Ophthalmic Technician Salary by State
BLS OEWS May 2025 · BLS occupation: SOC 29-2057 Ophthalmic Medical Technicians
Ophthalmic Technicians earned a median $45,570 a year ($21.91 an hour) in May 2025 (SOC 29-2057 Ophthalmic Medical Technicians).
The middle half earned between $38,170 and $51,390.
BLS counts ophthalmic medical technicians in every setting, from ophthalmology practices to hospitals.
Annual figures are BLS hourly wages × 2,080 hours. OEWS covers wage-and-salary workers only, so it leaves out the self-employed, workers in private households, overtime pay and most bonuses.
How pay spreads across Ophthalmic Medical Technicians
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $35,700 | $17.17 |
| 25th | $38,170 | $18.35 |
| 50th (median) | $45,570 | $21.91 |
| 75th | $51,390 | $24.71 |
| 90th | $61,940 | $29.78 |
| Mean (average) | $47,060 | $22.63 |
SOC 29-2057 Ophthalmic Medical Technicians: 71,010 wage-and-salary jobs, BLS OEWS May 2025.
Not the same as optometric technician or optometric assistant pay
BLS has no occupation for optometric technicians or optometric assistants, so the figures on this page are not their pay.
The closest available group is ophthalmic medical technicians who work in offices of optometrists: a median of $38,650 in May 2025 (22,900 jobs), shown here only as a labelled benchmark.
Pay by employer setting
| Employer setting (BLS) | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|
| General medical and surgical hospitals | $61,620 | — |
| Offices of physicians (includes ophthalmology practices) | $47,200 | — |
| Offices of optometrists (NAICS 621320) | $38,650 | $18.58 |
| Health and personal care retailers (includes optical goods stores) | $37,850 | — |
Median annual wage for SOC 29-2057 Ophthalmic Medical Technicians by industry, national, BLS OEWS May 2025.
Ophthalmic Technician Salary by State
Median annual wage for SOC 29-2057 Ophthalmic Medical Technicians in each state, BLS OEWS May 2025, alphabetical. "vs. U.S." compares the state median with the national median of $45,570; it is not adjusted for living costs.
| State | Median | Hourly | 10th–90th | Jobs | vs. U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $36,680 | $17.63 | $29,120–$47,690 | 1,260 | −20% |
| Alaska | $49,970 | $24.02 | $44,480–$69,680 | 90 | +10% |
| Arizona | $47,040 | $22.61 | $38,370–$55,300 | 1,630 | +3% |
| Arkansas | $37,340 | $17.95 | $30,210–$47,160 | 540 | −18% |
| California | $54,490 | $26.20 | $38,780–$101,700 | 2,500 | +20% |
| Colorado | $46,260 | $22.24 | $37,150–$65,790 | 1,470 | +2% |
| Connecticut | $48,270 | $23.21 | $40,200–$65,820 | 780 | +6% |
| Delaware | $44,540 | $21.42 | $33,610–$63,250 | Not published | −2% |
| District of Columbia | $50,790 | $24.42 | $37,760–$64,400 | Not published | +11% |
| Florida | $46,830 | $22.51 | $36,330–$59,100 | 7,020 | +3% |
| Georgia | $39,150 | $18.82 | $34,180–$60,010 | 2,570 | −14% |
| Hawaii | $58,240 | $28.00 | $40,370–$64,850 | 190 | +28% |
| Idaho | $38,280 | $18.41 | $34,760–$49,440 | 230 | −16% |
| Illinois | $47,100 | $22.64 | $36,190–$60,490 | 3,250 | +3% |
| Indiana | $43,490 | $20.91 | $34,990–$57,130 | 1,610 | −5% |
| Iowa | $44,030 | $21.17 | $36,860–$58,610 | 500 | −3% |
| Kansas | $43,700 | $21.01 | $32,710–$58,760 | 630 | −4% |
| Kentucky | $38,990 | $18.75 | $30,320–$51,840 | 1,570 | −14% |
| Louisiana | $38,750 | $18.63 | $31,130–$51,630 | 890 | −15% |
| Maine | $48,120 | $23.14 | $39,370–$61,230 | 320 | +6% |
| Maryland | $50,070 | $24.07 | $39,460–$66,820 | 1,300 | +10% |
| Massachusetts | $49,750 | $23.92 | $38,480–$80,220 | 2,330 | +9% |
| Michigan | $46,750 | $22.48 | $37,270–$59,170 | 1,800 | +3% |
| Minnesota | $63,080 | $30.33 | $46,080–$83,330 | 720 | +38% |
| Mississippi | $36,220 | $17.41 | $29,480–$45,140 | 690 | −21% |
| Missouri | $40,290 | $19.37 | $31,470–$50,530 | 960 | −12% |
| Montana | $47,290 | $22.74 | $35,420–$64,370 | 380 | +4% |
| Nebraska | $45,210 | $21.74 | $37,330–$53,350 | 530 | −1% |
| Nevada | $37,660 | $18.11 | $35,530–$49,360 | 960 | −17% |
| New Hampshire | $49,110 | $23.61 | $39,380–$63,930 | 300 | +8% |
| New Jersey | $49,050 | $23.58 | $39,970–$58,250 | 4,150 | +8% |
| New Mexico | $38,610 | $18.56 | $35,250–$58,630 | 400 | −15% |
| New York | $48,440 | $23.29 | $39,100–$68,510 | 4,250 | +6% |
