HEALTH Zone 3: Medium Preparation

Ophthalmic Medical Technicians

Projected to grow +21.4% through 2035, Ophthalmic Medical Technicians is expanding faster than most occupations. Median pay is $45,570, and early movers in a growing field often advance faster.

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About Ophthalmic Medical Technicians

This page sets out what the federal data says about working as a ophthalmic medical technicians: what the job pays, how fast it is growing, and what it takes to get in. Most people arrive through a degree in Optometry & Vision and what it leads to, though it is not the only route.

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.

Median Wage: $45,570
Employed Nationally: 71K
Openings / Year: 11,800
Entry Education: Postsecondary nondegree award
Job Zone: Zone 3: Medium Preparation

Also known as:

Certified Ophthalmic Medical Technician (Certified Ophthalmic Medical Tech) Certified Ophthalmic Surgical Assistant Certified Ophthalmic Technician (COT) Certified Ophthalmic Technician-Surgical Assistant (COT-SA) Certified Retinal Angiographer

How Much Do Ophthalmic Medical Technicians Make?

Most ophthalmic medical technicians take home around $45,570 a year, below what most graduates with a bachelor's make. Half earn somewhere between $38,170 and $51,390, so where you land depends a lot on employer, specialty and city. Think carefully about how much debt is worth taking on for it. Source: BLS.

A wage on its own says nothing about whether the degree behind it pays for itself, which is a question of lifetime earnings set against the total cost of getting there.

$45,570

National Median (Annual)

Below average for bachelor's degree holders.

$38K–$51K

Middle 50% Range

25th to 75th percentile. Most workers earn within this band.

Earnings Range

$38,170 Entry-level

$45,570 Median

$51,390 Experienced

What Do Ophthalmic Medical Technicians Do?

This is what the job actually looks like on a Tuesday: 5 core activities and 5 skills the work depends on. Read it before the salary, because pay matters less than whether you would want to spend your days doing this. Source: O*NET.

What You'll Do

Take and document patients' medical histories.
Conduct tonometry or tonography tests to measure intraocular pressure.
Operate ophthalmic equipment, such as autorefractors, phoropters, tomographs, or retinoscopes.
Take anatomical or functional ocular measurements of the eye or surrounding tissue, such as axial length measurements.
Measure visual acuity, including near, distance, pinhole, or dynamic visual acuity, using appropriate tests.

Core Skills Employers Look For

Active Listening Speaking Writing Social Perceptiveness Reading Comprehension

Who Thrives Here

Realistic

Hands-on tasks, physical activity, or working with tools and real materials are central parts of the daily work here.

Conventional

Success depends on precision and structured processes, where detail-oriented people who work consistently within established systems perform best.

Investigative

This career demands analytical thinking: researching problems, interpreting data, and applying logical reasoning to find practical solutions.

Where Do Ophthalmic Medical Technicians Work?

What the physical and mental conditions of this job actually look like day to day, based on O*NET Work Context data collected from people working in this occupation.

Work Setting

Mixed

Split between indoor and outdoor or field settings.

Physical Demands

Light

Mix of sitting and movement throughout the day.

Stress Level

Moderate

Moderate pressure. Regular deadlines exist but are generally manageable with experience.

What Is the Job Outlook for Ophthalmic Medical Technicians?

Through 2035 the BLS expects this field to change by +21.4%, meaning it is growing faster than most occupations, so jobs should be easier to find over time. Around 11,800 roles open up each year, which is the number that matters most if you are starting out. Source: BLS.

Growth rates are only meaningful next to other occupations, and the full list of careers with their projected growth puts this one in context.

↗ +21.4%

10-Year Growth (2025–2035)

Much faster than average.

11,800

Annual Openings

New positions plus replacements for retirees and career-changers.

71K

Currently Employed

Total US employment as of BLS May 2025.

Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025–2035 and Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025.

Where the Jobs Are

The five states below employ the most Ophthalmic Medical Technicians professionals nationwide. State-level wages can differ significantly from the $45,570 national median. Research your specific market before committing to a program.

#	State	Jobs	Median Wage	vs. National
1	Florida	7,020	$46,830	+2.8%
2	Texas	6,540	$43,640	-4.2%
3	New York	4,250	$48,440	+6.3%
4	New Jersey	4,150	$49,050	+7.6%
5	Illinois	3,250	$47,100	+3.4%

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Employment figures rounded. Read our methodology →

How to Get Here

To get hired here you will usually need a postsecondary nondegree award. The program below is the most common route in, ordered by how many people actually graduate from each one.

