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What is an optical laboratory mechanic and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being an optical laboratory mechanic. For example, did you know that they make an average of $24.48 an hour? That's $50,913 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 2% and produce 1,400 job opportunities across the U.S.
ScoreOptical Laboratory MechanicUS Average
Salary
4.0

Avg. Salary $50,913

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
6.0

Growth rate 2%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
9.1
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.51%

Asian 10.04%

Black or African American 5.23%

Hispanic or Latino 15.37%

Unknown 3.69%

White 65.16%

Gender

female 0.00%

male 100.00%

Age - 43
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 43
Stress level
6.0

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level
7.7

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
6.2

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become an optical laboratory mechanic

  1. Explore optical laboratory mechanic education requirements

    Most common optical laboratory mechanic degrees

    Bachelor's

    57.1 %

    High School Diploma

    14.3 %

    Diploma

    14.3 %
  2. Complete relevant optical laboratory mechanic training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New optical laboratory mechanics learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an optical laboratory mechanic based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real optical laboratory mechanic resumes.
  3. Research optical laboratory mechanic duties and responsibilities

    • Document repairs, modifications and inspections in accordance with FAA requirements on both paper and in an automate maintenance information database.
    • Install emt and rigid electrical conduit
  4. Prepare your optical laboratory mechanic resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your optical laboratory mechanic resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an optical laboratory mechanic resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable optical laboratory mechanic resume templates

    Build a professional optical laboratory mechanic resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your optical laboratory mechanic resume.
    Optical Laboratory Mechanic Resume
    Optical Laboratory Mechanic Resume
    Optical Laboratory Mechanic Resume
    Optical Laboratory Mechanic Resume
    Optical Laboratory Mechanic Resume
    Optical Laboratory Mechanic Resume
    Optical Laboratory Mechanic Resume
    Optical Laboratory Mechanic Resume
    Optical Laboratory Mechanic Resume
  5. Apply for optical laboratory mechanic jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for an optical laboratory mechanic job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first optical laboratory mechanic job

Zippi

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Average optical laboratory mechanic salary

The average optical laboratory mechanic salary in the United States is $50,913 per year or $24 per hour. Optical laboratory mechanic salaries range between $31,000 and $81,000 per year.

Average optical laboratory mechanic salary
$50,913 Yearly
$24.48 hourly

What am I worth?

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How do optical laboratory mechanics rate their job?

-/5

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Optical laboratory mechanic reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Mar 2022
Pros

Satisfaction of fixing, repairing broken vehicles and challenge of finding problems and correcting them properly.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2019
Pros

just seeing myself fixing something making it work as new.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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