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The differences between optical technicians and certified medical technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a certified medical technician has an average salary of $38,859, which is higher than the $36,908 average annual salary of an optical technician.
The top three skills for an optical technician include patients, chrome and dexterity. The most important skills for a certified medical technician are patients, vital signs, and CPR.
| Optical Technician | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $36,908 | $38,859 |
| Hourly rate | $17.74 | $18.68 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 29,866 | 164,424 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 32% | Bachelor's Degree, 28% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | - | 12 |
Optical lab technicians, also known as ophthalmic laboratory technicians, create prescription eyeglasses and contact lenses. They work together with optometrists, opticians, and ophthalmologists. They received orders from optometrists and opticians to create prescription eyeglasses or contact lenses as per requirement. They also do the cutting, polishing, and grinding lenses as per prescription for products like microscopes, binoculars, or telescopes. They do their work by a computer program and automated tools to make the prescribed lenses before it is sent off to the customer.
Certified Medical Technicians are specialists in medical diagnoses by performing laboratory testing and analysis for hospitals and physicians. Their duties include lab sanitization to prepare for testing and collection, recording medical samples for testing, specimen preparation, blood drawing for donation and testing, and assisting physicians with sample collection as well as equipment handling in surgical rooms. They must also understand how to use complex and sensitive testing equipment such as cell counters, analyzers, microscopes, and centrifuges.
Optical technicians and certified medical technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Optical Technician | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Average salary | $36,908 | $38,859 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $54,000 | Between $28,000 And $53,000 |
| Highest paying City | Hayward, CA | Denton, TX |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Alaska |
| Best paying company | AMETEK | Favorite Healthcare Staffing |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Health Care |
There are a few differences between an optical technician and a certified medical technician in terms of educational background:
| Optical Technician | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 32% | Bachelor's Degree, 28% |
| Most common major | Business | Nursing |
| Most common college | University of Minnesota - Twin Cities | University of Connecticut |
Here are the differences between optical technicians' and certified medical technicians' demographics:
| Optical Technician | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 36.8% Female, 63.2% | Male, 20.4% Female, 79.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.5% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 18.9% Asian, 9.1% White, 62.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 15.9% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 10.0% White, 53.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 13% | 8% |