Department of Labor Logo United States Department of Labor
Dot gov

The .gov means it's official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021

51-9083 Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians

Cut, grind, and polish eyeglasses, contact lenses, or other precision optical elements. Assemble and mount lenses into frames or process other optical elements. Includes precision lens polishers or grinders, centerer-edgers, and lens mounters. Excludes “Opticians, Dispensing ” (29-2081).


National estimates for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians
Industry profile for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians
Geographic profile for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians

National estimates for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
18,930 4.8 % $ 18.71 $ 38,910 1.6 %

Percentile wage estimates for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 13.50 $ 14.43 $ 17.92 $ 22.22 $ 27.01
Annual Wage (2) $ 28,080 $ 30,010 $ 37,270 $ 46,210 $ 56,190


Industry profile for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing 4,350 1.37 $ 17.25 $ 35,880
Health and Personal Care Stores 3,870 0.38 $ 17.05 $ 35,470
Offices of Other Health Practitioners 3,300 0.34 $ 16.41 $ 34,130
Offices of Physicians 2,800 0.10 (8) (8)
Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing 2,530 2.96 $ 24.70 $ 51,370

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing 2,530 2.96 $ 24.70 $ 51,370
Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing 4,350 1.37 $ 17.25 $ 35,880
Health and Personal Care Stores 3,870 0.38 $ 17.05 $ 35,470
Offices of Other Health Practitioners 3,300 0.34 $ 16.41 $ 34,130
Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers 1,270 0.19 $ 17.69 $ 36,800

Top paying industries for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing 50 0.01 $ 31.85 $ 66,250
Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing 2,530 2.96 $ 24.70 $ 51,370
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 120 0.01 $ 24.45 $ 50,850
Employment Services 260 0.01 $ 18.40 $ 38,280
Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers 1,270 0.19 $ 17.69 $ 36,800


Geographic profile for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of ophthalmic laboratory technicians by state, May 2021


States with the highest employment level in Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 2,890 0.17 1.30 $ 22.11 $ 46,000
Florida 1,770 0.21 1.53 $ 16.96 $ 35,270
New York 1,650 0.19 1.42 $ 18.69 $ 38,880
Texas 980 0.08 0.60 $ 16.12 $ 33,520
Minnesota 860 0.32 2.35 $ 18.54 $ 38,570


Map of location quotient of ophthalmic laboratory technicians by state, May 2021


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Kentucky 680 0.37 2.76 $ 14.95 $ 31,100
Minnesota 860 0.32 2.35 $ 18.54 $ 38,570
New Hampshire 200 0.31 2.33 $ 27.45 $ 57,090
Connecticut 420 0.27 1.99 $ 24.46 $ 50,870
Mississippi 250 0.23 1.70 $ 16.04 $ 33,360


Map of annual mean wages of ophthalmic laboratory technicians by state, May 2021


Top paying states for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New Hampshire 200 0.31 2.33 $ 27.45 $ 57,090
Connecticut 420 0.27 1.99 $ 24.46 $ 50,870
Washington (8) (8) (8) $ 22.23 $ 46,240
California 2,890 0.17 1.30 $ 22.11 $ 46,000
New Jersey (8) (8) (8) $ 21.58 $ 44,890



Map of employment of ophthalmic laboratory technicians by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 1,040 0.18 1.36 $ 21.88 $ 45,510
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 940 0.11 0.80 $ 19.00 $ 39,520
Rochester, NY 610 1.30 9.68 $ 19.44 $ 40,420
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 600 0.23 1.73 $ 17.48 $ 36,360
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 580 0.32 2.38 $ 19.36 $ 40,260
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL 480 0.37 2.75 $ 15.51 $ 32,260
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA 360 0.37 2.74 $ 16.93 $ 35,210
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 340 0.15 1.14 $ 26.16 $ 54,400
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN 320 0.31 2.30 $ 16.41 $ 34,140
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 300 0.07 0.53 $ 18.83 $ 39,160


Map of location quotient of ophthalmic laboratory technicians by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
St. Cloud, MN 280 2.89 21.52 $ 17.01 $ 35,390
Rochester, NY 610 1.30 9.68 $ 19.44 $ 40,420
Boulder, CO 130 0.73 5.42 $ 23.75 $ 49,410
Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, MS 100 0.70 5.24 $ 15.15 $ 31,510
New Haven, CT 120 0.45 3.36 $ 26.24 $ 54,580
North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL 120 0.40 3.00 $ 17.30 $ 35,980
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL 80 0.38 2.84 $ 19.73 $ 41,040
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL 480 0.37 2.75 $ 15.51 $ 32,260
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA 360 0.37 2.74 $ 16.93 $ 35,210
Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT 130 0.36 2.65 $ 23.05 $ 47,950


Map of annual mean wages of ophthalmic laboratory technicians by area, May 2021


Top paying metropolitan areas for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 260 0.24 1.79 $ 26.89 $ 55,920
New Haven, CT 120 0.45 3.36 $ 26.24 $ 54,580
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 340 0.15 1.14 $ 26.16 $ 54,400
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA 30 0.15 1.15 $ 24.35 $ 50,640
Boulder, CO 130 0.73 5.42 $ 23.75 $ 49,410
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA 70 0.25 1.83 $ 23.37 $ 48,600
Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT 130 0.36 2.65 $ 23.05 $ 47,950
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH (8) (8) (8) $ 22.12 $ 46,020
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 1,040 0.18 1.36 $ 21.88 $ 45,510
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 210 0.14 1.03 $ 21.67 $ 45,070

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
West Central-Southwest New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 60 0.61 4.56 $ 26.99 $ 56,150
Southwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area 50 0.42 3.13 $ 14.86 $ 30,900
Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area 40 0.19 1.38 $ 17.62 $ 36,640
Southern Vermont nonmetropolitan area 40 0.38 2.84 $ 22.18 $ 46,140
Southwest Mississippi nonmetropolitan area 30 0.45 3.35 $ 16.37 $ 34,040

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
West Central-Southwest New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 60 0.61 4.56 $ 26.99 $ 56,150
Southwest Mississippi nonmetropolitan area 30 0.45 3.35 $ 16.37 $ 34,040
Southwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area 50 0.42 3.13 $ 14.86 $ 30,900
Southern Vermont nonmetropolitan area 40 0.38 2.84 $ 22.18 $ 46,140
Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area 40 0.19 1.38 $ 17.62 $ 36,640

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
West Central-Southwest New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 60 0.61 4.56 $ 26.99 $ 56,150
Southern Vermont nonmetropolitan area 40 0.38 2.84 $ 22.18 $ 46,140
Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area 40 0.19 1.38 $ 17.62 $ 36,640
Southwest Mississippi nonmetropolitan area 30 0.45 3.35 $ 16.37 $ 34,040
Southwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area 50 0.42 3.13 $ 14.86 $ 30,900


About May 2021 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2021 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 31, 2022