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The differences between optometric technicians and patient care technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a patient care technician has an average salary of $32,806, 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 patient care technician are patients, vital signs, and phlebotomy.
| Optometric Technician | Patient Care Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $30,928 | $32,806 |
| Hourly rate | $14.87 | $15.77 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 33,412 | 167,520 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 27% |
| Average age | 41 | 34 |
| Years of experience | 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.
Patient care technicians are medical workers who work in clinics, hospitals, or other medical facilities under the supervision of doctors or other health professionals. They provide assistance to health professionals and patients. They help patients with mobility concerns get into hospital beds, bathrooms, wheelchairs, and more. They also help patients with their physical therapy sessions and other physical needs. They handle patient concerns and communicate these to attending physicians. They may be assigned to administer basic medical procedures such as checking vital signs and collecting samples from patients, among others.
Optometric technicians and patient care technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Optometric Technician | Patient Care Technician | |
| Average salary | $30,928 | $32,806 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $39,000 | Between $24,000 And $43,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Rochester, NH |
| Highest paying state | - | Vermont |
| Best paying company | - | Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center |
| Best paying industry | - | Health Care |
There are a few differences between an optometric technician and a patient care technician in terms of educational background:
| Optometric Technician | Patient Care Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 27% |
| Most common major | Biology | Nursing |
| Most common college | - | Emory University |
Here are the differences between optometric technicians' and patient care technicians' demographics:
| Optometric Technician | Patient Care Technician | |
| Average age | 41 | 34 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 14.7% Female, 85.3% | Male, 19.0% Female, 81.0% |
| 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, 14.3% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 20.1% Asian, 6.4% White, 51.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 15% |