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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2022

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)
66,060 3.3 % $ 20.42 $ 42,480 0.8 %

Percentile wage estimates for Ophthalmic Medical Technicians:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 14.34 $ 16.88 $ 18.68 $ 23.12 $ 28.35
Annual Wage (2) $ 29,830 $ 35,100 $ 38,860 $ 48,080 $ 58,970


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 39,880 1.43 $ 21.29 $ 44,270
Offices of Other Health Practitioners 18,480 1.73 $ 17.40 $ 36,180
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 2,480 0.04 $ 26.03 $ 54,130
Health and Personal Care Retailers 2,420 0.22 $ 16.63 $ 34,590
Outpatient Care Centers 1,190 0.12 $ 28.87 $ 60,050

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 18,480 1.73 $ 17.40 $ 36,180
Offices of Physicians 39,880 1.43 $ 21.29 $ 44,270
Health and Personal Care Retailers 2,420 0.22 $ 16.63 $ 34,590
Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals 470 0.17 $ 24.98 $ 51,950
Outpatient Care Centers 1,190 0.12 $ 28.87 $ 60,050

Top paying industries for Ophthalmic Medical Technicians:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Outpatient Care Centers 1,190 0.12 $ 28.87 $ 60,050
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 2,480 0.04 $ 26.03 $ 54,130
Employment Services 230 0.01 $ 25.68 $ 53,400
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 490 0.02 $ 25.25 $ 52,520
Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals 470 0.17 $ 24.98 $ 51,950


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 2022


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)
Texas 6,810 0.52 1.17 $ 18.21 $ 37,870
Florida 4,630 0.50 1.12 $ 20.72 $ 43,090
California 4,170 0.24 0.53 $ 25.06 $ 52,120
Ohio 3,390 0.63 1.41 $ 19.37 $ 40,280
North Carolina 3,290 0.71 1.58 $ 18.84 $ 39,180


Map of location quotient of ophthalmic medical technicians by state, May 2022


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)
North Dakota 390 0.96 2.14 $ 20.30 $ 42,220
Arizona 2,490 0.82 1.84 $ 18.94 $ 39,390
Oklahoma 1,150 0.71 1.60 $ 17.62 $ 36,650
North Carolina 3,290 0.71 1.58 $ 18.84 $ 39,180
Mississippi 750 0.67 1.49 $ 16.76 $ 34,850


Map of annual mean wages of ophthalmic medical technicians by state, May 2022


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 (8) (8) (8) $ 28.44 $ 59,140
Minnesota 1,070 0.38 0.84 $ 27.91 $ 58,050
Massachusetts 1,200 0.34 0.75 $ 26.01 $ 54,100
California 4,170 0.24 0.53 $ 25.06 $ 52,120
New Jersey 1,470 0.36 0.80 $ 24.34 $ 50,630



Map of employment of ophthalmic medical technicians by area, May 2022


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 3,130 0.34 0.76 $ 25.84 $ 53,740
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 2,270 0.60 1.33 $ 18.97 $ 39,460
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 1,960 0.44 0.99 $ 20.99 $ 43,660
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 1,820 0.82 1.84 $ 19.07 $ 39,670
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 1,310 0.48 1.08 $ 19.35 $ 40,250
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 1,270 0.49 1.09 $ 21.17 $ 44,030
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 1,160 0.42 0.94 $ 20.79 $ 43,240
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 1,130 0.18 0.41 $ 23.73 $ 49,350
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN 1,090 1.03 2.31 $ 19.25 $ 40,050
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 1,060 0.35 0.78 $ 20.55 $ 42,740


Map of location quotient of ophthalmic medical technicians by area, May 2022


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)
Rocky Mount, NC 160 2.92 6.54 $ 16.17 $ 33,640
Hattiesburg, MS 140 2.25 5.04 $ 16.93 $ 35,210
Wilmington, NC 270 1.95 4.36 $ 19.08 $ 39,680
Albany, GA 110 1.93 4.32 $ 16.89 $ 35,120
Dothan, AL 100 1.71 3.82 $ 15.00 $ 31,210
Erie, PA 170 1.42 3.17 $ 16.50 $ 34,320
Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL 110 1.36 3.04 $ 15.13 $ 31,460
Wichita Falls, TX 70 1.33 2.98 $ 15.63 $ 32,520
Bismarck, ND 90 1.32 2.96 $ 20.22 $ 42,050
Great Falls, MT 50 1.28 2.86 $ 16.78 $ 34,900


Map of annual mean wages of ophthalmic medical technicians by area, May 2022


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)
Rochester, MN 150 1.25 2.80 $ 33.01 $ 68,660
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 570 0.24 0.54 $ 31.63 $ 65,780
Vallejo-Fairfield, CA 40 0.30 0.68 $ 29.91 $ 62,220
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 270 0.24 0.54 $ 29.16 $ 60,650
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 590 0.31 0.70 $ 28.48 $ 59,250
Anchorage, AK (8) (8) (8) $ 27.78 $ 57,790
St. Cloud, MN 70 0.67 1.51 $ 27.58 $ 57,370
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 840 0.31 0.70 $ 26.93 $ 56,000
Duluth, MN-WI 30 0.26 0.57 $ 26.91 $ 55,970
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 300 0.20 0.45 $ 26.36 $ 54,830

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)
Southeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area 140 0.85 1.91 $ 17.50 $ 36,390
Piedmont North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 130 0.54 1.20 $ 18.90 $ 39,300
Northeast Mississippi nonmetropolitan area 130 0.58 1.31 $ 14.79 $ 30,760
South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 130 0.76 1.71 $ 15.19 $ 31,600
Southeast Coastal North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 110 0.46 1.03 $ 16.22 $ 33,740

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)
Central New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 90 0.95 2.12 $ 20.39 $ 42,420
Northern New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 30 0.95 2.12 $ 17.55 $ 36,490
East North Dakota nonmetropolitan area 60 0.90 2.02 $ 19.86 $ 41,300
Southeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area 140 0.85 1.91 $ 17.50 $ 36,390
West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area 90 0.81 1.82 $ 19.82 $ 41,230

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)
Southeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area 70 0.50 1.12 $ 23.54 $ 48,960
West Central-Southwest New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 70 0.72 1.61 $ 23.38 $ 48,620
Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area 80 0.44 0.99 $ 23.32 $ 48,510
Western Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area 30 0.23 0.51 $ 22.50 $ 46,790
Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area 80 0.44 0.98 $ 22.41 $ 46,600


About May 2022 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 2022 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 25, 2023