Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians earn a median of $39,460 per year ($18.97/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to grow 2.2% through 2035, with about 2,200 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 51-9083
- Production
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician in four numbers
- Median pay
- $39,460a year, or $18.97/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $34KTop 10% $57K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +2.2%Slower than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+2.2%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +2.2% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 2,20018,600 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202518.6K
- Projected 203519K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 18.6K Projected 2035 19K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Less than high school4.8%
- High school56.4%
- Certificate8.8%
- Some college14.6%
- Associate's6.5%
- Bachelor's3.7%
Highest education held by ophthalmic laboratory technicians Segment Value Less than high school 4.8% High school 56.4% Certificate 8.8% Some college 14.6% Associate's 6.5% Bachelor's 3.7%
Also advertised as: Edger Technician, Finishing Lab Technician, Lab Technician (Laboratory Technician), Lens Grinder and Polisher, Line Operator, Optical Lab Technician (Optical Laboratory Technician).
Pay
How much do Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians make?
Every ophthalmic laboratory technician in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$39,460
Middle half earn $36,470 to $47,010
- 10th
- $33,530
- 25th
- $36,470
- 75th
- $47,010
- 90th
- $57,380
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $33,530 |
| 25th | $36,470 |
| Median | $39,460 |
| 75th | $47,010 |
| 90th | $57,380 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $39,460
- Median hourly wage
- $18.97/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $43,190
- People employed
- 18,660
Versus all US occupations
At $39,460, Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians earn 23% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $11,520 a year.
Versus production occupations
Inside the Production group, where the middle occupation pays $48,030, this is 18% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $57,380 or more while the bottom 10% earn $33,530, a gap of 1.7×. That is a narrow spread, so experience and employer move pay less than in most occupations.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 7% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Connecticut pays the most at $62,410, and still leads at $60,235 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Connecticut | $62,410 | $60,235 | 170 |
| 2New Hampshire | $59,460 | $57,083 | 180 |
| 3Washington | $49,230 | $46,004 | 260 |
| 4Colorado | $48,540 | $47,102 | 320 |
| 5Rhode Island | $47,440 | $46,382 | 70 |
| 6New Jersey | $47,420 | $43,583 | N/A |
| 7California | $47,410 | $42,820 | 1,630 |
| 8Maryland | $47,100 | $44,875 | 360 |
| 9Ohio | $46,320 | $49,928 | 560 |
| 10Oregon | $45,780 | $44,291 | 250 |
Job outlook
Is Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Slower than average. +2.2% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians | +2.2% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Slower than average
BLS projects employment of Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians to change 2.2% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 400 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 2,200 openings are projected each year, 11.8% of the 18,600 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Overall employment of dental and ophthalmic laboratory technicians and medical appliance technicians is projected to grow 2 percent from 2025 to 2035, decline.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Projected employment of dental and ophthalmic laboratory technicians and medical appliance technicians varies by occupation (see table).
Demand for dental laboratory technicians is expected to decline as 3D printing and other laborsaving technologies are increasingly used to produce dental parts and appliances.
Getting in
How to become an Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician
To enter the occupation, dental and ophthalmic laboratory technicians and medical appliance technicians typically need at least a high school diploma or equivalent. They typically receive on-the-job training to attain competency.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Little or no preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as ophthalmic laboratory technicians.
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)56.4%
- Some College Courses14.6%
- Post-Secondary Certificate8.8%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree6.5%
- Less than a High School Diploma4.8%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 56.4% |
| Some College Courses | 14.6% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 8.8% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 6.5% |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 4.8% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does an Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician do?
Cut, grind, and polish eyeglasses, contact lenses, or other precision optical elements. Assemble and mount lenses into frames or process other optical elements. Includes precision lens polishers or grinders, centerer-edgers, and lens mounters.
Dental and ophthalmic laboratory technicians and medical appliance technicians make or repair dentures, eyeglasses, prosthetics, and related products.
