Ophthalmic Medical Technicians Salary
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations · 71K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$45,570
Median hourly
$22
Average annual
$47,060
Typical range
$35,700–$61,940
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Ophthalmic Medical Technicians is $45,570 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $22 an hour at a full-time schedule.
Assist ophthalmologists by performing ophthalmic clinical functions. May administer eye exams, administer eye medications, and instruct the patient in care and use of corrective lenses..
Most earn between $35,700 and $61,940 a year. There are roughly 71K people employed as ophthalmic medical technicians in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.
Salary calculator
Convert your pay and see where it lands for Ophthalmic Medical Technicians.
- Hourly
- $21.91
- Daily
- $175
- Weekly
- $876
- Bi-weekly
- $1,753
- Monthly
- $3,798
- Annual
- $45,570
$45,570 a year is around the 50th percentile for Ophthalmic Medical Technicianss. The median is $45,570.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1Minnesota$63,080
- 2Hawaii$58,240
- 3Wisconsin$56,420
- 4California$54,490
- 5District of Columbia$50,790
- 6Vermont$50,090
- 7Maryland$50,070
- 8Oregon$50,020
- 9Alaska$49,970
- 10Massachusetts$49,750
- 11New Hampshire$49,110
- 12New Jersey$49,050
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$102,540
- 2Durham-Chapel Hill, NC$65,000
- 3San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$63,300
- 4Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI$63,080
- 5Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA$62,390
- 6Duluth, MN-WI$61,880
- 7Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI$61,580
- 8Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$60,600
- 9San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$60,440
- 10Bend, OR$59,990
- 11Madison, WI$59,180
- 12Urban Honolulu, HI$58,240
Related job titles
Employers advertise Ophthalmic Medical Technicians roles under these titles.
- Certified Ophthalmic Surgical Assistant
- Certified Ophthalmic Technician (COT)
- Certified Ophthalmic Technician-Surgical Assistant (COT-SA)
- Health Technician (Health Tech)
- Ocular Care Technician (Ocular Care Tech)
- Ophthalmic Diagnostic Sonographer
- Ophthalmic Medical Assistant
- Ophthalmic Medical Technician (Ophthalmic Medical Tech)
- Ophthalmic Scribe
- Ophthalmic Tech (Ophthalmic Technician)
- Ophthalmology Assistant
- Ophthalmology Technician (Ophthalmology Tech)
- Paraoptometric
Related occupations
- Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other$50,290
- Medical Assistants$45,690
- Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians$74,310
- Surgical Assistants$66,800
- Surgical Technologists$64,650
- Healthcare Support Workers, All Other$48,430
- Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$80,110
- Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$96,590
What a Ophthalmic Medical Technicians does
- 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.
- Assist physicians in performing ophthalmic procedures, including surgery.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Ophthalmic Medical Technicians make?
- The median annual wage for Ophthalmic Medical Technicians is $45,570 ($22 per hour). Pay ranges from about $35,700 at the 10th percentile to $61,940 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Ophthalmic Medical Technicians?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $47,060, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Ophthalmic Medical Technicianss the most?
- Minnesota has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $63,080.
- Is Ophthalmic Medical Technicians a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 71K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Ophthalmic Medical Technicians do?
- 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..