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The short answer is that it depends!
Many ophthalmic technicians learn on-the-job training fresh out of high school or after earning a GED. And while it’s possible to stay employed and earn money without formal training, investing in ophthalmic technician education and certification offers the best chance of reaching the highest salary levels.
Ophthalmic technicians was one of the many fast-growing healthcare careers in the United States, due to the growing population. However, employment opportunities are decreasing due to increased automation in making eyeglasses and contact lenses. Currently, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS 2025) predicts a 2 percent increase in the coming decade between 2024 and 2034, which is somewhat slower than the national average for all occupations (3 percent).
The BLS shows that the median salary for dental and ophthalmic laboratory technicians and medical appliance technicians is $45,820 (BLS 2025). However, the figures above represent a broad occupational classification for several related jobs. This guide features distinctive salary data for ophthalmic medical technicians, including regional and workplace statistics from the BLS and other sources in the sections below to provide the most specific salary information.
This career combines patient interaction with technical skills and is ideal for those looking for a minimal investment in a high-growth occupation. Ophthalmic technician education and certification are optional but highly recommended to earn the most money. To this point, Sharon Alamalhoaei, COMT, who has worked in ophthalmology for 25 years, says:
“Becoming certified […] distinguishes you from your peers. Taking the [certified ophthalmic technician or COT] exam shows your doctor, your manager, and your colleagues that you take your vocation seriously. In general, this will have incredible benefits for your career and will help propel you to advancement.”
Certified versus non-certified salary figures are noted when available to highlight the differences in earnings. To learn more about how to apply for accredited programs and be eligible for certification, please see our guide to ophthalmic technician schools.
Read on to learn more about how much ophthalmic technicians make, including regional salary data, average pay by work environment, and salary percentages based on education and experience.
Ophthalmic Technician Salary Overall
Ophthalmic medical technicians earn less than the national average for all occupations, which the BLS (May 2024) lists at $67,920 per year or $32.66 per hour. The 76,520 ophthalmic techs nationally earned an average of $45,360.
Levels of education and years of experience are influential factors to consider over a career’s lifetime. The BLS (May 2024) breaks down ophthalmic medical technician salary percentiles as follows:
- 10th percentile: $34,210 or $16.45 per hour
- 25th percentile: $37,100 or $17.84 per hour
- 50th percentile (median): $44,080 or $21.19 per hour
- 75th percentile: $49,730 or $23.91 per hour
- 90th percentile: $60,810 or $29.24 per hour
These are the latest figures available as of October 2025.
As previously discussed, having ophthalmic technician certification can increase one’s chances of earning higher salaries. According to PayScale, a self-reported aggregator of salary data, certified ophthalmic technicians are paid more per hour, but are working fewer hours.
The average annual salary for non-certified ophthalmic technicians is $50,061 or $20.16 per hour based on 834 salary profiles (PayScale 2025). Salary percentiles for non-certified professionals are as follows:
- 10th percentile: $36,000 or $15.45 per hour
- 50th percentile: $50,000 or $20.16 per hour
- 90th percentile: $71,000 or $26.70 per hour
By comparison, certified ophthalmic technicians earn $49,059 per year or $24.09 per hour based on 459 self-reported salaries (PayScale 2025). Salary percentiles for certified professionals are:
- 10th percentile: $35,000 or $18.00 per hour
- 50th percentile: $49,000 or $24.09 per hour
- 90th percentile: $75,000 or $30.18 per hour
As with most professions, having professional certification increases an employee’s chances of earning more over a career lifetime. Moreover, having ophthalmic technician certification puts job seekers in a better position to negotiate raises in current situations and command higher salaries when looking for new opportunities.
In conclusion, salary data varies widely for ophthalmic technicians and depends on cost-of-living, education and experience, full-time and part-time work, and professional certification. Therefore, job seekers need to be fully informed of these aspects to find satisfying and lucrative jobs.
Ophthalmic Technician Salary by State
Cost of living by region is one of the most important factors to consider when looking for jobs and negotiating salary. Dollars earned in a state with a higher cost of living (such as the western and eastern coastal states) will purchase less than dollars earned in a state with a lower cost of living (such as the states located in the southern, central, and mid-western regions).
The Missouri Economic Research and Information Center (MERIC 2025) is a valuable tool for calculating the cost of living and affordability in a particular state. MERIC compares expenses such as groceries, housing, utilities, transportation, and healthcare to determine the rankings of the most- and least-affordable places to live in the United States.
For example, three of the five top-paying states for ophthalmic medical technicians are also in the top 10 most expensive states in MERIC’s 2025 composite cost of living index. While these states offer the highest salaries in the nation, the cost of basic needs and goods such as a place to live, heating and cooling, and food to eat is also high.
