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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2023

29-2057 Ophthalmic Medical Technicians

Assist ophthalmologists by performing ophthalmic clinical functions. May administer eye exams, administer eye medications, and instruct the patient in care and use of corrective lenses.


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

National estimates for Ophthalmic Medical Technicians:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Ophthalmic Medical Technicians:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
73,390 3.2 % $ 21.30 $ 44,290 0.6 %

Percentile wage estimates for Ophthalmic Medical Technicians:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 15.00 $ 17.47 $ 20.09 $ 23.91 $ 28.81
Annual Wage (2) $ 31,200 $ 36,330 $ 41,780 $ 49,740 $ 59,930


Industry profile for Ophthalmic Medical Technicians:

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

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

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Offices of Physicians 43,960 1.55 $ 22.12 $ 46,020
Offices of Other Health Practitioners 20,430 1.79 $ 18.33 $ 38,120
Health and Personal Care Retailers 3,030 0.27 $ 17.55 $ 36,500
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 2,520 0.04 $ 27.14 $ 56,450
Outpatient Care Centers 1,580 0.15 $ 29.60 $ 61,570

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

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Offices of Other Health Practitioners 20,430 1.79 $ 18.33 $ 38,120
Offices of Physicians 43,960 1.55 $ 22.12 $ 46,020
Health and Personal Care Retailers 3,030 0.27 $ 17.55 $ 36,500
Outpatient Care Centers 1,580 0.15 $ 29.60 $ 61,570
Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals 430 0.15 $ 26.31 $ 54,710

Top paying industries for Ophthalmic Medical Technicians:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Outpatient Care Centers 1,580 0.15 $ 29.60 $ 61,570
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 2,520 0.04 $ 27.14 $ 56,450
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 510 0.02 $ 27.10 $ 56,360
Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals 430 0.15 $ 26.31 $ 54,710
Employment Services 280 0.01 $ 26.17 $ 54,440


Geographic profile for Ophthalmic Medical Technicians:

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



Map of employment of ophthalmic medical technicians by state, May 2023


States with the highest employment level in Ophthalmic Medical Technicians:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Florida 6,580 0.69 1.42 $ 21.01 $ 43,690
Texas 6,460 0.48 0.99 $ 18.82 $ 39,140
California 4,880 0.27 0.56 $ 25.76 $ 53,590
Ohio 4,440 0.81 1.68 $ 20.47 $ 42,580
New York 3,840 0.41 0.84 $ 24.40 $ 50,750


Map of location quotient of ophthalmic medical technicians by state, May 2023


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

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Tennessee 3,140 0.97 2.02 $ 19.26 $ 40,060
North Dakota 370 0.88 1.82 $ 21.61 $ 44,940
Kentucky 1,630 0.83 1.72 $ 18.39 $ 38,250
Ohio 4,440 0.81 1.68 $ 20.47 $ 42,580
Alabama 1,520 0.74 1.53 $ 17.64 $ 36,690


Map of annual mean wages of ophthalmic medical technicians by state, May 2023


Top paying states for Ophthalmic Medical Technicians:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Alaska 60 0.21 0.43 $ 28.35 $ 58,960
Minnesota 790 0.27 0.56 $ 27.48 $ 57,150
District of Columbia (8) (8) (8) $ 26.58 $ 55,290
Massachusetts 2,070 0.57 1.18 $ 26.14 $ 54,360
California 4,880 0.27 0.56 $ 25.76 $ 53,590



Map of employment of ophthalmic medical technicians by area, May 2023


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

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 4,090 0.43 0.89 $ 24.89 $ 51,760
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 1,840 0.46 0.96 $ 20.18 $ 41,980
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 1,730 0.38 0.79 $ 21.57 $ 44,860
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 1,670 0.61 1.27 $ 22.01 $ 45,780
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 1,630 0.59 1.22 $ 27.08 $ 56,320
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 1,510 0.24 0.51 $ 24.95 $ 51,900
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 1,370 0.60 1.24 $ 20.75 $ 43,160
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 1,260 0.41 0.84 $ 23.23 $ 48,310
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL 1,240 0.91 1.87 $ 20.59 $ 42,830
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 1,230 0.44 0.90 $ 20.47 $ 42,570


Map of location quotient of ophthalmic medical technicians by area, May 2023


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

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Gainesville, GA 200 2.06 4.25 $ 19.73 $ 41,030
Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL 110 2.04 4.22 $ 22.08 $ 45,930
Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA 220 1.91 3.94 $ 17.14 $ 35,660
Jackson, TN 120 1.69 3.49 $ 18.54 $ 38,570
Albany, GA 100 1.66 3.44 $ 18.05 $ 37,530
Hattiesburg, MS 100 1.55 3.21 $ 18.12 $ 37,700
Rocky Mount, NC 80 1.45 3.00 $ 17.96 $ 37,350
Staunton-Waynesboro, VA 70 1.39 2.88 $ 20.12 $ 41,860
Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL 400 1.39 2.87 $ 23.03 $ 47,900
Toledo, OH 400 1.38 2.85 $ 21.14 $ 43,970


Map of annual mean wages of ophthalmic medical technicians by area, May 2023


Top paying metropolitan areas for Ophthalmic Medical Technicians:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Vallejo-Fairfield, CA 30 0.22 0.46 $ 34.22 $ 71,180
Santa Rosa, CA 80 0.37 0.77 $ 33.11 $ 68,880
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 210 0.18 0.37 $ 31.22 $ 64,950
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 780 0.32 0.66 $ 30.79 $ 64,040
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI (8) (8) (8) $ 28.20 $ 58,650
Anchorage, AK 50 0.29 0.60 $ 28.05 $ 58,350
St. Cloud, MN (8) (8) (8) $ 27.73 $ 57,680
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 1,630 0.59 1.22 $ 27.08 $ 56,320
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 960 0.46 0.96 $ 26.96 $ 56,070
Duluth, MN-WI 40 0.33 0.68 $ 26.18 $ 54,450

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Ophthalmic Medical Technicians:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
South Georgia nonmetropolitan area 190 0.97 2.00 $ 18.04 $ 37,520
South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 180 1.05 2.17 $ 16.49 $ 34,300
Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area 160 0.82 1.70 $ 23.53 $ 48,940
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 150 0.38 0.80 $ 17.83 $ 37,080
Northeast Mississippi nonmetropolitan area 130 0.56 1.16 $ 16.30 $ 33,910

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

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 180 1.05 2.17 $ 16.49 $ 34,300
Central New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 100 1.05 2.16 $ 21.16 $ 44,010
South Georgia nonmetropolitan area 190 0.97 2.00 $ 18.04 $ 37,520
Maryland nonmetropolitan area 50 0.93 1.92 $ 20.67 $ 43,000
East North Dakota nonmetropolitan area 50 0.86 1.78 $ 20.59 $ 42,830

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Ophthalmic Medical Technicians:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area 40 0.59 1.22 $ 26.13 $ 54,350
West Central-Southwest New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 60 0.59 1.22 $ 24.44 $ 50,820
Southeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area 60 0.37 0.77 $ 24.37 $ 50,680
Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area 60 0.30 0.61 $ 24.31 $ 50,560
Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area 160 0.82 1.70 $ 23.53 $ 48,940


About May 2023 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 2023 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 3, 2024