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Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians Salary in Chattanooga, TN

In the 2025 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS dataset, Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians in Chattanooga, TN have a median annual salary of $43,270, with 40 recorded jobs in this area. Recorded earnings range from $33,050 at the 10th percentile to $54,130 at the 90th percentile.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · Data year: 2025 · Last updated: 2026-09-22

Salary overview

Median annual salary

$43,270

Data year: 2025

Hourly median

$20.80

Employment

40

Source

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS

Salary distribution

$33,050
10th
$35,300
25th
$43,270
Median
$43,270
75th
$54,130
90th

Local compared with national

Chattanooga, TN

$43,270

Median annual · 2025

United States

$39,460

Median annual · 2025

The Chattanooga, TN median is 9.7% above the national median in the available dataset (a difference of $3,810).

Top skills

  1. 1.Operation and ControlImportance 3.3
  2. 2.Operations MonitoringImportance 3.1
  3. 3.Quality Control AnalysisImportance 3.1
  4. 4.Time ManagementImportance 3.1
  5. 5.Reading ComprehensionImportance 3.0
  6. 6.Critical ThinkingImportance 3.0
  7. 7.MonitoringImportance 3.0
  8. 8.Judgment and Decision MakingImportance 3.0
  9. 9.Active ListeningImportance 2.9
  10. 10.SpeakingImportance 2.9
  11. 11.WritingImportance 2.8
  12. 12.Active LearningImportance 2.8

Career information

Education and experience

Typical education
High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
Experience
Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
Job zone
2

Technology used

  • Electronic medical record EMR software
  • Eyeglass design software
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft Word
  • SAP software

Common tasks

  • Mount and secure lens blanks or optical lenses in holding tools or chucks of cutting, polishing, grinding, or coating machines.
  • 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.
  • Adjust lenses and frames to correct alignment.
  • Select lens blanks, molds, tools, and polishing or grinding wheels, according to production specifications.

Related careers

Occupations recorded as related in the dataset. A relationship does not imply a guaranteed transition.

Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians salary in other locations

Other occupations in Chattanooga, TN