Optical technician demographics and statistics in the US
Optical technician demographics research summary. Zippia estimates optical technician demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our optical technician estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about optical technicians after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 12,946 optical technicians currently employed in the United States.
- 63.2% of all optical technicians are women, while 36.8% are men.
- The average optical technician age is 43 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of optical technicians is White (62.3%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (18.9%), Asian (9.1%) and Black or African American (5.5%).
- Optical technicians are most in-demand in Folsom, CA.
- The technology industry is the highest-paying for optical technicians.
- 13% of all optical technicians are LGBT.
On this page
Optical technician demographics by:
Optical technician gender statistics
63.2% of optical technicians are women and 36.8% of optical technicians are men.
- Female, 63.2%
- Male, 36.8%
Optical technician gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 63.2% |
| Male | 36.8% |
Optical technician gender pay gap
Women earn 88¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$43,083
Female income
$38,120
Optical technician gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in optical technician positions over time. Currently, 63.2% of optical technicians are female.
Optical technician gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 32.32% | 67.68% |
| 2011 | 32.85% | 67.15% |
| 2012 | 37.00% | 63.00% |
| 2013 | 33.82% | 66.18% |
| 2014 | 26.35% | 73.65% |
| 2015 | 33.62% | 66.38% |
| 2016 | 25.49% | 74.51% |
| 2017 | 30.48% | 69.52% |
| 2018 | 33.16% | 66.84% |
| 2019 | 31.38% | 68.62% |
| 2020 | 23.34% | 76.66% |
| 2021 | 36.84% | 63.16% |
Optical technician related jobs gender ratio
We compared optical technicians with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, guitar technician and armorer technician have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Radiographer, Mammographer | 2% | 98% |
| Mammographer | 3% | 97% |
| Lead Mammographer | 3% | 97% |
| Optical Technician | 37% | 63% |
| Driver/Technician | 93% | 7% |
| Armorer Technician | 95% | 5% |
| Guitar Technician | 96% | 4% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Optical technician demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among optical technicians is White, which makes up 62.3% of all optical technicians. Comparatively, 18.9% of optical technicians are Hispanic or Latino and 9.1% of optical technicians are Asian.
- White, 62.3%
- Hispanic or Latino, 18.9%
- Asian, 9.1%
- Black or African American, 5.5%
- Unknown, 3.8%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
Optical technician race
| Optical technician race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 62.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 18.9% |
| Asian | 9.1% |
| Black or African American | 5.5% |
| Unknown | 3.8% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.4% |
Optical technician race and ethnicity over time
See how optical technician racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Optical technician race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 71.97% | 6.86% | 5.48% | 12.93% |
| 2011 | 72.16% | 6.98% | 4.37% | 14.73% |
| 2012 | 74.74% | 4.86% | 4.49% | 14.23% |
| 2013 | 68.44% | 7.47% | 5.62% | 15.82% |
| 2014 | 71.82% | 8.18% | 5.36% | 12.21% |
| 2015 | 71.89% | 5.17% | 5.91% | 14.63% |
| 2016 | 68.99% | 8.00% | 6.57% | 14.80% |
| 2017 | 67.09% | 7.70% | 6.40% | 16.20% |
| 2018 | 71.19% | 5.32% | 5.29% | 14.63% |
| 2019 | 68.36% | 6.61% | 6.52% | 15.99% |
| 2020 | 65.56% | 6.14% | 8.23% | 15.81% |
| 2021 | 62.27% | 5.49% | 9.14% | 18.92% |
Optical technician wage gap by race
According to our data, asian optical technicians have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Unknown optical technicians have the lowest average salary at $40,499.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $40,499 |
| White | $41,083 |
| Black or African American | $42,951 |
| Asian | $47,794 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $43,461 |
Average optical technician age
See how the average age of optical technicians varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Optical technician age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 46 | |
| White | 48 | 47 |
| Black or African American | 34 | |
| Asian | 36.5 | 41 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 37 | 31.5 |
Optical technician age breakdown
The average age of optical technicians is 40+ years years old, representing 59% of the optical technician population.
