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Optical laboratory technician education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read
Usually, optical laboratory technicians don't need a college education. The most common degree for optical laboratory technicians is bachelor's degree with 30% graduates, with only 26% optical laboratory technician graduates earning associate degree. Optical laboratory technicians who decided to graduate from college often finish Oakland University or University of Phoenix. Some good skills to have in this position include equipment maintenance, prescription glasses and dexterity.

What education do you need to become an optical laboratory technician?

What degree do you need to be an optical laboratory technician?

The most common degree for optical laboratory technicians is bachelor's degree, with 30% of optical laboratory technicians earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 26% and associate degree degree at 25%.
  • Bachelor's, 30%
  • Associate, 26%
  • High School Diploma, 25%
  • Diploma, 9%
  • Other Degrees, 10%

What should I major in to become an optical laboratory technician?

You should major in business to become an optical laboratory technician. 19% of optical laboratory technicians major in business. Other common majors for an optical laboratory technician include physics and general studies.

Best majors for optical laboratory technicians

RankMajorPercentages
1Business18.9%
2Physics6.6%
3General Studies6.2%
4Biology6.2%
5Criminal Justice5.8%

20 best online courses for optical laboratory technicians

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1. Optical Engineering

coursera

The courses in this specialization can also be taken for academic credit as ECEA 5600-5602, part of CU Boulder’s Master of Science in Electrical Engineering degree. Enroll here.\n\nOptical instruments are how we see the world, from corrective eyewear to medical endoscopes to cell phone cameras to orbiting telescopes. This course will teach you how to design such optical systems with simple graphical techniques, then transform those pencil and paper designs to include real optical components...

2. Active Optical Devices

coursera

The courses in this specialization can also be taken for academic credit as ECEA 5605-5607, part of CU Boulder’s Master of Science in Electrical Engineering degree. Enroll here.\n\nThis Active Optical Devices specialization is designed to help you gain complete understanding of active optical devices by clearly defining and interconnecting the fundamental physical mechanisms, device design principles, and device performance. You will study and gain active experience with light emitting...

3. Introduction To Fiber Optic Cabling

udemy
4.3
(2,759)

Welcome! This course is designed to give you a good understand of fiber optics and fiber data transmission...

4. IT network cabling: The complete fiber optics course

udemy
4.5
(840)

Demystifying fiber optics, the fastest growing ICT network infrastructure sector one lesson at a time!...

5. Design of High-Performance Optical Systems

coursera

This course can also be taken for academic credit as ECEA 5602, part of CU Boulder’s Master of Science in Electrical Engineering degree. Optical instruments are how we see the world, from corrective eyewear to medical endoscopes to cell phone cameras to orbiting telescopes. This course extends what you have learned about first-order, paraxial system design and optical resolution and efficiency with the introduction to real lenses and their imperfections. We begin with a description of how...

6. Waves and Optics

coursera

This specialization is for learners who have completed a first-year university-level physics course and wants to continue their study. Through three courses, you will gain a foundation in waves and optics ranging from simple oscillators and waves in strings, to advanced diffraction effects of electromagnetic waves. With an entire semester of lectures and over 100 problems, this comprehensive specialization is similar in detail and rigor to what is taught in on-campus courses. It will thoroughly...

7. Optical Fiber Access Networks Using PON/FTTH

udemy
4.4
(1,233)

All you need to know for getting started with FTTx Technology...

8. Optical Fiber Transmission Networks Using DWDM Technology

udemy
4.5
(615)

All you require to start with DWDM Technology, fundamentals, components: Mux/Demux, ROADMS, Amplifiers, transponders etc...

9. Python Optical Character Recognition using Pytorch

coursera

Note: The rhyme platform currently does not support webcams, so this is not a live project. This guided project is about optical character recognition using Pythorch, a Python library. This comes under the computer vision domain. While you are watching me code, you will get a cloud desktop with all the required software pre-installed. This will allow you to code along with me. After all, we learn best with active, hands-on learning. Note: This project works best for learners who are based in...

10. Pharmacy Technician Fundamentals

coursera

In this foundational Pharmacy Technician Career Training Specialization, students will take four courses to master the fundamentals of a career in pharmacy. The first two courses teach how to communicate and engage professionally in any healthcare setting and the necessary knowledge of human anatomy and physiology required for any medical role. Next, students dive into two pharmacy-related courses - Pharmacy Technician Essentials and Pharmacy Dosages & Prescriptions Essentials - to round out...

11. Computer Vision: Python OCR & Object Detection Quick Starter

udemy
4.5
(496)

Quick Starter for Optical Character Recognition, Image Recognition Object Detection and Object Recognition using Python...

12. Introduction To Telecom Networks: Fixed/Wireless Networks

udemy
4.4
(364)

PSTN, Voice Over IP Systems (Softswitch, IMS), Internet, Mobile/cellular systems, Optical Fiber Systems (OFAN, DWDM)...

13. Transmission electron microscopy for materials science

coursera

Learn about the fundamentals of transmission electron microscopy in materials sciences: you will be able to understand papers where TEM has been used and have the necessary theoretical basis for taking a practical training on the TEM. This course provides a comprehensive introduction to transmission electron microscopy (TEM) in the field of materials science. For an instrument operated by a single user, modern TEM provides an analytical platform with unsurpassed versatility, giving access to...

14. Become a Pharmacy Technician

udemy
4.7
(2,374)

A Video Study Guide for the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam...

15. Become a Microbiology Laboratory Technician

udemy
4
(339)

Microbiology...

16. Zemax/OpticStudio Fundamentals (non-sequential mode)

udemy
4.3
(477)

Complete Beginners Guide on How to Use Zemax/Optic Studio (non-sequential mode)...

17. Artificial Intelligence II - Hands-On Neural Networks (Java)

udemy
4.5
(485)

Hopfield networks, neural networks, gradient descent and backpropagation algorithms explained step by step...

18. Introduction to Instrumentation

udemy
4.7
(334)

This course was developed and based on my experiences (more than 12 years ) in Instrumentation ...

19. Telecom basics (signals-satellite-microwaves-antennas)

udemy
4.4
(284)

مبادئ الاتصالات السلكية واللاسلكية للمبتدئين وغير المهندسين...

20. Customer Service Foundation

udemy
4.5
(290)

An introductory course about understanding the foundations of Customer Service...

Average optical laboratory technician salary by education level

Optical laboratory technicians with a Associate degree earn more than those without, at $34,647 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, optical laboratory technicians earn a median annual income of $33,998 compared to $33,681 for optical laboratory technicians with an High School Diploma degree.
Optical laboratory technician education levelOptical laboratory technician salary
High School Diploma or Less$33,681
Bachelor's Degree$33,998
Some College/ Associate Degree$34,647

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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