51 Series · SOC 51-9083
Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $39,460
- Median / year
- $57,380
- Top 10% earn
- +2.3%
- Growth '23–'33
- 18,660
- US workers
Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians earn a median of $39,460 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $39,460, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $33,530 (10th percentile) to $57,380 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 18,660 US workers. Connecticut pays the most ($62,410), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians earn a median of $39,460, putting them among the lower-paid US occupations and higher than 11% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Production, it ranks #91 of 105 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 2.3% by 2033.
- $39,460
- Median annual wage
- Top 89%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #91 of 105
- in Production
- 1.7×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Connecticut at $62,410. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians (SOC 51-9083) pays a national median of $39,460 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $33,530 at the 10th percentile to $57,380 at the 90th, with a mean of $43,190 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 18,660 Americans work in this occupation across 41 reporting states and 60 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +2.3% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as slower than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 2,400 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is High school diploma or equivalent and moderate-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of B for this role, with a fatality rate of 3.5 per 100,000 and injury rate of 3.2 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Connecticut pays the highest state median at $62,410, which is +58% above the national figure. The top metro is Southwestern New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area at $60,160 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$39,460
per year
Median Hourly
$18.97/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$43,190
average
Employment
18,660
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$39,460 Bottom 11% higher than 11% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 51-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 23 51-series occupations with growth data, Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians sits on the slower-growing side at +2.3% growth and $39,460 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+2.3%
Slower than average
Annual Openings
2,400
per year (projected)
Typical Education
High school diploma or equivalent
On-the-Job Training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
3.5/100K
Injury Rate
3.2/100
Danger Index
14.6/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Mount and secure lens blanks or optical lenses in holding tools or chucks of cutting, polishing, grinding, or coating machines.
- ▸ Inspect lens blanks to detect flaws, verify smoothness of surface, and ensure thickness of coating on lenses.
- ▸ Set up machines to polish, bevel, edge, or grind lenses, flats, blanks, or other precision optical elements.
- ▸ Inspect, weigh, and measure mounted or unmounted lenses after completion to verify alignment and conformance to specifications, using precision instruments.
- ▸ Shape lenses appropriately so that they can be inserted into frames.
- ▸ Clean finished lenses and eyeglasses, using cloths and solvents.
- ▸ Mount, secure, and align finished lenses in frames or optical assemblies, using precision hand tools.
- ▸ Examine prescriptions, work orders, or broken or used eyeglasses to determine specifications for lenses, contact lenses, or other optical elements.
- ▸ Adjust lenses and frames to correct alignment.
- ▸ Select lens blanks, molds, tools, and polishing or grinding wheels, according to production specifications.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$33,530
25th Percentile
$36,470
Median
$39,460
75th Percentile
$47,010
90th Percentile
$57,380
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 41 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut | $62,410 | +58% above national |
| 2 | New Hampshire | $59,460 | +51% above national |
| 3 | Washington | $49,230 | +25% above national |
| 4 | Colorado | $48,540 | +23% above national |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $47,440 | +20% above national |
| 6 | New Jersey | $47,420 | +20% above national |
| 7 | California | $47,410 | +20% above national |
| 8 | Maryland | $47,100 | +19% above national |
| 9 | Ohio | $46,320 | +17% above national |
| 10 | Oregon | $45,780 | +16% above national |
| 11 | Michigan | $45,490 | +15% above national |
| 12 | Georgia | $45,050 | +14% above national |
| 13 | Kansas | $44,920 | +14% above national |
| 14 | North Carolina | $44,140 | +12% above national |
| 15 | Maine | $43,520 | +10% above national |
| 16 | Massachusetts | $43,100 | +9% above national |
| 17 | Wisconsin | $42,920 | +9% above national |
| 18 | New York | $42,450 | +8% above national |
| 19 | Nebraska | $40,640 | +3% above national |
| 20 | Minnesota | $40,280 | +2% above national |
| 21 | Nevada | $38,990 | 1% below national |
| 22 | Missouri | $38,740 | 2% below national |
| 23 | Arizona | $38,620 | 2% below national |
| 24 | New Mexico | $38,590 | 2% below national |
| 25 | Florida | $38,020 | 4% below national |
| 26 | Texas | $37,920 | 4% below national |
| 27 | Pennsylvania | $37,680 | 5% below national |
| 28 | Tennessee | $37,370 | 5% below national |
| 29 | Indiana | $37,360 | 5% below national |
| 30 | Louisiana | $37,160 | 6% below national |
| 31 | West Virginia | $37,140 | 6% below national |
| 32 | Arkansas | $37,060 | 6% below national |
