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How Much Does an Ophthalmic Medical Technician Make?

An ophthalmic medical technician in the US earns a median salary of $45,570 a year, or $21.91 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The average is $47,060, and the middle half earn between $38,170 and $51,390.

Median a year $45,570
Median an hour $21.91
Median a month $3,798
Average a year $47,060

Ophthalmic medical technician pay range

What ophthalmic medical technicians earn at each point of the pay scale. The 10th percentile is a rough guide to starting pay.

Percentile A year An hour
10th (lowest 10%) $35,700 $17.17
25th $38,170 $18.35
Median (50th) $45,570 $21.91
75th $51,390 $24.71
90th (top 10%) $61,940 $29.78

The median is 11% less than the $50,980 median for all US jobs. About 71,010 people work as ophthalmic medical technicians in the US.

After tax and by period

A week
$876
Every two weeks
$1,753
Twice a month
$1,899
A month
$3,798

At the median salary, before tax.

Ophthalmic medical technician salary by state

Sorted by average pay. Minnesota pays ophthalmic medical technicians the most, at $63,580 a year on average.

State Average Median Jobs After tax
Minnesota $63,580 $63,080 720 After tax
California $63,030 $54,490 2,500 After tax
Alaska $56,900 $49,970 90 After tax
Hawaii $55,240 $58,240 190 After tax
Massachusetts $55,210 $49,750 2,330 After tax
Wisconsin $54,920 $56,420 1,260 After tax
Oregon $54,810 $50,020 1,060 After tax
Washington $54,160 $48,840 1,250 After tax
Vermont $53,720 $50,090 150 After tax
District of Columbia $53,130 $50,790 – After tax
Maryland $52,580 $50,070 1,300 After tax
Connecticut $52,160 $48,270 780 After tax
New York $52,110 $48,440 4,250 After tax
New Hampshire $51,940 $49,110 300 After tax
New Jersey $50,720 $49,050 4,150 After tax
Colorado $50,090 $46,260 1,470 After tax
Rhode Island $49,190 $46,500 410 After tax
Maine $49,180 $48,120 320 After tax
Montana $48,900 $47,290 380 After tax
Michigan $46,660 $46,750 1,800 After tax
Illinois $46,500 $47,100 3,250 After tax
Florida $46,310 $46,830 7,020 After tax
Arizona $46,220 $47,040 1,630 After tax
North Carolina $46,080 $45,150 1,630 After tax
North Dakota $46,040 $46,190 220 After tax
Iowa $45,940 $44,030 500 After tax
Pennsylvania $45,110 $45,050 2,890 After tax
Delaware $44,970 $44,540 – After tax
South Dakota $44,330 $42,430 300 After tax
Nebraska $44,230 $45,210 530 After tax
Texas $44,080 $43,640 6,540 After tax
Kansas $43,470 $43,700 630 After tax
Tennessee $43,190 $38,890 1,760 After tax
Indiana $43,110 $43,490 1,610 After tax
New Mexico $42,920 $38,610 400 After tax
Georgia $42,910 $39,150 2,570 After tax
Virginia $42,870 $40,920 1,540 After tax
Ohio $42,860 $40,350 2,510 After tax
South Carolina $42,110 $40,400 1,470 After tax
Louisiana $41,730 $38,750 890 After tax
Missouri $41,620 $40,290 960 After tax
Nevada $41,090 $37,660 960 After tax
Kentucky $40,630 $38,990 1,570 After tax
Idaho $40,420 $38,280 230 After tax
Arkansas $39,110 $37,340 540 After tax
Oklahoma $39,110 $37,920 980 After tax
Wyoming $38,940 $35,740 110 After tax
Utah $38,680 $35,950 680 After tax
Alabama $37,920 $36,680 1,260 After tax
West Virginia $37,500 $36,730 260 After tax
Mississippi $36,980 $36,220 690 After tax
Puerto Rico $32,640 $31,630 –

A dash means BLS did not publish that figure for the state.

Other healthcare practitioners jobs

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (published 2026), for “Ophthalmic Medical Technicians” (SOC 29-2057). Wages are before tax and leave out self-employed workers. All job salaries

About the Job Salaries

Job Salaries shows what more than 500 US jobs pay, from nurses and electricians to software developers and truck drivers. Each job has its median and average salary, hourly and monthly pay, the pay range from the lowest-paid 10% to the top 10%, and a table of pay in every state. The figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, the largest survey of US pay, in its latest release.

How to use it

  1. 1 Search for a job or pick one from the list.
  2. 2 Read the median salary, hourly pay and the pay range.
  3. 3 Check the salary by state to see where the job pays most.
  4. 4 Open the take-home pay calculator to see the salary after tax.

Frequently asked questions

How much does an ophthalmic medical technician make an hour?

The median hourly wage for an ophthalmic medical technician is $21.91, and the average is $22.63. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $17.17 an hour and the top 10% over $29.78.

How much does an ophthalmic medical technician make a month?

At the median salary of $45,570, an ophthalmic medical technician earns about $3,798 a month before tax, or $1,753 every two weeks.

Which state pays ophthalmic medical technicians the most?

Minnesota has the highest average pay for an ophthalmic medical technician, at $63,580 a year. Next are California and Alaska. Pay is usually higher where living costs are higher, so compare take-home pay too.

What is the starting salary for an ophthalmic medical technician?

The lowest-paid 10% of ophthalmic medical technicians earn less than $35,700 a year, and the lowest 25% less than $38,170. That is a fair guide to starting pay, which depends on the state, the employer and your experience.

How much do the highest-paid ophthalmic medical technicians make?

The top 10% earn more than $61,940 a year, and the top 25% more than $51,390.