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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2022

51-9083 Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians

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. Excludes “Opticians, Dispensing ” (29-2081).


National estimates for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians
Industry profile for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians
Geographic profile for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians

National estimates for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
20,200 4.9 % $ 19.30 $ 40,140 1.3 %

Percentile wage estimates for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 13.43 $ 15.20 $ 17.70 $ 21.72 $ 28.09
Annual Wage (2) $ 27,930 $ 31,620 $ 36,810 $ 45,180 $ 58,430


Industry profile for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing 5,660 1.70 $ 18.43 $ 38,320
Offices of Other Health Practitioners 3,200 0.30 $ 16.72 $ 34,770
Health and Personal Care Retailers 3,080 0.28 $ 17.65 $ 36,720
Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing 2,940 3.31 $ 25.90 $ 53,870
Offices of Physicians 2,740 0.10 $ 18.30 $ 38,050

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing 2,940 3.31 $ 25.90 $ 53,870
Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing 5,660 1.70 $ 18.43 $ 38,320
Offices of Other Health Practitioners 3,200 0.30 $ 16.72 $ 34,770
Health and Personal Care Retailers 3,080 0.28 $ 17.65 $ 36,720
Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers 1,480 0.21 $ 17.61 $ 36,620

Top paying industries for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Outpatient Care Centers 210 0.02 $ 30.05 $ 62,510
Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing 2,940 3.31 $ 25.90 $ 53,870
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 120 0.01 $ 25.04 $ 52,080
Employment Services (8) (8) $ 18.97 $ 39,450
Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing 5,660 1.70 $ 18.43 $ 38,320


Geographic profile for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of ophthalmic laboratory technicians by state, May 2022


States with the highest employment level in Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 3,280 0.19 1.36 $ 23.60 $ 49,080
Texas 2,090 0.16 1.17 $ 15.82 $ 32,910
New York 1,660 0.18 1.33 $ 19.89 $ 41,360
Minnesota 1,600 0.56 4.13 $ 19.27 $ 40,070
Florida 1,580 0.17 1.26 $ 16.53 $ 34,390


Map of location quotient of ophthalmic laboratory technicians by state, May 2022


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Minnesota 1,600 0.56 4.13 $ 19.27 $ 40,070
Kentucky 800 0.42 3.09 $ 15.50 $ 32,230
New Hampshire 180 0.27 1.97 $ 29.28 $ 60,910
Louisiana 470 0.25 1.85 $ 16.62 $ 34,570
Missouri 650 0.23 1.69 $ 20.21 $ 42,030


Map of annual mean wages of ophthalmic laboratory technicians by state, May 2022


Top paying states for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New Hampshire 180 0.27 1.97 $ 29.28 $ 60,910
Connecticut 350 0.22 1.57 $ 26.43 $ 54,970
District of Columbia (8) (8) (8) $ 26.33 $ 54,770
California 3,280 0.19 1.36 $ 23.60 $ 49,080
New Jersey (8) (8) (8) $ 23.15 $ 48,150



Map of employment of ophthalmic laboratory technicians by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 1,720 0.28 2.06 $ 22.75 $ 47,320
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 820 0.09 0.65 $ 21.72 $ 45,180
Rochester, NY 580 1.19 8.72 $ 18.50 $ 38,480
St. Louis, MO-IL 540 0.41 3.00 $ 20.51 $ 42,660
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL 480 0.35 2.55 $ 16.11 $ 33,510
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 410 0.09 0.69 $ 16.15 $ 33,600
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 390 0.14 1.06 $ 20.24 $ 42,100
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 370 0.16 1.14 $ 29.12 $ 60,560
St. Cloud, MN 340 3.42 25.06 $ 17.90 $ 37,230
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN 340 0.32 2.34 $ 16.70 $ 34,730


Map of location quotient of ophthalmic laboratory technicians by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
St. Cloud, MN 340 3.42 25.06 $ 17.90 $ 37,230
Rochester, NY 580 1.19 8.72 $ 18.50 $ 38,480
Santa Rosa, CA 120 0.61 4.50 $ 29.60 $ 61,570
Boulder, CO 120 0.61 4.49 $ 26.69 $ 55,510
Lincoln, NE 90 0.50 3.63 $ 18.34 $ 38,150
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN 280 0.44 3.19 $ 15.42 $ 32,080
New Haven, CT 120 0.42 3.08 $ 28.82 $ 59,940
Green Bay, WI 70 0.42 3.07 $ 19.62 $ 40,800
St. Louis, MO-IL 540 0.41 3.00 $ 20.51 $ 42,660
Houma-Thibodaux, LA 30 0.39 2.85 $ 16.99 $ 35,340


Map of annual mean wages of ophthalmic laboratory technicians by area, May 2022


Top paying metropolitan areas for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Santa Rosa, CA 120 0.61 4.50 $ 29.60 $ 61,570
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 370 0.16 1.14 $ 29.12 $ 60,560
New Haven, CT 120 0.42 3.08 $ 28.82 $ 59,940
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 110 0.10 0.73 $ 28.08 $ 58,400
Boulder, CO 120 0.61 4.49 $ 26.69 $ 55,510
Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT 130 0.32 2.34 $ 24.90 $ 51,780
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 220 0.14 0.99 $ 24.15 $ 50,240
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH (8) (8) (8) $ 23.95 $ 49,810
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 240 0.08 0.57 $ 23.50 $ 48,890
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 1,720 0.28 2.06 $ 22.75 $ 47,320

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
West Central-Southwest New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 40 0.38 2.75 $ 30.77 $ 63,990
Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area 40 0.27 2.00 $ 15.78 $ 32,820
Southwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area 30 0.30 2.19 $ 15.96 $ 33,210

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
West Central-Southwest New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 40 0.38 2.75 $ 30.77 $ 63,990
Southwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area 30 0.30 2.19 $ 15.96 $ 33,210
Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area 40 0.27 2.00 $ 15.78 $ 32,820

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
West Central-Southwest New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 40 0.38 2.75 $ 30.77 $ 63,990
Southwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area 30 0.30 2.19 $ 15.96 $ 33,210
Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area 40 0.27 2.00 $ 15.78 $ 32,820


About May 2022 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2022 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 25, 2023