Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians
Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians (SOC 51-9083) earn a median $39,460 a year ($18.97 an hour) in the United States, with 18,660 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Connecticut.
What ophthalmic laboratory technicians do
Ophthalmic laboratory technicians make eyeglass lenses and other precision optical elements to a prescription. Lens blanks are mounted in holding tools or chucks and then cut, ground, beveled, edged, polished, or coated by machine. The technician sets up the equipment, shapes each lens so that it fits its frame, and inspects it for flaws, smoothness, and coating thickness. Precision instruments check weight, measurement, and alignment against the prescription. Finished lenses are cleaned with cloths and solvents, and the technician also mounts and secures the lenses in frames or optical assemblies with precision hand tools. Titles listed include bevel polisher and benchroom shop optician. Dispensing opticians, who work directly with patients on eyewear, are excluded and classified elsewhere. Prescriptions, work orders, and even broken or used eyeglasses are examined to determine lens specifications.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, a high school diploma or equivalent is the most common level of education reported by workers in this occupation.
Also called: Artificial Glass Eye Maker, Artificial Plastic Eye Maker, Bench Hand, Benchroom Shop Optician, Bevel Polisher.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $16.12 | $17.53 | $18.97 | $22.60 | $27.59 | $20.76 | 18,660 |
| Annual | $33,530 | $36,470 | $39,460 | $47,010 | $57,380 | $43,190 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where ophthalmic laboratory technicians earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Connecticut | Hourly | $23.75 | $25.20 | $30.01 | $41.32 | $62.72 | $38.27 | 170 | 0.10 | 0.83 |
| Annual | $49,400 | $52,420 | $62,410 | $85,940 | $130,460 | $79,600 | ||||
| New Hampshire | Hourly | $18.35 | $21.65 | $28.59 | $35.06 | $38.64 | $27.79 | 180 | 0.26 | 2.19 |
| Annual | $38,170 | $45,020 | $59,460 | $72,920 | $80,370 | $57,800 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $20.31 | $22.22 | $23.67 | $25.39 | $28.60 | $24.28 | 260 | 0.07 | 0.61 |
| Annual | $42,240 | $46,210 | $49,230 | $52,810 | $59,490 | $50,500 | ||||
| Colorado | Hourly | $20.65 | $22.63 | $23.34 | $27.85 | $30.58 | $25.59 | 320 | 0.11 | 0.92 |
| Annual | $42,940 | $47,080 | $48,540 | $57,920 | $63,610 | $53,240 | ||||
| Rhode Island | Hourly | $17.54 | $22.63 | $22.81 | $24.90 | $29.02 | $23.48 | 70 | 0.14 | 1.13 |
| Annual | $36,490 | $47,060 | $47,440 | $51,800 | $60,360 | $48,840 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Texas | Hourly | $14.77 | $16.41 | $18.23 | $21.30 | $22.22 | $18.78 | 3,380 | 0.24 | 2.00 |
| Annual | $30,710 | $34,130 | $37,920 | $44,300 | $46,220 | $39,060 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $18.38 | $19.37 | $22.79 | $33.85 | $38.44 | $26.34 | 1,630 | 0.09 | 0.75 |
| Annual | $38,230 | $40,300 | $47,410 | $70,410 | $79,960 | $54,790 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $16.91 | $18.36 | $20.41 | $22.05 | $23.74 | $20.62 | 1,250 | 0.13 | 1.08 |
| Annual | $35,170 | $38,190 | $42,450 | $45,870 | $49,370 | $42,890 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $16.15 | $17.02 | $18.28 | $21.81 | $24.60 | $20.16 | 1,230 | 0.12 | 1.03 |
| Annual | $33,580 | $35,390 | $38,020 | $45,360 | $51,160 | $41,930 | ||||
| Minnesota | Hourly | $16.36 | $18.14 | $19.37 | $22.59 | $23.83 | $20.37 | 1,110 | 0.38 | 3.13 |
