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The differences between contact lens technicians and ophthalmic technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a contact lens technician and an ophthalmic technician. Additionally, an ophthalmic technician has an average salary of $44,042, which is higher than the $29,708 average annual salary of a contact lens technician.
The top three skills for a contact lens technician include patients, customer service and appointment scheduling. The most important skills for an ophthalmic technician are patients, patient care, and ophthalmology.
| Contact Lens Technician | Ophthalmic Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $29,708 | $44,042 |
| Hourly rate | $14.28 | $21.17 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 7,585 | 19,063 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 30% | Bachelor's Degree, 40% |
| Average age | 44 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Contact lens technicians and ophthalmic technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Contact Lens Technician | Ophthalmic Technician | |
| Average salary | $29,708 | $44,042 |
| Salary range | Between $18,000 And $48,000 | Between $30,000 And $62,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Portland, OR |
| Highest paying state | - | Oregon |
| Best paying company | - | Eye Consultants of Atlanta |
| Best paying industry | - | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a contact lens technician and an ophthalmic technician in terms of educational background:
| Contact Lens Technician | Ophthalmic Technician | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 30% | Bachelor's Degree, 40% |
| Most common major | Business | Biology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between contact lens technicians' and ophthalmic technicians' demographics:
| Contact Lens Technician | Ophthalmic Technician | |
| Average age | 44 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 12.9% Female, 87.1% | Male, 16.8% Female, 83.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 21.5% Asian, 9.3% White, 56.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 14.5% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 5.8% White, 62.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 6% |