Day-to-day tasks
- Mount and secure lens blanks or optical lenses in holding tools or chucks of cutting, polishing, grinding, or coating machines.
- Examine prescriptions, work orders, or broken or used eyeglasses to determine specifications for lenses, contact lenses, or other optical elements.
- Clean finished lenses and eyeglasses, using cloths and solvents.
- Mount, secure, and align finished lenses in frames or optical assemblies, using precision hand tools.
- Shape lenses appropriately so that they can be inserted into frames.
- Inspect lens blanks to detect flaws, verify smoothness of surface, and ensure thickness of coating on lenses.
- Adjust lenses and frames to correct alignment.
- Assemble eyeglass frames and attach shields, nose pads, and temple pieces, using pliers, screwdrivers, and drills.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Most dental and ophthalmic laboratory technicians and medical appliance technicians work full time, and schedules may vary.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayIndoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayAlmost never works outdoors.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayDealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely seriousMistakes are not usually serious.
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lot
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition. Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Reading Comprehension3.0
- Critical Thinking3.0
- Monitoring3.0
- Active Listening2.9
- Speaking2.9
- Writing2.8
- Active Learning2.8
- Learning Strategies2.5
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 3.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.0 |
| Monitoring | 3.0 |
| Active Listening | 2.9 |
| Speaking | 2.9 |
| Writing | 2.8 |
| Active Learning | 2.8 |
| Learning Strategies | 2.5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Operation and Control3.3
- Operations Monitoring3.1
- Quality Control Analysis3.1
- Time Management3.1
- Judgment and Decision Making3.0
- Service Orientation2.8
- Social Perceptiveness2.6
- Coordination2.6
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Operation and Control | 3.3 |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.1 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.1 |
| Time Management | 3.1 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.0 |
| Service Orientation | 2.8 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 2.6 |
| Coordination | 2.6 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Computer aided design CAD software
- Medical software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits an Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 6 |
| Investigative | 3 |
| Artistic | 2 |
| Social | 2 |
| Enterprising | 1 |
| Conventional | 4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Realistic6.4
- Conventional4.1
- Investigative2.9
- Social1.9
- Artistic1.7
- Enterprising1.4
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician
O*NET related occupations
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Most earn $33K to $61K
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More production careers
Median annual pay, with ophthalmic laboratory technicians highlighted
- Power Plant Operator$102,040
- Tool and Die Maker$64,050
- Machinist$58,750
- Welder$53,750
- Structural Metal Fabricator and Fitter$51,330
- Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operator$50,690
- Butcher and Meat Cutter$40,140
- Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician$39,460
- Baker$37,160
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Power Plant Operator | $102,040 |
| Tool and Die Maker | $64,050 |
| Machinist | $58,750 |
| Welder | $53,750 |
| Structural Metal Fabricator and Fitter | $51,330 |
| Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operator | $50,690 |
| Butcher and Meat Cutter | $40,140 |
| Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician | $39,460 |
| Baker | $37,160 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician appears on
Questions
Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician: frequently asked questions
How much do Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians make?
Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians earn a median of $39,460 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 23% below the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $18.97/hr. The middle half earn between $36,470 and $47,010. The top 10% earn $57,380 or more.
Do you need a degree to become an Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians. BLS also lists moderate-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 56.4% hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged).
Is Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician a growing career?
It is growing, but slowly: 2.2% over 2025–2035 against 3.5% for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 2,200 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does an Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician do?
Dental and ophthalmic laboratory technicians and medical appliance technicians make or repair dentures, eyeglasses, prosthetics, and related products. A core O*NET task: mount and secure lens blanks or optical lenses in holding tools or chucks of cutting, polishing, grinding, or coating machines. Employers most often ask for Electronic mail software, Enterprise resource planning ERP software, Office suite software.
Which states pay Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians the most?
The highest state medians for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians are Connecticut ($62,410), New Hampshire ($59,460), Washington ($49,230) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits an Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician?
O*NET scores Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians highest on the Realistic and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.