| Annual | $34,020 | $37,720 | $40,280 | $46,990 | $49,570 | $42,360 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | Hourly | $20.65 | $22.29 | $25.25 | $27.73 | $27.86 | $25.05 | 120 | 0.07 | 0.61 |
| Annual | $42,940 | $46,350 | $52,510 | $57,680 | $57,940 | $52,110 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $20.68 | $22.24 | $24.56 | $38.44 | $38.44 | $29.29 | 180 | 0.08 | 0.62 |
| Annual | $43,010 | $46,260 | $51,090 | $79,960 | $79,960 | $60,920 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $22.22 | $22.61 | $24.41 | $25.39 | $29.85 | $25.24 | 190 | 0.09 | 0.74 |
| Annual | $46,220 | $47,030 | $50,770 | $52,810 | $62,090 | $52,500 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $17.88 | $19.31 | $24.10 | $35.94 | $36.00 | $27.63 | 870 | 0.14 | 1.15 |
| Annual | $37,180 | $40,170 | $50,120 | $74,760 | $74,870 | $57,460 | ||||
| Eugene-Springfield, OR | Hourly | $17.46 | $18.80 | $23.49 | $23.54 | $27.66 | $22.55 | 30 | 0.20 | 1.63 |
| Annual | $36,320 | $39,110 | $48,860 | $48,960 | $57,530 | $46,900 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $16.17 | $16.55 | $18.40 | $21.47 | $22.01 | $19.20 | 1,940 | 0.48 | 3.99 |
| Annual | $33,630 | $34,410 | $38,280 | $44,650 | $45,790 | $39,940 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $17.88 | $19.31 | $24.10 | $35.94 | $36.00 | $27.63 | 870 | 0.14 | 1.15 |
| Annual | $37,180 | $40,170 | $50,120 | $74,760 | $74,870 | $57,460 | ||||
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | Hourly | $17.68 | $18.32 | $22.05 | $22.54 | $23.46 | $20.82 | 830 | 0.29 | 2.40 |
| Annual | $36,780 | $38,100 | $45,870 | $46,880 | $48,790 | $43,310 | ||||
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | Hourly | $18.14 | $18.54 | $20.09 | $22.78 | $24.77 | $20.97 | 570 | 0.29 | 2.42 |
| Annual | $37,720 | $38,560 | $41,780 | $47,370 | $51,520 | $43,610 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $16.91 | $18.36 | $18.36 | $23.07 | $24.00 | $20.02 | 570 | 0.06 | 0.50 |
| Annual | $35,170 | $38,190 | $38,190 | $47,990 | $49,910 | $41,650 | ||||
Top industries employing ophthalmic laboratory technicians
Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing employ 33.8% of ophthalmic laboratory technicians nationally (6,310 jobs) at a median $43,270 a year ($20.80 an hour), followed by Health and Personal Care Retailers (24.1%) and Offices of Other Health Practitioners (13.8%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing NAICS 339100 | 6,310 | 33.8% | $43,270 | $20.80 |
| Health and Personal Care Retailers NAICS 456100 | 4,500 | 24.1% | $36,870 | $17.73 |
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners NAICS 621300 | 2,580 | 13.8% | $39,300 | $18.89 |
| Offices of Physicians NAICS 621100 | 1,750 | 9.4% | $36,570 | $17.58 |
| Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers NAICS 423400 | 1,490 | 8.0% | $38,770 | $18.64 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (18,660). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $37,270 for ophthalmic laboratory technicians in May 2021 and $39,460 in May 2025, with employment of 18,930 and 18,660.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $37,270 | $17.92 | 18,930 |
| May 2022 | $36,810 | $17.70 | 20,200 |
| May 2023 | $37,720 | $18.13 | 18,240 |
| May 2024 | $38,420 | $18.47 | 18,740 |
| May 2025 | $39,460 | $18.97 | 18,660 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
41 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut profile | $30.01 | $62,410 | $49,400 | $130,460 | 170 | 0.10 | 0.83 |
| 2 | New Hampshire profile | $28.59 | $59,460 | $38,170 | $80,370 | 180 | 0.26 | 2.19 |
| 3 | Washington profile | $23.67 | $49,230 | $42,240 | $59,490 | 260 | 0.07 | 0.61 |
