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The differences between ophthalmic medical assistants and ophthalmic technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become an ophthalmic medical assistant, becoming an ophthalmic technician takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, an ophthalmic technician has an average salary of $44,042, which is higher than the $33,014 average annual salary of an ophthalmic medical assistant.
The top three skills for an ophthalmic medical assistant include patients, patient care and medical history. The most important skills for an ophthalmic technician are patients, patient care, and ophthalmology.
| Ophthalmic Medical Assistant | Ophthalmic Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $33,014 | $44,042 |
| Hourly rate | $15.87 | $21.17 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 80,670 | 19,063 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 33% | Bachelor's Degree, 40% |
| Average age | 37 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 2 |
Ophthalmic medical assistants and ophthalmic technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Ophthalmic Medical Assistant | Ophthalmic Technician | |
| Average salary | $33,014 | $44,042 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $41,000 | 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 an ophthalmic medical assistant and an ophthalmic technician in terms of educational background:
| Ophthalmic Medical Assistant | Ophthalmic Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 33% | Bachelor's Degree, 40% |
| Most common major | Medical Assisting Services | Biology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between ophthalmic medical assistants' and ophthalmic technicians' demographics:
| Ophthalmic Medical Assistant | Ophthalmic Technician | |
| Average age | 37 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 11.7% Female, 88.3% | Male, 16.8% Female, 83.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 21.8% Asian, 9.4% White, 52.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | 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 | 6% | 6% |