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The differences between optometric technicians and imaging technologists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both an optometric technician and an imaging technologist. Additionally, an imaging technologist has an average salary of $49,786, 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 an imaging technologist are patients, patient care, and customer service.
| Optometric Technician | Imaging Technologist | |
| Yearly salary | $30,928 | $49,786 |
| Hourly rate | $14.87 | $23.94 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 33,412 | 55,397 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 39% |
| Average age | 41 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
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.
An imaging technologist is responsible for performing diagnostic imaging procedures such as magnetic resonance imaging scans, X-ray examination, and computed tomography. Your day-to-day duties include working closely with physicians and radiologists in diagnosing or ruling out disease or injury, operating and maintaining imaging equipment, and assisting patients in preparation for imaging procedures. As an imaging technologist, it is also your responsibility to follow precise instructions in order to capture a high-quality image and assisting physicians in evaluating images.
Optometric technicians and imaging technologists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Optometric Technician | Imaging Technologist | |
| Average salary | $30,928 | $49,786 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $39,000 | Between $33,000 And $74,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Los Angeles, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | - | Apple |
| Best paying industry | - | Health Care |
There are a few differences between an optometric technician and an imaging technologist in terms of educational background:
| Optometric Technician | Imaging Technologist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 39% |
| Most common major | Biology | Medical Technician |
| Most common college | - | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between optometric technicians' and imaging technologists' demographics:
| Optometric Technician | Imaging Technologist | |
| Average age | 41 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 14.7% Female, 85.3% | Male, 47.6% Female, 52.4% |
| 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, 5.4% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 10.2% Asian, 6.0% White, 73.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 8% |