophthalmic Medical Technicians pay is distributed across workers nationally. The 10th percentile typically reflects entry-level or early-career pay, the median is the midpoint, and the 90th percentile represents the top earners in the field.
- 10th
- $34,210
- 25th
- $37,100
- Median
- $44,080
- 75th
- $49,730
- 90th
- $60,810
All values are percentiles of annual wages.
Ophthalmic Medical Technicians earn close to the national median for all US workers. Solidly middle-income.
The spread between entry-level and top-end pay is typical for US occupations. Experience and specialization matter, but the range is not unusually wide.
BLS projections
Job outlook
BLS projects employment for ophthalmic medical technicians from 2024 to 2034. Ophthalmic Medical Technicians are projected to grow much faster than average, more than double the roughly 4% growth rate for all US occupations. Demand is strong and outpacing most of the labor market.
- Projected growth
- +19.8%
- 15,600 net jobs over the projection period.
- Annual openings
- 12,500
- Includes growth plus replacements for workers who leave. Annual openings are high relative to the workforce size, reflecting meaningful turnover and new-hire volume.
- Typical entry education
- Postsecondary nondegree award
Postsecondary training beyond high school is typically required, but a full four-year degree is not always necessary.
Where Ophthalmic Medical Technicians earn the most
Location matters a lot. The gap between top-paying and bottom-paying states is large, so where ophthalmic medical technicians work can reshape their total compensation. Right now, the top-paying state is Minnesota at $60,810, about 38.0% above the national median. At the metro level, Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA leads with a median of $101,440.
By state
Top-paying states
| State | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | $60,810 | 990 |
| Wisconsin | $50,660 | 1,210 |
| Vermont | $49,080 | 180 |
| Washington | $48,960 | 1,430 |
| Oregon | $48,730 | 1,410 |
| Connecticut | $48,520 | 630 |
| California | $47,940 | 4,090 |
| Maryland | $47,490 | 1,550 |
By metro
Top-paying metros
| Metro area | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $101,440 | 40 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $60,810 | 730 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $58,790 | 700 |
| Eau Claire, WI | $57,930 | 60 |
| Vallejo, CA | $57,600 | 30 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $55,220 | 540 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $54,680 | 730 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $52,620 | 1,200 |
Compare two locations side by side
Pick two states or metros to see ophthalmic medical technicians pay in each, along with a cost-of-living adjusted view.
Salary trend and related occupations
Between 2019 and 2024, the national median salary for Ophthalmic Medical Technicians rose from $36,940 to $44,080, a gain of +19.3% in nominal dollars.
Over the same period, US consumer prices rose by +22.7%. Just to keep pace with inflation, the 2019 median of $36,940 would need to be worth $45,325 in 2024 dollars.
The actual 2024 median of $44,080 is −$1,245 below that inflation-adjusted benchmark, a real change of -2.7% in purchasing power.
Adjusted for inflation, pay has lost ground. Nominal growth of 19.3% has not kept up with rising prices.
- Nominal change
- +19.3%
- 2019–2024
- Cumulative inflation
- +22.7%
- US CPI, 2019–2024
- Real change
- -2.7%
- After adjusting for inflation
Annual history
Median salary over time
Ophthalmic Medical Technicians median pay by year, going back through the available BLS releases.
- 2019
- $36,940
- 2020
- $37,940
- 2021
- $37,180
- 2022
- $38,860
- 2023
- $41,780
- 2024
- $44,080
Similar jobs
Related occupations
Other occupations in the same field, with median pay for comparison.
- Pharmacy Technicians
- $43,460
- Psychiatric Technicians
- $42,590
- Opticians, Dispensing
- $46,560
- Emergency Medical Technicians
- $41,340
- Medical Records Specialists
- $50,250
- Dietetic Technicians
- $37,040
Common salary questions for Ophthalmic Medical Technicians
What does the median salary mean? +
The median is the midpoint of all wages. Half of Ophthalmic Medical Technicians workers earn more and half earn less. It is a better measure of typical pay than the average, which can be skewed by very high or very low earners.
Why does pay vary so much by location? +
Local labor markets, cost of living, industry concentration, and employer competition all affect wages. High-cost metros like San Francisco and New York often pay more in nominal terms, though some of that premium is offset by higher living costs.
How current is this salary data? +
This page uses the May 2024 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release. BLS publishes OEWS data once per year, typically in the spring for the previous May reference period.
What do the percentile ranges tell me? +
The 10th and 90th percentiles show the full pay band. The 25th to 75th percentile range, the middle 50%, is where most workers fall. A wide spread usually means experience, specialization, or location matter a lot for this occupation.