Here are the five top-paying states for ophthalmic medical technicians (BLS May 2024):
- Minnesota: $57,530 (annual average) or $27.66 per hour
- California: $53,870 or $25.90
- Vermont: $52,760 or $25.37
- Wisconsin: $52,660 or $25.32
- Alaska: $52,430 or $25.21
Interestingly, Minnesota offers high wages for ophthalmic medical technicians, ranks 22 on MERIC’s 2025 cost of living index. This means that job-seekers in the North Star State are well-positioned to earn high salaries and enjoy a relatively affordable cost of living.
Job availability is another critical factor to consider when looking for employment.
Here are the top five states with the highest employment levels for ophthalmic medical technicians and their annual and hourly earnings (BLS May 2024):
- Florida: 7,160 employed; earning $44,690 per year or $21.49 per hour
- Texas: 6,980 employed; $41,060 or $19.74
- New York: 6,260 employed; $48,820 or $23.47
- California: 4,090 employed; $53,870 or $25.90
- Massachusetts: 3,430 employed; $51,050 or $24.55
Ophthalmic Technician Salary by Region
Metropolitan areas are well-known for offering high convenience and services to their residents. In general, bigger cities and their surrounding regions pay higher salaries to match higher living costs in places with higher population density.
Regrettably, as of October 2025, the BLS has not yet published current metropolitan data.
Based on May 2023 statistics, the 10 of the top-paying metropolitan areas for ophthalmic medical technicians were: *
- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA: $71,180 (annual average) or $34.22 per hour
- Santa Rosa, CA: $68,880 or $33.11
- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA: $64,950 or $31.22
- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA: $64,040 or $30.79
- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI: $58,650 or $28.20
- Anchorage, AK: $58,350 or $28.05
- St. Cloud, MN: $57,680 or $27.73
- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH: $56,320 or $27.08
- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA: $56,070 or $26.96
- Duluth, MN-WI: $54,450 or $25.18
*Note that these numbers are intended only to present a general basis for comparison as current data will vary when it becomes available.
Based on May 2023 data, the 10 of the metropolitan areas with the highest levels of employment for ophthalmic medical technicians and their annual and hourly earnings were: *
- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA: 4,090 employed; $51,760 (annual average) or $24.89 per hour
- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX: 1,840 employed; $41,980 or $20.18
- Chicago-Napierville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI: 1,730 employed; $44,860 or $21.57
- Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL: 1,670 employed; $45,780 or $22.01
- Boston-Cambridge-Nausha, MA-NH: 1,630 employed; $56,320 or $27.08
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA: 1,510 employed; $51,900 or $24.95
- Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ: 1,370 employed; $43,160 or $20.75
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV: 1,260 employed; $48,310 or $23.23
- Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL: 1,240 employed; $42,830 or $20.59
- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA: 1,230 employed; $42,570 or $20.47
*Note that these numbers are intended only to present a general basis for comparison as current data will vary when it becomes available.
For professionals considering career opportunities or relocating, data is available from other sources.
For example, O*Net Online has a wealth of information, including a searchable database of wages, employment, projected growth, trends, and top industries. O*Net also maintains a searchable database of job openings for each state.
CareerOneStop is another source of information nationwide and by state. Their searchable databases include wages and employment for specialties, licensing requirements, and job search tips. They also include resources for job seekers grouped into categories such as new graduates, disabled individuals, and 55+, among others.
PayScale, which relies on self-reporting, compiles the usual wage and employment data, and includes how various skills affect earnings. There’s also information about pay rates in major metropolitan areas.
Ophthalmic Technician Salary by Work Environment
When seeking employment as an ophthalmic medical technician, one final factor is which industries and work environments hire and pay the most.
Here are five industries with the highest levels of employment for ophthalmic medical technicians (BLS May 2023, the latest data available as of October 2025):
- Offices of physicians
- Offices of other health practitioners
- Health and personal care stores
- General medical and surgical hospitals
- Outpatient care centers
These figures show that while physicians’ offices are the top employers in terms of numbers, the industries offering the highest pay to ophthalmic medical technicians are outpatient care centers and general medical and surgical hospitals.
As for the highest salaries, here are the five top-paying industries for ophthalmic medical technicians (BLS May 2023, the latest data available as of October 2025):
- Outpatient care centers
- General medical and surgical hospitals
- Colleges, universities, and professional schools
- Specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals
- Employment services
Interestingly, outpatient care centers offer the highest pay and the fifth-highest employment levels. This could be a lucrative industry for aspiring ophthalmic medical technicians to focus their job searches.
