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Ophthalmic technician salary
Average ophthalmic technician salary
$44,042
Average Ophthalmic Technician Salary
As of October 2025, the average salary for an ophthalmic technician stands at $44,042 annually, equating to about $21 per hour. This figure can vary significantly depending on factors such as experience, location, and the specific healthcare setting. For instance, those working in metropolitan areas often earn higher wages compared to their counterparts in rural settings.
Where Can Ophthalmic Technicians Earn More?
Salary ranges for ophthalmic technicians can differ widely across states. The highest-paying states include California, New York, and Texas, where salaries often exceed the national average. Additionally, specialized roles within ophthalmology, such as surgical technicians or those who manage ophthalmic imaging equipment, may command higher salaries and offer unique career advancement opportunities.
Highest Paying Industries
Ophthalmic technicians can find lucrative positions in various industries. Healthcare facilities, such as hospitals and specialized clinics, typically offer the best compensation packages. Furthermore, opportunities in academic settings and research institutions can also yield higher salaries, making these positions appealing for those looking to advance their careers.
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Where can an Ophthalmic Technician earn more?
Ophthalmic technician salary estimates from across the web
Average ophthalmic technician salary by state
The average ophthalmic technician salary in Oregon, Hawaii, and Washington are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average ophthalmic technician salary states are Nebraska, Texas, and Missouri.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for ophthalmic technicians
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut | $47,920 | $23.04 |
| 2 | Oregon | $51,710 | $24.86 |
| 3 | Nevada | $49,022 | $23.57 |
| 4 | West Virginia | $43,437 | $20.88 |
| 5 | Virginia | $48,359 | $23.25 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | $46,923 | $22.56 |
| 7 | Colorado | $46,028 | $22.13 |
| 8 | Rhode Island | $47,562 | $22.87 |
| 9 | Delaware | $45,716 | $21.98 |
| 10 | Washington | $49,091 | $23.60 |
| 11 | Idaho | $45,462 | $21.86 |
| 12 | Wyoming | $48,562 | $23.35 |
| 13 | North Carolina | $45,803 | $22.02 |
| 14 | Utah | $44,076 | $21.19 |
| 15 | Massachusetts | $46,220 | $22.22 |
| 16 | Kentucky | $42,239 | $20.31 |
| 17 | New Mexico | $43,605 | $20.96 |
| 18 | Michigan | $42,504 | $20.43 |
| 19 | Ohio | $43,849 | $21.08 |
| 20 | New Hampshire | $44,418 | $21.35 |
| 21 | Indiana | $40,867 | $19.65 |
| 22 | Arizona | $41,518 | $19.96 |
| 23 | Montana | $44,430 | $21.36 |
| 24 | South Dakota | $42,161 | $20.27 |
| 25 | Alaska | $41,967 | $20.18 |
| 26 | California | $48,610 | $23.37 |
| 27 | Louisiana | $41,100 | $19.76 |
| 28 | Arkansas | $39,774 | $19.12 |
| 29 | Maryland | $44,557 | $21.42 |
| 30 | Wisconsin | $41,152 | $19.78 |
| 31 | Maine | $40,169 | $19.31 |
| 32 | Hawaii | $50,535 | $24.30 |
| 33 | Vermont | $42,046 | $20.21 |
| 34 | New Jersey | $42,500 | $20.43 |
| 35 | Tennessee | $39,569 | $19.02 |
| 36 | North Dakota | $40,439 | $19.44 |
| 37 | Iowa | $37,237 | $17.90 |
| 38 | Georgia | $38,876 | $18.69 |
| 39 | South Carolina | $40,079 | $19.27 |
| 40 | Florida | $38,362 | $18.44 |
| 41 | Illinois | $37,345 | $17.95 |
| 42 | District of Columbia | $44,104 | $21.20 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $40,495 | $19.47 |
| 44 | Kansas | $37,317 | $17.94 |
| 45 | New York | $40,979 | $19.70 |
| 46 | Texas | $36,220 | $17.41 |
| 47 | Missouri | $35,993 | $17.30 |
| 48 | Alabama | $30,723 | $14.77 |
| 49 | Nebraska | $36,226 | $17.42 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $35,235 | $16.94 |
| 51 | Minnesota | $31,945 | $15.36 |
Highest paying cities for ophthalmic technicians
The highest-paying cities for ophthalmic technicians are Portland, OR, Seattle, WA, and Chico, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Portland, OR | $51,625 | $24.82 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $49,350 | $23.73 |
| 3 | Chico, CA | $49,092 | $23.60 |
| 4 | Philadelphia, PA | $47,396 | $22.79 |
| 5 | Brockton, MA | $46,776 | $22.49 |
| 6 | Colorado Springs, CO | $46,043 | $22.14 |
| 7 | Baltimore, MD | $44,855 | $21.56 |
| 8 | Bowling Green, OH | $43,907 | $21.11 |
| 9 | Newark, NJ | $42,687 | $20.52 |
| 10 | Ann Arbor, MI | $42,298 | $20.34 |
| 11 | New York, NY | $41,069 | $19.74 |
| 12 | Madison, WI | $40,999 | $19.71 |
| 13 | Metairie, LA | $40,913 | $19.67 |
| 14 | Indianapolis, IN | $40,734 | $19.58 |
| 15 | Greer, SC | $40,447 | $19.45 |
| 16 | Hendersonville, TN | $39,723 | $19.10 |
| 17 | Pensacola, FL | $39,423 | $18.95 |
| 18 | Gainesville, GA | $39,118 | $18.81 |
| 19 | Evanston, IL | $37,441 | $18.00 |
| 20 | Dallas, TX | $36,169 | $17.39 |
Ophthalmic technician salary details
An ophthalmic technician's salary ranges from $30,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $62,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an ophthalmic technician's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $62,000 | $5,167 | $30 |
| 75th Percentile | $53,000 | $4,417 | $25 |
| Average | $44,042 | $3,670 | $21 |
| 25th Percentile | $36,000 | $3,000 | $17 |
| 10th Percentile | $30,000 | $2,500 | $14 |
Highest paying ophthalmic technician jobs
The highest paying types of ophthalmic technicians are certified retinal angiographer, certified ophthalmic surgical assistant, and ophthalmic medical technician.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Technician | $38,045 | $3,170 | $18.29 | 596,842 |
| Optometric Technician | $30,928 | $2,577 | $14.87 | 33,412 |
Top companies hiring ophthalmic technicians now:
Which companies pay ophthalmic technicians the most?
