Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between opticians and optometric technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an optician has an average salary of $38,412, which is higher than the $30,928 average annual salary of an optometric technician.
The top three skills for an optician include patients, customer service and basic math. The most important skills for an optometric technician are patients, customer service, and patient care.
| Optician | Optometric Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $38,412 | $30,928 |
| Hourly rate | $18.47 | $14.87 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 4,717 | 33,412 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 31% | Bachelor's Degree, 38% |
| Average age | 44 | 41 |
| Years of experience | - | 2 |
An optician is a medical expert specializing in people's various visual conditions. Opticians analyze eye examinations and the grade of patients' vision from the optometrist or ophthalmologists' prescriptions and design appropriate lenses to improve their sight. One of the most crucial responsibilities of an optician is to ensure that the patient is comfortable with the customized lenses. Otherwise, the optician must perform adjustments as needed. Opticians also recommend styles to the patient and provide instructions on how to properly clean and maintain the eyewear.
An optometric technician is responsible for performing administrative and clerical tasks to assist patients with their vision problems and needs. Optometric technicians work in the laboratory, constructing glasses and lenses according to the ophthalmologist's advice. They clean and inspect vision equipment and ensure that the facility is well-maintained. An optometric technician must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in responding to the customers' inquiries and concerns, manage information on the database, and release customers' orders.
Opticians and optometric technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Optician | Optometric Technician | |
| Average salary | $38,412 | $30,928 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $50,000 | Between $24,000 And $39,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | - |
| Highest paying state | New York | - |
| Best paying company | Horizon Laser Vision | - |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | - |
There are a few differences between an optician and an optometric technician in terms of educational background:
| Optician | Optometric Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 31% | Bachelor's Degree, 38% |
| Most common major | Business | Biology |
| Most common college | University of Minnesota - Twin Cities | - |
Here are the differences between opticians' and optometric technicians' demographics:
| Optician | Optometric Technician | |
| Average age | 44 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 22.2% Female, 77.8% | Male, 14.7% Female, 85.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.7% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 19.2% Asian, 9.2% White, 61.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 14.5% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 5.8% White, 62.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 13% | 6% |