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The differences between optometric technicians and clinical technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become an optometric technician, becoming a clinical technician takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a clinical technician has an average salary of $35,760, which is higher than the $30,928 average annual salary of an optometric technician.
The top three skills for an optometric technician include patients, customer service and patient care. The most important skills for a clinical technician are patients, vital signs, and phlebotomy.
| Optometric Technician | Clinical Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $30,928 | $35,760 |
| Hourly rate | $14.87 | $17.19 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 33,412 | 161,812 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 40% |
| Average age | 41 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 12 |
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.
A clinical technician is responsible for operating and maintaining clinical equipment, ensuring the proper sterilization of all laboratory tools and kits to avoid contamination during medical procedures. Clinical technicians assist the patients with their medical inquiries and needs, collecting samples for laboratory, and helping medical professionals on surgeries and other medical operations. They also maintain medical charts, update patients' information on the database, and administer patients' medication. A clinical technician must have excellent knowledge of the medical industry, as well as strictly following internal guidelines and safety procedures during operations.
Optometric technicians and clinical technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Optometric Technician | Clinical Technician | |
| Average salary | $30,928 | $35,760 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $39,000 | Between $26,000 And $48,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | - | Alaska |
| Best paying company | - | Brigham and Women's Hospital |
| Best paying industry | - | Government |
There are a few differences between an optometric technician and a clinical technician in terms of educational background:
| Optometric Technician | Clinical Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 40% |
| Most common major | Biology | Nursing |
| Most common college | - | University of Connecticut |
Here are the differences between optometric technicians' and clinical technicians' demographics:
| Optometric Technician | Clinical Technician | |
| Average age | 41 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 14.7% Female, 85.3% | Male, 26.6% Female, 73.4% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 12.8% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 16.5% Asian, 11.2% White, 53.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 8% |