| North Carolina | $45,150 | $21.71 | $36,260–$61,970 | 1,630 | −1% |
| North Dakota | $46,190 | $22.21 | $39,110–$59,920 | 220 | +1% |
| Ohio | $40,350 | $19.40 | $34,570–$53,420 | 2,510 | −11% |
| Oklahoma | $37,920 | $18.23 | $29,330–$48,260 | 980 | −17% |
| Oregon | $50,020 | $24.05 | $40,670–$67,210 | 1,060 | +10% |
| Pennsylvania | $45,050 | $21.66 | $36,300–$55,900 | 2,890 | −1% |
| Rhode Island | $46,500 | $22.36 | $39,380–$60,280 | 410 | +2% |
| South Carolina | $40,400 | $19.42 | $33,000–$51,360 | 1,470 | −11% |
| South Dakota | $42,430 | $20.40 | $36,450–$56,730 | 300 | −7% |
| Tennessee | $38,890 | $18.70 | $32,870–$60,170 | 1,760 | −15% |
| Texas | $43,640 | $20.98 | $31,930–$58,130 | 6,540 | −4% |
| Utah | $35,950 | $17.29 | $30,440–$49,460 | 680 | −21% |
| Vermont | $50,090 | $24.08 | $40,890–$67,210 | 150 | +10% |
| Virginia | $40,920 | $19.68 | $36,170–$52,280 | 1,540 | −10% |
| Washington | $48,840 | $23.48 | $39,840–$79,300 | 1,250 | +7% |
| West Virginia | $36,730 | $17.66 | $26,470–$46,180 | 260 | −19% |
| Wisconsin | $56,420 | $27.13 | $40,910–$66,560 | 1,260 | +24% |
| Wyoming | $35,740 | $17.18 | $34,870–$46,280 | 110 | −22% |
Job outlook
BLS projects ophthalmic medical technician employment to grow from 72,500 to 88,000 jobs from 2025 to 2035 (+21.4%), with about 11,800 openings a year.
Projections count the self-employed and come from a separate BLS program, so their job count differs from the OEWS wage-and-salary count above.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 (Table 1.2), SOC 29-2057 Ophthalmic Medical Technicians. Projected employment includes the self-employed.
Pay by eye care role
BLS publishes wages by occupation, not job title.
Optometrists, opticians, ophthalmic technicians and optical lab technicians each match a BLS occupation; front desk and billing staff borrow the closest available occupation, shown for offices of optometrists.
Compare figures with the same basis only.
| Role | Median shown | What the number is |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $136,570 | BLS occupation (SOC 29-1041) |
| Optician | $47,260 | BLS occupation (SOC 29-2081) |
| Optical Lab Technician | $39,460 | BLS occupation (SOC 51-9083) |
| Ophthalmic Technician | $45,570 | BLS occupation (SOC 29-2057) |
| Optometry Front Desk | $37,740 | Closest available occupation (SOC 43-4171, offices of optometrists) |
| Optometry Billing Specialist | $45,130 | Closest available occupation (SOC 43-3021, offices of optometrists) |
Ophthalmic Technician salary questions
01How much do ophthalmic technicians make a year?
The median annual wage for ophthalmic medical technicians (SOC 29-2057) was $45,570 in May 2025 (BLS OEWS). Half earned more and half earned less. The 10th percentile was $35,700 and the 90th percentile $61,940.
02How much do ophthalmic technicians make an hour?
The median hourly wage for ophthalmic medical technicians was $21.91 in May 2025. BLS converts between hourly and annual figures at 2,080 hours a year, so this is the same median per hour, before overtime, per diem or bonuses.
03Which state pays ophthalmic medical technicians the most?
Minnesota had the highest median in May 2025 at $63,080. Wyoming had the lowest at $35,740. These are not adjusted for living costs; the state table above lists every state BLS published.
04What is the average ophthalmic technician salary?
The mean (average) annual wage for ophthalmic medical technicians was $47,060 in May 2025, against a $45,570 median. The median is the better guide to a typical salary, because a smaller number of high earners pull the average up.
05Which employers pay ophthalmic medical technicians the most?
Of the industries listed above, general medical and surgical hospitals had the highest median for ophthalmic medical technicians in May 2025 at $61,620. Health and personal care retailers (includes optical goods stores) had the lowest of those listed at $37,850.
06Is this the same as optometric technician pay?
No. SOC 29-2057 covers ophthalmic medical technicians in every setting, and BLS has no occupation for optometric technicians or assistants. The closest available group is ophthalmic medical technicians who work in offices of optometrists, with a median of $38,650 in May 2025, a labelled benchmark rather than optometric technician pay.