| 33 | Alabama | $37,010 | 6% below national |
| 34 | Illinois | $36,840 | 7% below national |
| 35 | Kentucky | $36,650 | 7% below national |
| 36 | Oklahoma | $35,620 | 10% below national |
| 37 | Mississippi | $35,230 | 11% below national |
| 38 | Virginia | $34,170 | 13% below national |
| 39 | South Carolina | $34,140 | 13% below national |
| 40 | Iowa | $33,910 | 14% below national |
| 41 | Puerto Rico | $24,420 | 38% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 60 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Southwestern New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area | $60,160 | +52% above national |
| 2 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $52,510 | +33% above national |
| 3 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $51,090 | +29% above national |
| 4 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $50,770 | +29% above national |
| 5 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $50,120 | +27% above national |
| 6 | Eugene-Springfield, OR | $48,860 | +24% above national |
| 7 | Madison, WI | $48,530 | +23% above national |
| 8 | Jacksonville, FL | $48,410 | +23% above national |
| 9 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $48,140 | +22% above national |
| 10 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $47,470 | +20% above national |
| 11 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $47,440 | +20% above national |
| 12 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $47,410 | +20% above national |
| 13 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $47,100 | +19% above national |
| 14 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $46,350 | +17% above national |
| 15 | Cleveland, OH | $46,320 | +17% above national |
| 16 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $46,280 | +17% above national |
| 17 | Syracuse, NY | $46,250 | +17% above national |
| 18 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $45,870 | +16% above national |
| 19 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $45,750 | +16% above national |
| 20 | Peoria, IL | $45,620 | +16% above national |
| 21 | Rochester, NY | $45,420 | +15% above national |
| 22 | Colorado Springs, CO | $44,150 | +12% above national |
| 23 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $43,850 | +11% above national |
| 24 | Reno, NV | $43,410 | +10% above national |
| 25 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $43,270 | +10% above national |
| 26 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $42,280 | +7% above national |
| 27 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $41,780 | +6% above national |
| 28 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $41,590 | +5% above national |
| 29 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $41,140 | +4% above national |
| 30 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $40,660 | +3% above national |
| 31 | Omaha, NE-IA | $40,640 | +3% above national |
| 32 | Modesto, CA | $40,570 | +3% above national |
| 33 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $39,460 | same as national |
| 34 | St. Cloud, MN | $39,370 | same as national |
| 35 | Baton Rouge, LA | $39,260 | 1% below national |
| 36 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $38,940 | 1% below national |
| 37 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $38,770 | 2% below national |
| 38 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $38,740 | 2% below national |
| 39 | Pittsburgh, PA | $38,650 | 2% below national |
| 40 | Albuquerque, NM | $38,590 | 2% below national |
| 41 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $38,370 | 3% below national |
| 42 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $38,280 | 3% below national |
| 43 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $38,190 | 3% below national |
| 44 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $38,020 | 4% below national |
| 45 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $37,920 | 4% below national |
| 46 | York-Hanover, PA | $37,780 | 4% below national |
| 47 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $37,650 | 5% below national |
| 48 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $37,340 | 5% below national |
| 49 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $36,870 | 7% below national |
| 50 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $36,720 | 7% below national |
| 51 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $36,570 | 7% below national |
| 52 | Columbia, SC | $36,400 | 8% below national |
| 53 | Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $36,390 | 8% below national |
| 54 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $36,230 | 8% below national |
| 55 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $36,170 | 8% below national |
| 56 | Oklahoma City, OK | $35,730 | 9% below national |
| 57 | Lubbock, TX | $32,130 | 19% below national |
| 58 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $31,670 | 20% below national |
| 59 | Corpus Christi, TX | $30,930 | 22% below national |
| 60 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $28,890 | 27% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 51 (production) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians make? ▼
What state pays Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians the most? ▼
What education do you need to become a Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians? ▼
How dangerous is being a Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians? ▼
Is Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians a good career? ▼
How does Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $47,010/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Connecticut leads at $62,410/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.