Virginia · SOC 29-2057
Ophthalmic Medical Technicians in Virginia
State salary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025)
Geography used: wage and employment figures are BLS state estimates for Virginia; the comparison figure is the United States national estimate.
Median Salary
$40,920
per year in this state
10% below
National Median
$45,570
per year nationally
Hourly Rate
$19.68/hr
median hourly
Employment
1,540
jobs in VA
Salary Range in Virginia
Annual Salary Distribution
What This Means for Ophthalmic Medical Technicians in Virginia
According to BLS OEWS state estimates, Virginia ranks #34 of 52 states and territories for Ophthalmic Medical Technicians pay, the middle tier (65th percentile) nationally. Ophthalmic Medical Technicians working in Virginia earn a median salary of $40,920, which is 10% below the national median of $45,570. OEWS reports the difference but does not identify its cause. The reported wage distribution runs from $36,170 at the 10th percentile to $52,280 at the 90th. OEWS does not separate how much of that spread comes from experience, specialization, employer, industry, schedule, or local market differences.
This page captures the Ophthalmic Medical Technicians labor market inside Virginia using BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics state estimates from the May 2025 release. Median annual pay lands at $40,920 ($19.68/hr per hour), while the state employs roughly 1,540 workers in this SOC code (29-2057). Relative to the national median of $45,570, the state estimate is 10% below. Explaining that difference would require separate evidence on industry, employer, prices, and worker mix.
Within Virginia, the full pay distribution is wider than the median alone suggests. Workers at the 10th percentile earn $36,170, the 25th earns $37,310, the 75th reaches $46,530, and the 90th hits $52,280. The upper boundary is roughly 1.4× the lower boundary. These bands combine workers across experience levels, credentials, employers, industries, schedules, and specialties; the percentile table does not isolate any one factor's effect.
Use this state-level view as one layer in your research stack, not the full picture. Drill into the specific BLS local wage area within Virginia where the job is located. A state estimate can differ substantially from a local-area estimate; this table does not establish why. Pair the wage here with state-specific cost of living (rent, taxes, energy, groceries) to see how far the paycheck actually goes. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses. It excludes employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, and nonproduction bonuses, so compare those items separately when reviewing an offer.
Top Paying Jobs in Virginia
Similar Occupations in Virginia
Other roles in the same SOC major group, priced for this state's labor market.
Other states with similar Ophthalmic Medical Technicians pay or employment
Two OEWS peer sets for this SOC code outside Virginia. Same-major-group cards above stay in-state; these neighborhoods are cross-state nearest neighbors.
Similar median pay
Nearest state medians ($40,920 here).
Similar employment scale
Nearest headcount peers (1,540 jobs here; floor 1,000).
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS state median annual wage and reported employment for SOC 29-2057. Employment peers exclude states already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.
Related federal data for Virginia
📊 BLS OEWS - Virginia
Federal wage estimates by occupation
📈 BLS Employment Projections
10-year occupation growth, national
🏢 BLS QCEW state series
Quarterly employment and wage program (BLS)
🏛️ OPM FedScope
Federal workforce data by agency and location
⚖️ OSHA Establishment Search
Federal workplace-safety records
🏠 HUD Fair Market Rents
Federal area-level rent benchmarks
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Ophthalmic Medical Technicians make in Virginia? ▼
How many Ophthalmic Medical Technicians work in Virginia? ▼
What is the hourly rate for Ophthalmic Medical Technicians in Virginia? ▼
Where does WageDex get its salary data? ▼
Data Sources
Last updated: May 2025 (BLS OEWS annual release).
Salary and employment data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release.
Wage estimates include straight-time pay plus items such as tips, commissions, and production bonuses. They exclude employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, and nonproduction bonuses. Employment figures represent the estimated number of workers in the occupation across all industries in Virginia.
Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. This occupation's Virginia figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS state-level data. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.