Typical Entry Education Postsecondary nondegree award

Job Zone

Zone 3: Medium Preparation

A medium amount of preparation is required, often an associate degree, certificate program, or apprenticeship, plus some related experience.

Degree Programs That Lead Here

#	Program	Graduates/yr	4yr Median	Colleges
1	Optometry & Vision	760	—	79

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Top Colleges for Aspiring Ophthalmic Medical Technicians

Colleges offering the degree programs that lead to this career, ranked by UCD Score. A strong program plus solid outcomes is a good place to begin your search.

#	College	UCD Score	Net Price	Salary 10yr
1	Miami Dade College Miami, FL	84	$5,463	$40,654
2	University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Minneapolis, MN	83	$16,778	$69,020
3	Edgecombe Community College Tarboro, NC	81	$0	$33,267
4	Wiregrass Georgia Technical College Valdosta, GA	80	$614	$30,864
5	Sandhills Community College Pinehurst, NC	80	$4,157	$31,656
6	Southwestern Community College Sylva, NC	79	$5,207	$34,145

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Plan Your Path

Once you've sized up Ophthalmic Medical Technicians, these tools turn the numbers into a plan. Estimate the real cost of a degree that leads here, weigh the long-term payoff, compare specific colleges side-by-side, and find programs that match your profile.

College ROI Calculator

See if the degree that leads to Ophthalmic Medical Technicians pays off. Weighs each college's cost against the earnings graduates see.

College Cost Calculator

Enter a budget and see the colleges whose net price fits, with the out-of-pocket cost and likely loan load for each.

Compare Colleges

Put any 2–4 colleges side-by-side. Admissions, cost, outcomes, and earnings, all on one screen, no tab-hopping.

College Match Quiz

Answer six quick questions and see your best-fit colleges ranked by budget, field of study, and what matters most to you.

Ophthalmic Medical Technicians Pros & Cons

The data on Ophthalmic Medical Technicians shows 2 measurable strengths and 1 real trade-offs. All points are drawn from BLS wage data, employment projections, and IPEDS program completions.

PROS

Exceptional job growth The BLS projects +21.4% employment growth through 2035, one of the fastest rates across all occupations. Demand for qualified candidates should remain elevated for a decade.
Accessible entry path The typical entry requirement is a postsecondary nondegree award, lower than many comparable-paying careers. This creates a shorter path from training to first paycheck.

CONS

Modest median salary At $45,570 median, this career lags STEM and business fields. High-cost degree programs may be difficult to justify on salary alone.

Ophthalmic Medical Technicians Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Ophthalmic Medical Technicians professionals earn?

Around $45,570 a year for the typical worker, below the national median, program ROI depends heavily on keeping tuition costs low. The middle 50% of earners fall between $38,170 and $51,390. Treat the national figure as a starting point rather than a promise: employer size, industry and city all move it.

Is Ophthalmic Medical Technicians a good career?

Ophthalmic Medical Technicians involves trade-offs worth understanding before committing. At $45,570 median, programs with high tuition are difficult to justify on salary return alone. Prioritize in-state public schools or employer-sponsored pathways. Job growth is projected at +21.4% through 2035. Genuine interest in the work, not just the salary, matters most here.

How do I become an Ophthalmic Medical Technicians?

Most Ophthalmic Medical Technicians positions require a postsecondary nondegree award as the minimum credential. a medium amount of preparation is required, often an associate degree, certificate program, or apprenticeship, plus some related experience. Programs like Optometry & Vision are common starting points.

How fast is the Ophthalmic Medical Technicians field growing?

Very fast. The BLS projects +21.4% growth for Ophthalmic Medical Technicians through 2035, well above the roughly 5% national average and among the fastest rates across all occupations. Demand is being driven by structural forces, not cyclical ones. About 11,800 job openings per year are expected as the field expands and existing workers move on. From a current base of 71K workers, sustained growth creates real hiring volume, though fast-growing fields also attract more new graduates competing for entry-level roles.

What skills do Ophthalmic Medical Technicians professionals need?

Mainly Active Listening, Speaking, Writing, Social Perceptiveness, and Reading Comprehension. Notice how many of those are habits rather than facts: they come from doing the work, not from a lecture. That is why programs with an internship or co-op requirement put you ahead of people who only studied the theory. Source: O*NET.