Optical Lab Technician Salary by State
BLS OEWS May 2025 · BLS occupation: SOC 51-9083 Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians
Optical Lab Technicians earned a median $39,460 a year ($18.97 an hour) in May 2025 (SOC 51-9083 Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians).
The middle half earned between $36,470 and $47,010.
BLS counts ophthalmic laboratory technicians in every setting, from wholesale labs to in-office edging.
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 Laboratory Technicians
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $33,530 | $16.12 |
| 25th | $36,470 | $17.53 |
| 50th (median) | $39,460 | $18.97 |
| 75th | $47,010 | $22.60 |
| 90th | $57,380 | $27.59 |
| Mean (average) | $43,190 | $20.76 |
SOC 51-9083 Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians: 18,660 wage-and-salary jobs, BLS OEWS May 2025.
Optical Lab Technician Salary by State
Median annual wage for SOC 51-9083 Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians in each state, BLS OEWS May 2025, alphabetical. "vs. U.S." compares the state median with the national median of $39,460; it is not adjusted for living costs.
| State | Median | Hourly | 10th–90th | Jobs | vs. U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $37,010 | $17.80 | $26,760–$43,620 | 190 | −6% |
| Alaska | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published | — |
| Arizona | $38,620 | $18.57 | $34,490–$51,890 | 150 | −2% |
| Arkansas | $37,060 | $17.82 | $31,290–$44,990 | 170 | −6% |
| California | $47,410 | $22.79 | $38,230–$79,960 | 1,630 | +20% |
| Colorado | $48,540 | $23.34 | $42,940–$63,610 | 320 | +23% |
| Connecticut | $62,410 | $30.01 | $49,400–$130,460 | 170 | +58% |
| Delaware | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published | — |
| District of Columbia | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published | — |
| Florida | $38,020 | $18.28 | $33,580–$51,160 | 1,230 | −4% |
| Georgia | $45,050 | $21.66 | $35,300–$53,330 | 960 | +14% |
| Hawaii | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published | — |
| Idaho | Not published | Not published | Not published | 40 | — |
| Illinois | $36,840 | $17.71 | $35,300–$47,990 | 830 | −7% |
| Indiana | $37,360 | $17.96 | $34,200–$58,050 | 330 | −5% |
| Iowa | $33,910 | $16.30 | $30,360–$52,690 | 100 | −14% |
| Kansas | $44,920 | $21.60 | $37,960–$45,990 | Not published | +14% |
| Kentucky | $36,650 | $17.62 | $28,860–$47,150 | 610 | −7% |
| Louisiana | $37,160 | $17.86 | $30,880–$45,530 | 300 | −6% |
| Maine | $43,520 | $20.92 | $32,750–$61,270 | 50 | +10% |
| Maryland | $47,100 | $22.64 | $33,590–$60,410 | 360 | +19% |
| Massachusetts | $43,100 | $20.72 | $36,570–$64,770 | Not published | +9% |
| Michigan | $45,490 | $21.87 | $36,620–$49,380 | 330 | +15% |
| Minnesota | $40,280 | $19.37 | $34,020–$49,570 | 1,110 | +2% |
| Mississippi | $35,230 | $16.94 | $27,460–$46,110 | 220 | −11% |
| Missouri | $38,740 | $18.62 | $30,690–$49,450 | 360 | −2% |
| Montana | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published | — |
| Nebraska | $40,640 | $19.54 | $36,370–$50,250 | 170 | +3% |
| Nevada | $38,990 | $18.74 | $34,030–$49,230 | 240 | −1% |
| New Hampshire | $59,460 | $28.59 | $38,170–$80,370 | 180 | +51% |
| New Jersey | $47,420 | $22.80 | $35,800–$48,400 | Not published | +20% |
| New Mexico | $38,590 | $18.55 | $31,010–$58,240 | 130 | −2% |
| New York | $42,450 | $20.41 | $35,170–$49,370 | 1,250 | +8% |
| North Carolina | $44,140 | $21.22 | $33,890–$57,630 | 210 | +12% |
| North Dakota | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published | — |
| Ohio | $46,320 | $22.27 | $37,180–$48,480 | 560 | +17% |
| Oklahoma | $35,620 | $17.12 | $29,830–$50,420 | 210 | −10% |
| Oregon | $45,780 | $22.01 | $38,650–$58,630 | 250 | +16% |
| Pennsylvania | $37,680 | $18.12 | $30,160–$49,750 | 510 | −5% |
| Rhode Island | $47,440 | $22.81 | $36,490–$60,360 | 70 | +20% |
| South Carolina | $34,140 | $16.42 | $24,870–$68,910 | 130 | −13% |
| South Dakota | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published | — |
| Tennessee | $37,370 | $17.97 | $33,880–$51,750 | 130 | −5% |
| Texas | $37,920 | $18.23 | $30,710–$46,220 | 3,380 | −4% |
| Utah | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published | — |
| Vermont | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published | — |
| Virginia | $34,170 | $16.43 | $30,670–$55,860 | 470 | −13% |
| Washington | $49,230 | $23.67 | $42,240–$59,490 | 260 | +25% |
| West Virginia | $37,140 | $17.86 | $30,200–$41,600 | Not published | −6% |
| Wisconsin | $42,920 | $20.64 | $32,900–$48,690 | 200 | +9% |
| Wyoming | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published | — |
BLS does not publish this figure for Alaska, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Wyoming. BLS suppresses estimates it cannot publish reliably; no figure is estimated for them here.
Job outlook
BLS projects ophthalmic laboratory technician employment to grow from 18,600 to 19,000 jobs from 2025 to 2035 (+2.2%), with about 2,200 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 51-9083 Ophthalmic Laboratory 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) |
Optical Lab Technician salary questions
01How much do optical lab technicians make a year?
The median annual wage for ophthalmic laboratory technicians (SOC 51-9083) was $39,460 in May 2025 (BLS OEWS). Half earned more and half earned less. The 10th percentile was $33,530 and the 90th percentile $57,380.
02How much do optical lab technicians make an hour?
The median hourly wage for ophthalmic laboratory technicians was $18.97 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 laboratory technicians the most?
Connecticut had the highest median in May 2025 at $62,410. Iowa had the lowest at $33,910. These are not adjusted for living costs; the state table above lists every state BLS published.
04What is the average optical lab technician salary?
The mean (average) annual wage for ophthalmic laboratory technicians was $43,190 in May 2025, against a $39,460 median. The median is the better guide to a typical salary, because a smaller number of high earners pull the average up.
05Which optical lab workers does this cover?
SOC 51-9083 counts ophthalmic laboratory technicians in every setting, from wholesale labs to in-office edging. BLS does not publish separate figures by type of lab.