Ophthalmic technician salaries at Eye Consultants of Atlanta and SightMD are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average ophthalmic technician salary at companies like Omni Eye Specialists and Retina Group Of Washington are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eye Consultants of Atlanta | $62,782 | $30.18 |
| 2 | SightMD | $62,715 | $30.15 |
| 3 | Omni Eye Specialists | $62,316 | $29.96 |
| 4 | Retina Group Of Washington | $61,463 | $29.55 |
| 5 | Discover Vision | $58,611 | $28.18 |
| 6 | St. Luke's Cataract & Laser Institute | $55,769 | $26.81 |
| 7 | UC Merced | $55,118 | $26.50 |
| 8 | The Eye Care Group | $54,673 | $26.29 |
| 9 | Children's Hospital Colorado | $51,711 | $24.86 |
| 10 | Sharp HealthCare | $51,678 | $24.85 |
| 11 | Scripps Health | $51,446 | $24.73 |
| 12 | Dean Mcgee Eye Institute | $51,348 | $24.69 |
| 13 | Boston Medical Center | $51,123 | $24.58 |
| 14 | Summit Health Oregon | $50,650 | $24.35 |
| 15 | University of California-Berkeley | $50,600 | $24.33 |
| 16 | Sutter Health | $50,227 | $24.15 |
| 17 | Parkland Hospital | $50,099 | $24.09 |
| 18 | The University of Chicago | $49,405 | $23.75 |
| 19 | Gundersen Lutheran Medical Foundation Inc. | $49,150 | $23.63 |
| 20 | Aspen Valley Hospital | $48,575 | $23.35 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Ophthalmic Technician salary by industry
The average ophthalmic technician salary varies across industries:
- The average ophthalmic technician salary in the health care industry is $46,771, the highest of any industry.
- The average ophthalmic technician salary in the finance industry is $43,207.
- Ophthalmic technicians in the education industry earn an average salary of $41,971, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for ophthalmic technicians
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Health Care | $46,771 | $22.49 |
| 2 | Manufacturing | $43,207 | $20.77 |
| 3 | Government | $42,192 | $20.28 |
| 4 | Education | $41,971 | $20.18 |
High paying ophthalmic technician jobs
Ophthalmic technician salary trends
The average ophthalmic technician salary has risen by $4,711 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average ophthalmic technician earned $39,331 annually, but today, they earn $44,042 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for ophthalmic technicians over the last decade.
Compare ophthalmic technician salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average ophthalmic technician salary over time
Compare ophthalmic technician salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Ophthalmic technician salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $44,000 | $21.17 | +2.6% |
| 2025 | $42,900 | $20.62 | +1.1% |
| 2024 | $42,400 | $20.39 | +1.7% |
| 2023 | $41,700 | $20.04 | +1.1% |
| 2022 | $41,200 | $19.83 | +0.5% |
Recently added ophthalmic technician salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scripps Health | Ophthalmic Technician-Rancho Bernardo | San Diego, CA | 06/28/2025 | $63,820 |
| Stanford Health Care | Ophthalmic Tech II | Palo Alto, PA | 06/28/2025 | $82,082 |
| Ohio State University Physicians | Ophthalmic Technician-Eye Physicians | Columbus, OH | 06/28/2025 | $44,307 |
| Fdihb | Lead Ophthalmic Technician | Fort Defiance, AZ | 06/28/2025 | $44,182 |
| Stanford Health Care | Ophthalmic Tech II | Palo Alto, CA | 06/27/2025 | $82,082 |
| Pacific Eye Institute | Lasik Ophthalmic Technician | Rancho Cucamonga, CA | 06/27/2025 | $43,827 |
| Sightmd Ny Career | Ophthalmic Technician-Join OUR Growing Team! | New York, NY | 06/27/2025 | $51,132 |
| Northwell Health | Ophthalmic Technician-Temp | New York, NY | 06/26/2025 | $68,767 |
| Southcentral Foundation | Ophthalmic Technician I, II-Vnpcc | Wasilla, AK | 06/26/2025 | $43,117 |
| Johns Hopkins Medicine | Ophthalmic Technician | Arlington, VA | 06/26/2025 | $39,590 |
Ophthalmic technician salary FAQs
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