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Ophthalmic Medical Technician

$44,080
median pay per year
full range coming in the next data update

What the job actually is

Assist eye doctors by running vision tests, taking measurements, and preparing patients for exams.

Where you work

Eye clinics and ophthalmology offices

The hours

Full-time, mostly weekday

By the numbers

May 2024–25 BLS wage data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.

Median pay
$44,080
per year
What most earn
range coming soon
Openings a year
~12,500
projected, 2024–34
Outlook to 2034
+20%
Much faster than average
Working in the U.S.
78,800
people, nationwide

Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.

“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.

How you get in

Typical starting education

Certificate program

Training path: Certificate or on-the-job training.

License or certification

No license required, though JCAHPO certification is common and often preferred.

You can earn while you train. This field has a genuinely paid pathway in — an apprenticeship, a paid academy, or employer-funded training — so you draw a paycheck instead of taking on debt to learn it.

What it takes

Vision testingPatient careEye anatomyAttention to detail

The honest take

A fast-growing eye-care support role you can enter without a four-year degree.

Standard Occupational Classification 29-2057. Pay, employment, and outlook from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wage survey and 2024–34 employment projections). See something off? Tell us.