Ophthalmic medical technicians salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $35,700 | $17.17 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $45,570 | $21.91 |
| Mean (average) | $47,060 | $22.63 |
| 90th percentile | $61,940 | $29.78 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Ophthalmic medical technicians pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 52 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $36,680 | $29,120 | $47,690 | 1,260 | 1.3 |
| Alaska | $49,970 | $44,480 | $69,680 | 90 | 0.61 |
| Arizona | $47,040 | $38,370 | $55,300 | 1,630 | 1.1 |
| Arkansas | $37,340 | $30,210 | $47,160 | 540 | 0.91 |
| California | $54,490 | $38,780 | $101,700 | 2,500 | 0.3 |
| Colorado | $46,260 | $37,150 | $65,790 | 1,470 | 1.12 |
| Connecticut | $48,270 | $40,200 | $65,820 | 780 | 1 |
| Delaware | $44,540 | $33,610 | $63,250 | ||
| District of Columbia | $50,790 | $37,760 | $64,400 | ||
| Florida | $46,830 | $36,330 | $59,100 | 7,020 | 1.55 |
| Georgia | $39,150 | $34,180 | $60,010 | 2,570 | 1.15 |
| Hawaii | $58,240 | $40,370 | $64,850 | 190 | 0.66 |
| Idaho | $38,280 | $34,760 | $49,440 | 230 | 0.58 |
| Illinois | $47,100 | $36,190 | $60,490 | 3,250 | 1.17 |
| Indiana | $43,490 | $34,990 | $57,130 | 1,610 | 1.1 |
| Iowa | $44,030 | $36,860 | $58,610 | 500 | 0.7 |
| Kansas | $43,700 | $32,710 | $58,760 | 630 | 0.96 |
| Kentucky | $38,990 | $30,320 | $51,840 | 1,570 | 1.72 |
| Louisiana | $38,750 | $31,130 | $51,630 | 890 | 1.01 |
| Maine | $48,120 | $39,370 | $61,230 | 320 | 1.09 |
| Maryland | $50,070 | $39,460 | $66,820 | 1,300 | 1.03 |
| Massachusetts | $49,750 | $38,480 | $80,220 | 2,330 | 1.4 |
| Michigan | $46,750 | $37,270 | $59,170 | 1,800 | 0.9 |
| Minnesota | $63,080 | $46,080 | $83,330 | 720 | 0.53 |
| Mississippi | $36,220 | $29,480 | $45,140 | 690 | 1.29 |
| Missouri | $40,290 | $31,470 | $50,530 | 960 | 0.72 |
| Montana | $47,290 | $35,420 | $64,370 | 380 | 1.63 |
| Nebraska | $45,210 | $37,330 | $53,350 | 530 | 1.13 |
| Nevada | $37,660 | $35,530 | $49,360 | 960 | 1.35 |
| New Hampshire | $49,110 | $39,380 | $63,930 | 300 | 0.95 |
| New Jersey | $49,050 | $39,970 | $58,250 | 4,150 | 2.12 |
| New Mexico | $38,610 | $35,250 | $58,630 | 400 | 1.01 |
| New York | $48,440 | $39,100 | $68,510 | 4,250 | 0.96 |
| North Carolina | $45,150 | $36,260 | $61,970 | 1,630 | 0.72 |
| North Dakota | $46,190 | $39,110 | $59,920 | 220 | 1.14 |
| Ohio | $40,350 | $34,570 | $53,420 | 2,510 | 0.99 |
| Oklahoma | $37,920 | $29,330 | $48,260 | 980 | 1.25 |
| Oregon | $50,020 | $40,670 | $67,210 | 1,060 | 1.18 |
| Pennsylvania | $45,050 | $36,300 | $55,900 | 2,890 | 1.04 |
| Puerto Rico | $31,630 | $24,960 | $45,760 | ||
| Rhode Island | $46,500 | $39,380 | $60,280 | 410 | 1.79 |
| South Carolina | $40,400 | $33,000 | $51,360 | 1,470 | 1.4 |
| South Dakota | $42,430 | $36,450 | $56,730 | 300 | 1.43 |
| Tennessee | $38,890 | $32,870 | $60,170 | 1,760 | 1.18 |
| Texas | $43,640 | $31,930 | $58,130 | 6,540 | 1.02 |
| Utah | $35,950 | $30,440 | $49,460 | 680 | 0.85 |
| Vermont | $50,090 | $40,890 | $67,210 | 150 | 1.11 |
| Virginia | $40,920 | $36,170 | $52,280 | 1,540 | 0.82 |
| Washington | $48,840 | $39,840 | $79,300 | 1,250 | 0.77 |
| West Virginia | $36,730 | $26,470 | $46,180 | 260 | 0.81 |
| Wisconsin | $56,420 | $40,910 | $66,560 | 1,260 | 0.94 |
| Wyoming | $35,740 | $34,870 | $46,280 | 110 | 0.83 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for ophthalmic medical technicians
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 11,800. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 0.4%.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for ophthalmic medical technicians
- Typical entry education
- Postsecondary nondegree award
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Optometric Technician/Assistant CIP 51.1802
- Ophthalmic Technician/Technologist CIP 51.1803
- Orthoptics/Orthoptist CIP 51.1804
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Take and document patients' medical histories.
- Conduct tonometry or tonography tests to measure intraocular pressure.
- Operate ophthalmic equipment, such as autorefractors, phoropters, tomographs, or retinoscopes.
- Take anatomical or functional ocular measurements of the eye or surrounding tissue, such as axial length measurements.
- Measure visual acuity, including near, distance, pinhole, or dynamic visual acuity, using appropriate tests.
- Measure and record lens power, using lensometers.
- Administer topical ophthalmic or oral medications.
- Conduct visual field tests to measure field of vision.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- AcuityPro
- Email software
- EyeMD EMR Healthcare Systems EyeMD EMR
- Medflow Complete
- MediPro Medisoft Clinical
- NaviNet Open
- Web browser software
- ezChartWriter
- iChartPlus
Transferable skills for career changers: Social Perceptiveness, Service Orientation, Coordination, Judgment and Decision Making, Instructing, Complex Problem Solving.
Common job titles: Certified Ophthalmic Medical Technician (Certified Ophthalmic Medical Tech), Certified Ophthalmic Surgical Assistant, Certified Ophthalmic Technician (COT), Certified Ophthalmic Technician-Surgical Assistant (COT-SA), Health Technician (Health Tech), Ophthalmic Assistant, Ophthalmic Diagnostic Sonographer, Ophthalmic Medical Assistant, Ophthalmic Medical Technician (Ophthalmic Medical Tech), Ophthalmic Tech (Ophthalmic Technician).
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do ophthalmic medical technicians make?
The national median annual wage for ophthalmic medical technicians was $45,570 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $35,700 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $61,940. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do ophthalmic medical technicians need?
BLS lists postsecondary nondegree award as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is ophthalmic medical technicians a growing career?
BLS projects employment of ophthalmic medical technicians to change +21.4% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 11,800 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay ophthalmic medical technicians the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Minnesota ($63,080), Hawaii ($58,240), Wisconsin ($56,420). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.