| 4 | Colorado profile | $23.34 | $48,540 | $42,940 | $63,610 | 320 | 0.11 | 0.92 |
| 5 | Rhode Island profile | $22.81 | $47,440 | $36,490 | $60,360 | 70 | 0.14 | 1.13 |
| 6 | New Jersey profile | $22.80 | $47,420 | $35,800 | $48,400 | ** | ** | ** |
| 7 | California profile | $22.79 | $47,410 | $38,230 | $79,960 | 1,630 | 0.09 | 0.75 |
| 8 | Maryland profile | $22.64 | $47,100 | $33,590 | $60,410 | 360 | 0.13 | 1.08 |
| 9 | Ohio profile | $22.27 | $46,320 | $37,180 | $48,480 | 560 | 0.10 | 0.84 |
| 10 | Oregon profile | $22.01 | $45,780 | $38,650 | $58,630 | 250 | 0.13 | 1.06 |
| 11 | Michigan profile | $21.87 | $45,490 | $36,620 | $49,380 | 330 | 0.08 | 0.63 |
| 12 | Georgia profile | $21.66 | $45,050 | $35,300 | $53,330 | 960 | 0.20 | 1.64 |
| 13 | Kansas profile | $21.60 | $44,920 | $37,960 | $45,990 | ** | ** | ** |
| 14 | North Carolina profile | $21.22 | $44,140 | $33,890 | $57,630 | 210 | 0.04 | 0.35 |
| 15 | Maine profile | $20.92 | $43,520 | $32,750 | $61,270 | 50 | 0.08 | 0.64 |
| 16 | Massachusetts profile | $20.72 | $43,100 | $36,570 | $64,770 | ** | ** | ** |
| 17 | Wisconsin profile | $20.64 | $42,920 | $32,900 | $48,690 | 200 | 0.07 | 0.56 |
| 18 | New York profile | $20.41 | $42,450 | $35,170 | $49,370 | 1,250 | 0.13 | 1.08 |
| 19 | Nebraska profile | $19.54 | $40,640 | $36,370 | $50,250 | 170 | 0.16 | 1.37 |
| 20 | Minnesota profile | $19.37 | $40,280 | $34,020 | $49,570 | 1,110 | 0.38 | 3.13 |
| 21 | Nevada profile | $18.74 | $38,990 | $34,030 | $49,230 | 240 | 0.16 | 1.31 |
| 22 | Missouri profile | $18.62 | $38,740 | $30,690 | $49,450 | 360 | 0.12 | 1.03 |
| 23 | Arizona profile | $18.57 | $38,620 | $34,490 | $51,890 | 150 | 0.05 | 0.39 |
| 24 | New Mexico profile | $18.55 | $38,590 | $31,010 | $58,240 | 130 | 0.15 | 1.26 |
| 25 | Florida profile | $18.28 | $38,020 | $33,580 | $51,160 | 1,230 | 0.12 | 1.03 |
| 26 | Texas profile | $18.23 | $37,920 | $30,710 | $46,220 | 3,380 | 0.24 | 2.00 |
| 27 | Pennsylvania profile | $18.12 | $37,680 | $30,160 | $49,750 | 510 | 0.08 | 0.70 |
| 28 | Tennessee profile | $17.97 | $37,370 | $33,880 | $51,750 | 130 | 0.04 | 0.34 |
| 29 | Indiana profile | $17.96 | $37,360 | $34,200 | $58,050 | 330 | 0.10 | 0.85 |
| 30 | Louisiana profile | $17.86 | $37,160 | $30,880 | $45,530 | 300 | 0.15 | 1.28 |
| 31 | West Virginia profile | $17.86 | $37,140 | $30,200 | $41,600 | ** | ** | ** |
| 32 | Arkansas profile | $17.82 | $37,060 | $31,290 | $44,990 | 170 | 0.13 | 1.08 |
| 33 | Alabama profile | $17.80 | $37,010 | $26,760 | $43,620 | 190 | 0.09 | 0.75 |
| 34 | Illinois profile | $17.71 | $36,840 | $35,300 | $47,990 | 830 | 0.14 | 1.13 |
| 35 | Kentucky profile | $17.62 | $36,650 | $28,860 | $47,150 | 610 | 0.30 | 2.53 |
| 36 | Oklahoma profile | $17.12 | $35,620 | $29,830 | $50,420 | 210 | 0.12 | 1.03 |
| 37 | Mississippi profile | $16.94 | $35,230 | $27,460 | $46,110 | 220 | 0.19 | 1.59 |
| 38 | Virginia profile | $16.43 | $34,170 | $30,670 | $55,860 | 470 | 0.12 | 0.96 |
| 39 | South Carolina profile | $16.42 | $34,140 | $24,870 | $68,910 | 130 | 0.06 | 0.47 |
| 40 | Iowa profile | $16.30 | $33,910 | $30,360 | $52,690 | 100 | 0.06 | 0.51 |
| – | Idaho profile | * | * | * | * | 40 | 0.05 | 0.43 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (51-9080), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Production Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 51-9083 Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians.
*- Wage estimate not available.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 51-9083, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 51-9083.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.