The median pay for Ophthalmic Medical Technologists is $50,290 a year ($24.18/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 5.9% through 2035, with about 12,400 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: Postsecondary nondegree award.
- SOC 29-2099
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Ophthalmic Medical Technologist in four numbers
- Median pay
- $50,290a year, or $24.18/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $38KTop 10% $85K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +5.9%Faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+5.9%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +5.9% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 12,400185,600 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025185.6K
- Projected 2035196.4K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 185.6K Projected 2035 196.4K - Typical education
- Certificateneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- High school30%
- Certificate25%
- Some college10%
- Associate's10%
- Bachelor's15%
- Post-bacc certificate10%
Highest education held by ophthalmic medical technologists Segment Value High school 30% Certificate 25% Some college 10% Associate's 10% Bachelor's 15% Post-bacc certificate 10%
Also advertised as: Certified Diagnostic Ophthalmic Sonographer (CDOS), Certified Ophthalmic Medical Technologist (COMT), Ophthalmic Echographer, Ophthalmic Medical Technologist (Ophthalmic Medical Tech), Ophthalmic Photographer, Ophthalmic Sonographer.
Pay
How much do Ophthalmic Medical Technologists make?
Every ophthalmic medical technologist in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$50,290
Middle half earn $44,170 to $64,340
- 10th
- $38,180
- 25th
- $44,170
- 75th
- $64,340
- 90th
- $85,270
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $38,180 |
| 25th | $44,170 |
| Median | $50,290 |
| 75th | $64,340 |
| 90th | $85,270 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $50,290
- Median hourly wage
- $24.18/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $58,710
- People employed
- 182,610
Versus all US occupations
At $50,290, the median for Ophthalmic Medical Technologists sits in line with the $50,980 median across all US occupations.
Versus healthcare practitioners and technical occupations
Inside the Healthcare Practitioners and Technical group, where the middle occupation pays $102,760, this is 51% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $85,270 or more while the bottom 10% earn $38,180, a gap of 2.2×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 22% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Wyoming pays the most at $80,520, and still leads at $86,869 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Ophthalmic Medical Technologists 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Wyoming | $80,520 | $86,869 | 90 |
| 2Delaware | $78,650 | $78,801 | 110 |
| 3U.S. Virgin Islands | $72,450 | N/A | 30 |
| 4Washington | $62,090 | $58,021 | 3,870 |
| 5Maine | $61,490 | $63,359 | 550 |
| 6Massachusetts | $60,500 | $57,207 | 3,550 |
| 7California | $60,390 | $54,543 | 26,540 |
| 8Oregon | $60,390 | $58,426 | 1,720 |
| 9New York | $60,320 | $55,893 | 11,910 |
| 10Hawaii | $59,900 | $54,479 | 1,000 |
Job outlook
Is Ophthalmic Medical Technologist a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Faster than average. +5.9% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Ophthalmic Medical Technologists | +5.9% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Faster than average
BLS projects employment of Ophthalmic Medical Technologists to change 5.9% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 10,900 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 12,400 openings are projected each year, 6.7% of the 185,600 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become an Ophthalmic Medical Technologist
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Postsecondary nondegree award
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Some 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 medical technologists.
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)30%
- Post-Secondary Certificate25%
- Bachelor's Degree15%
- Some College Courses10%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree10%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 30% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 25% |
| Bachelor's Degree | 15% |
| Some College Courses | 10% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 10% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does an Ophthalmic Medical Technologist do?
Assist ophthalmologists by performing ophthalmic clinical functions and ophthalmic photography. Provide instruction and supervision to other ophthalmic personnel. Assist with minor surgical procedures, applying aseptic techniques and preparing instruments. May perform eye exams, administer eye medications, and instruct patients in care and use of corrective lenses.
Day-to-day tasks
- Conduct tonometry or tonography tests to measure intraocular pressure.
- Take and document patients' medical histories.
- Take anatomical or functional ocular measurements, such as axial length measurements, of the eye or surrounding tissue.
