Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians Career, Salary and Skills
Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $39,460 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 18,660. Wage data is published for 100 locations.
Occupation description
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.
O*NET code
51-9083.00
Job zone
2
Typical education
High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
Experience
Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
National salary and employment
Median annual
$39,460
Hourly median
$18.97
Employment
18,660
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Operation and Control | 3.25 | 3.12 |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.12 | 2.88 |
| Time Management | 3.12 | 2.75 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.12 | 3.38 |
| Monitoring | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.00 | 2.62 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Active Listening | 2.88 | 2.88 |
| Speaking | 2.88 | 2.62 |
Typical tasks
- Inspect lens blanks to detect flaws, verify smoothness of surface, and ensure thickness of coating on lenses.
- Set up machines to polish, bevel, edge, or grind lenses, flats, blanks, or other precision optical elements.
- Inspect, weigh, and measure mounted or unmounted lenses after completion to verify alignment and conformance to specifications, using precision instruments.
- Shape lenses appropriately so that they can be inserted into frames.
- Clean finished lenses and eyeglasses, using cloths and solvents.
- Mount, secure, and align finished lenses in frames or optical assemblies, using precision hand tools.
- Examine prescriptions, work orders, or broken or used eyeglasses to determine specifications for lenses, contact lenses, or other optical elements.
- Mount and secure lens blanks or optical lenses in holding tools or chucks of cutting, polishing, grinding, or coating machines.
Technology
- Electronic medical record EMR software
- Eyeglass design software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
- SAP software
Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians Salary in TXMedian $37,920 · Employment 3,380
- Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians Salary in Dallas, TXMedian $38,280 · Employment 1,940
- Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians Salary in CAMedian $47,410 · Employment 1,630
- Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians Salary in PRMedian $24,420 · Employment 1,360
- Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians Salary in NYMedian $42,450 · Employment 1,250
- Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians Salary in FLMedian $38,020 · Employment 1,230
- Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians Salary in MNMedian $40,280 · Employment 1,110
- Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians Salary in GAMedian $45,050 · Employment 960
- Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians Salary in Los Angeles, CAMedian $50,120 · Employment 870
- Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians Salary in Atlanta, GAMedian $45,870 · Employment 830
- Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians Salary in ILMedian $36,840 · Employment 830
- Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians Salary in KYMedian $36,650 · Employment 610
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Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.