Optical technician age breakdown
| Optical Technician Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 59% |
| 30-40 years | 24% |
| 20-30 years | 17% |
Optical technician educational attainment
The most common degree for optical technicians is associate degree, with 32% of optical technicians earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 27% and bachelor's degree degree at 25%.
- Associate, 32%
- Bachelor's, 27%
- High School Diploma, 25%
- Diploma, 8%
- Other Degrees, 8%
Optical technicians by degree level
| Optical technician degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Associate | 32% |
| Bachelor's | 27% |
| High School Diploma | 25% |
| Diploma | 8% |
| Other Degrees | 8% |
Optical technician jobs you might like
Optical technician wage gap by degree level
According to the data, optical technicians with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $45,162 annually. With a Associate degree, optical technicians earn a median annual income of $42,071 compared to $39,211 for optical technicians with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $39,211 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $45,162 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $42,071 |
Optical technician employment statistics
Most optical technicians work for a private in the technology industry.
Company size where optical technicians work
Below, you can see the size of companies where optical technicians work.
Optical technician jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 10% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 17% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 24% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 4% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 23% |
| > 10,000 employees | 22% |
Optical technician jobs by company type
Employees with the optical technician job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most optical technicians prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Optical technician jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 2% |
| Public | 28% |
| Private | 66% |
| Government | 4% |
Optical technician jobs by industry
The most common industries for optical technicians are technology, manufacturing and health care.
Optical technician industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Technology | 17% |
| Manufacturing | 16% |
| Health Care | 12% |
| Professional | 10% |
| Retail | 10% |
| Fortune 500 | 10% |
| Media | 3% |
| Government | 3% |
| Transportation | 2% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Insurance | 2% |
| Education | 2% |
| Energy | 2% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
Optical technician turnover and employment statistics
Optical technician unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for optical technicians between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Optical technician unemployment rate by year
| Year | Optical technician unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 2.51% |
| 2011 | 4.14% |
| 2012 | 4.99% |
| 2013 | 2.46% |
| 2014 | 2.76% |
| 2015 | 2.38% |
| 2016 | 2.14% |
| 2017 | 2.33% |
| 2018 | 1.82% |
| 2019 | 1.63% |
| 2020 | 2.40% |
| 2021 | 3.33% |
Average optical technician tenure
The average optical technician stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 3,403 optical technicians resumes in Zippia's database.
Optical technician tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 24% |
| 1-2 years | 35% |
| 3-4 years | 16% |
| 5-7 years | 15% |
| 8-10 years | 4% |
| 11+ years | 6% |
Optical technician LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of optical technicians that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Med Technician | 5.02% | 141,154 |
| Hygienist | 6.89% | 13,991 |
| Staff Cytotechnologist | 8.24% | 68,790 |
| Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialist | 9.29% | 66,130 |
| Optical Technician | 12.53% | - |
| Anesthesia Technician | 12.80% | 78,132 |
| Director Of Nuclear Medicine | 21.93% | 18,169 |
Similar optical technician jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Med Technician | 5.02% | 141,154 |
| Hygienist | 6.89% | 13,991 |
| Staff Cytotechnologist | 8.24% | 68,790 |
| Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialist | 9.29% | 66,130 |
| Anesthesia Technician | 12.80% | 78,132 |
| Director Of Nuclear Medicine | 21.93% | 18,169 |
Foreign languages spoken by optical technicians
The most common foreign language among optical technicians is Spanish at 59.6%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Hindi at 5.6% and Chinese is the third-most popular at 4.5%.
- Spanish, 59.6%
- Hindi, 5.6%
- Chinese, 4.5%
- Portuguese, 3.4%
- German, 3.4%
- Other, 23.5%
Optical technician languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 59.6% |
| Hindi | 5.6% |
| Chinese | 4.5% |
| Portuguese | 3.4% |
| German | 3.4% |
| Other | 23.5% |