- Measure visual acuity, including near, distance, pinhole, or dynamic visual acuity, using appropriate tests.
- Administer topical ophthalmic or oral medications.
- Measure and record lens power, using lensometers.
- Calculate corrections for refractive errors.
- Clean or sterilize ophthalmic or surgical instruments.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
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
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely importantDealing with customers or the public is very important.
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lot
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
- Active Listening3.9
- Speaking3.9
- Critical Thinking3.3
- Reading Comprehension3.1
- Writing3.1
- Active Learning3.0
- Learning Strategies3.0
- Monitoring3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Active Listening | 3.9 |
| Speaking | 3.9 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.3 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.1 |
| Writing | 3.1 |
| Active Learning | 3.0 |
| Learning Strategies | 3.0 |
| Monitoring | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Social Perceptiveness3.6
- Service Orientation3.4
- Coordination3.1
- Instructing3.1
- Complex Problem Solving3.0
- Judgment and Decision Making3.0
- Time Management3.0
- Management of Personnel Resources2.9
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.6 |
| Service Orientation | 3.4 |
| Coordination | 3.1 |
| Instructing | 3.1 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.0 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.0 |
| Time Management | 3.0 |
| Management of Personnel Resources | 2.9 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Computer aided design CAD software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Web platform development software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Internet browser 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 Medical Technologist?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Ophthalmic Medical Technologist |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 5 |
| Investigative | 5 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 4 |
| Enterprising | 2 |
| Conventional | 5 |
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.
- Realistic5.4
- Conventional4.7
- Investigative4.7
- Social4.3
- Enterprising2.0
- Artistic1.1
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 Medical Technologist
O*NET related occupations
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Most earn $39K to $121K
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- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
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More healthcare practitioners and technical careers
Median annual pay, with ophthalmic medical technologists highlighted
- Anesthesiologist$391,490
- Physician Assistant$135,880
- Nurse Practitioner$132,300
- Physical Therapist$102,760
- Dental Hygienist$98,100
- Diagnostic Medical Sonographer$96,590
- Radiologic Technologist and Technician$80,110
- Surgical Technologist$64,650
- Ophthalmic Medical Technologist$50,290
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Anesthesiologist | $391,490 |
| Physician Assistant | $135,880 |
| Nurse Practitioner | $132,300 |
| Physical Therapist | $102,760 |
| Dental Hygienist | $98,100 |
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographer | $96,590 |
| Radiologic Technologist and Technician | $80,110 |
| Surgical Technologist | $64,650 |
| Ophthalmic Medical Technologist | $50,290 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Ophthalmic Medical Technologist appears on
Questions
Ophthalmic Medical Technologist: frequently asked questions
How much do Ophthalmic Medical Technologists make?
Ophthalmic Medical Technologists earn a median of $50,290 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), close to the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $24.18/hr. The middle half earn between $44,170 and $64,340. The top 10% earn $85,270 or more.
Do you need a degree to become an Ophthalmic Medical Technologist?
Not a degree, but you do need credentialed training: BLS lists a postsecondary non-degree award (a certificate or license program) as the typical entry route for Ophthalmic Medical Technologists. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 30.0% hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged).
Is Ophthalmic Medical Technologist a growing career?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 5.9% over 2025–2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 12,400 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does an Ophthalmic Medical Technologist do?
Assist ophthalmologists by performing ophthalmic clinical functions and ophthalmic photography. A core O*NET task: conduct tonometry or tonography tests to measure intraocular pressure. Employers most often ask for Computer aided design CAD software, Electronic mail software, Enterprise resource planning ERP software.
Which states pay Ophthalmic Medical Technologists the most?
The highest state medians for Ophthalmic Medical Technologists are Wyoming ($80,520), Delaware ($78,650), U.S. Virgin Islands ($72,450) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits an Ophthalmic Medical Technologist?
O*NET scores Ophthalmic Medical Technologists highest on the Realistic, Conventional and Investigative 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.