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Ophthalmic Medical Technicians is a notable career in the 29 category. This page provides verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0 (2024), helping you compare Ophthalmic Medical Technicians against similar careers and make data-driven decisions.
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| soc | 29-2057 |
| title | Ophthalmic Medical Technicians |
| onet code | 29-2057.00 |
| description | 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. |
| job zone | 3 |
| major group | 29 |
| tot emp | 76,520 |
| a mean | 45,360 |
| a median | 44,080 |
| a pct10 | 34,210 |
| a pct25 | 37,100 |
| a pct75 | 49,730 |
| a pct90 | 60,810 |
| h mean | 21 |
| h median | 21 |
The day-to-day work of a ophthalmic medical technicians typically centers on take and document patients' medical histories. Every task listed below is classified as Core in O*NET — they collectively define the role. Task descriptions below are quoted from the U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET 29.0 occupation profile.
Workers in this occupation rely most on Active Listening, Speaking, and Reading Comprehension. Across the top 10 skills, the average O*NET importance score is 3.14 out of 5 — moderately weighted for this role. Importance reflects how essential each skill is for adequate job performance.
Among working ophthalmic medical technicians, the most common entry qualification is a High School Diploma (59.1%). Bachelor's-degree-or-higher credentials are reported by 0% of incumbents. Most workers enter without a four-year degree, making this a relatively accessible career path.
Median annual pay is highest in Minnesota at $60,810 and lowest in Wyoming at $31,720 — a 1.9× spread. The top five states (Minnesota, Wisconsin, Vermont, Washington, Oregon) average $51,648. Figures reflect BLS OEWS May 2024 state-level wage estimates; percentiles shown are for full-time wage-earners in each state.
| State | Median | Mean | 10th % | 90th % | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | $60,810 | $57,530 | $32,050 | $76,430 | 990 |
| Wisconsin | $50,660 | $52,660 | $38,840 | $64,290 | 1,210 |
| Vermont | $49,080 | $52,760 | $45,530 | $65,520 | 180 |
| Washington | $48,960 | $53,520 | $39,040 | $73,950 | 1,430 |
| Oregon | $48,730 | $52,200 | $39,670 | $66,750 | 1,410 |
| Connecticut | $48,520 | $50,120 | $40,730 | $63,060 | 630 |
| California | $47,940 | $53,870 | $36,430 | $82,710 | 4,090 |
| Maryland | $47,490 | $49,510 | $38,070 | $63,150 | 1,550 |
| New Jersey | $47,460 | $48,120 | $35,820 | $62,610 | 1,760 |
| Massachusetts | $47,450 | $51,050 | $37,090 | $67,710 | 3,430 |
| New Hampshire | $47,240 | $50,400 | $38,810 | $67,020 | 400 |
| Montana | $47,110 | $48,050 | $36,040 | $61,920 | 490 |
| New York | $46,910 | $48,820 | $35,910 | $63,750 | 6,260 |
| Hawaii | $46,850 | $48,240 | $35,920 | $62,400 | 160 |
| Alaska | $46,780 | $52,430 | $40,720 | $65,970 | — |
| Rhode Island | $46,090 | $46,400 | $38,550 | $58,670 | 260 |
| District of Columbia | $45,860 | $46,670 | $35,890 | $62,190 | — |
| Maine | $45,640 | $45,720 | $37,870 | $51,240 | 290 |
| Florida | $45,300 | $44,690 | $35,780 | $60,130 | 7,160 |
| Michigan | $45,070 | $44,920 | $35,280 | $53,690 | 2,180 |
| North Dakota | $44,970 | $44,890 | $38,060 | $49,930 | 230 |
| Colorado | $44,820 | $48,170 | $38,580 | $63,480 | 1,580 |
| Illinois | $44,790 | $45,340 | $34,470 | $58,450 | 2,210 |
| Pennsylvania | $44,620 | $44,270 | $35,120 | $56,380 | 3,230 |
| Nebraska | $44,600 | $43,090 | $36,090 | $53,080 | 720 |
| Iowa | $44,160 | $44,820 | $35,590 | $56,830 | 640 |
| Indiana | $43,200 | $43,740 | $33,010 | $56,830 | 1,660 |
| Arizona | $41,790 | $43,540 | $37,040 | $53,040 | 2,080 |
| Delaware | $41,730 | $43,460 | $32,460 | $52,380 | 80 |
| Virginia | $41,600 | $44,110 | $35,670 | $58,200 | 2,250 |
| West Virginia | $41,600 | $40,430 | $31,580 | $47,600 | 270 |
| North Carolina | $40,990 | $44,580 | $34,970 | $60,800 | 2,000 |
| Ohio | $40,000 | $42,980 | $34,940 | $55,060 | 3,040 |
| Louisiana | $39,100 | $42,270 | $30,140 | $51,230 | 910 |
| South Carolina | $38,840 | $40,170 | $31,420 | $50,570 | 1,650 |
| Idaho | $38,830 | $40,410 | $28,590 | $52,700 | 240 |
| Texas | $38,770 | $41,060 | $30,640 | $53,940 | 6,980 |
| South Dakota | $38,760 | $42,790 | $35,540 | $52,690 | 440 |
| Kansas | $38,750 | $41,640 | $33,780 | $56,440 | 590 |
| Kentucky | $38,740 | $40,030 | $29,080 | $50,070 | 1,830 |
| Tennessee | $38,720 | $41,940 | $31,370 | $56,460 | 2,300 |
| Georgia | $37,900 | $42,190 | $29,310 | $59,210 | 1,690 |
| Nevada | $37,630 | $39,730 | $30,710 | $48,980 | 370 |
| New Mexico | $37,510 | $40,530 | $29,770 | $58,960 | 260 |
| Missouri | $36,600 | $37,070 | $27,040 | $47,400 | 830 |
| Alabama | $36,260 | $37,730 | $29,070 | $47,150 | 1,330 |
| Arkansas | $36,160 | $37,110 | $28,950 | $47,500 | 520 |
| Utah | $36,000 | $37,980 | $28,890 | $49,470 | 750 |
| Mississippi | $35,960 | $37,140 | $28,410 | $49,330 | 760 |
| Oklahoma | $35,800 | $37,030 | $30,500 | $46,600 | 760 |
| Wyoming | $31,720 | $35,480 | $30,020 | $47,160 | 60 |
Recruiters and job boards use several alternate titles for ophthalmic medical technicians. Knowing these variants widens your job search — listings for Certified Ophthalmic Medical Technician (Certified Ophthalmic Medical Tech) or Certified Ophthalmic Surgical Assistant frequently describe the same role. The list below is a sample of the most common industry variants.
This data helps you understand how Ophthalmic Medical Technicians compares to others in the 29 category. Use it to make informed decisions based on verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0.
careers with the closest data values to Ophthalmic Medical Technicians
The CertifyWize editorial team aggregates and verifies careers data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0. Every statistic on this site is cross-referenced against the official source before publication, with quarterly re-verification cycles.
Read our full methodology or contact us with corrections.