Certified Ophthalmic Technician Salary in the United States

How much does a Certified Ophthalmic Technician make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Certified Ophthalmic Technician in the United States is $67,971 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $33.

However, a Certified Ophthalmic Technician's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $75,953
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $59,335 to $72,149
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $51,473

Key Factors That Influence Certified Ophthalmic Technician Salaries

A Certified Ophthalmic Technician's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Certified Ophthalmic Technician Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Certified Ophthalmic Technician's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $65,932
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $66,172
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $68,879
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $70,606
  • Expert (over 8 years): $70,730
Levels Salary
Entry Level Certified Ophthalmic Technician$65,932
Intermediate Level Certified Ophthalmic Technician$66,172
Senior Level Certified Ophthalmic Technician$68,879
Specialist Level Certified Ophthalmic Technician$70,606
Expert Level Certified Ophthalmic Technician$70,730

Top Paying Cities for Certified Ophthalmic Technicians

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $85,731
  • San Francisco: $84,793
  • Oakland: $83,006

What Skills Can Increase a Certified Ophthalmic Technician's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Customer Service (Mentioned in 12.09% Job Postings): Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
  • Photography (Mentioned in 2.58% Job Postings): Photography is the art, application and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor, or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film. It is employed in many fields of science, manufacturing (e.g., photolithography), and business, as well as its more direct uses for art, film and video production, recreational purposes, hobby, and mass communication. Typically, a lens is used to focus the light reflected or emitted from objects into a real image on the light-sensitive surface inside a camera during a timed exposure. With an electronic image sensor, this produces an electrical charge at each pixel, which is electronically processed and stored in a digital image file for subsequent display or processing. The result with photographic emulsion is an invisible latent image, which is later chemically "developed" into a visible image, either negative or positive depending on the purpose of the photographic material and the method of processing. A negative image on film is traditionally used to photographically create a positive image on a paper base, known as a print, either by using an enlarger or by contact printing.
  • Triage (Mentioned in 1.67% Job Postings): Triage (/ˈtriːɑːʒ, triˈɑːʒ/) is the process of determining the priority of patients' treatments based on the severity of their condition. This rations patient treatment efficiently when resources are insufficient for all to be treated immediately; influencing the order and priority of emergency treatment, emergency transport, or transport destination for the patient. This article covers the various types of triage systems as it occurs in medical emergencies, including the prehospital setting, disasters, and emergency department treatment, along with their limitations and ethical considerations.
Skills Demand Percentage
Customer Service 12.09%
Photography 2.58%
Triage 1.67%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Certified Ophthalmic Technician's salary.

  • Accountability: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
  • Patient Education: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
  • Flexibility: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Accountability $75,447
11%
Patient Education $72,049
6%
Flexibility $71,369
5%

Certified Ophthalmic Technician Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Certified Ophthalmic Technician roles, the industry you choose can impact your earning potential by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the highest-paying industry, Healthcare, offers compensation 20% above the average. Conversely, Certified Ophthalmic Technician positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as this sector often view Certified Ophthalmic Technician as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for a Certified Ophthalmic Technician

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Healthcare$81,565$39.020%

How Education impacts a Certified Ophthalmic Technician's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Certified Ophthalmic Technicians enter the field with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Certified Ophthalmic Technician with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $51,121 and $54,881).

Certified Ophthalmic Technician Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Certified Ophthalmic Technician
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 1.9%
High School 58.7%
Associates 21.1%
Bachelors 16.1%
Masters 1.3%
Doctorate 1.0%

Certified Ophthalmic Technician Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Certified Ophthalmic Technician's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$59,335
Average $67,971/year
$72,149
$4,945
Average $5,664/month
$6,012
$1,141
Average $1,307/week
$1,387
$29
Average $33/hour
$35
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $72,149 $6,012 $1,387 $35
Average $67,971 $5,664 $1,307 $33
25th Percentile $59,335 $4,945 $1,141 $29

Most common benefits for Certified Ophthalmic Technician

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Certified Ophthalmic Technician

Here are companies hiring for Certified Ophthalmic Technician and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Certified Ophthalmic Technician

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Certified Ophthalmic Technician?

The Healthcare industry offers the highest average compensation for Certified Ophthalmic Technician roles, with salaries approximately 20% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

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