Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians is a dynamic career path with diverse opportunities. While facing some shifts, the field is adapting to changes in the job market. Professionals in this field are primarily employed in industries such as Cross-industry and Cross-industry, Private Ownership only.

Key Statistics

1,470
2023 Workforce
None
Average Age
$55,813
Average Salary

Employment

Employment and salary information for the Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians workforce.

Employment Over Time

1,470 Workforce in 2023

The Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians workforce has been growing over time.

Historical employment trends for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians.

Yearly Wage Ranking

$55,813 Average Wage

In 2023, Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians earned an average of $55,813.

Wage ranking compared to other occupations.

Wage Distribution

This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians.

Salary distribution for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians.

Employment Growth Projections

-3.1% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)

4,031 Projected Employment (5 years)

Projected growth: -14.6%

3,442 Projected Employment (10 years)

Projected growth: -27.1%

This occupation is experiencing a decline. Consider related fields with better growth prospects.

Historical employment trends and future projections for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians.

Industry

Information on the industries that employ Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians and on wages for those in the field.

Occupations by Industries

This graphic shows the share of Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians employed by various industries.

Industry distribution for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians.

Wage Trends by Industry

-10.1% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate

Total, All Industry: 8.8% growth (Current: $64,582)

Historical wage growth trends by industry for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians.

Geographic Distribution

Employment and wage information by geographic location for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians.

Metropolitan employment on this page is from the California OEWS extract. Area names omit state codes; all listed metros are in California, so the state chart shows California totals (not a multi-state ranking).

Top States by Employment

Top States by Employment:

  • CA: 890 employees, $59,965 avg wage

Top 10 states by employment for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians.

Top Metropolitan Areas

Top Metropolitan Areas:

  • Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale MD: 450 employees, $61,006 avg wage
  • Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine MD: 270 employees, $56,872 avg wage
  • Oakland-Fremont-Berkeley MD: 140 employees, $64,582 avg wage
  • Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario MSA: 30 employees, $50,632 avg wage

Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians.

Diversity

Demographic information on Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians in the US.

Gender and Age

The workforce of Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians in 2023 was 1,470 people, with 62.0% women and 38.0% men.

Gender and age distribution for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians.

Races

Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.

Race and ethnicity distribution for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians.

Education & Skills

Data on higher education choices and required skills for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians.

Majors

The most common majors achieved by Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians in 2023 were Business Administration, Technical Training, Engineering.

Common majors for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians.

Education Levels

The main educational levels achieved by Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians workers.

Education level distribution for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians.

Skills

Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians need many skills, but most especially Operation and Control, Time Management, Quality Control Analysis, Operations Monitoring, Monitoring.

Required skills for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians.

Knowledge & Abilities

Knowledge areas and abilities required for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians.

Knowledge Areas

The most important knowledge areas for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians include Production and Processing, Mechanical, Mathematics, Customer and Personal Service, Administration and Management.

Knowledge areas required for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians.

Abilities

Key abilities needed for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians include Near Vision, Arm-Hand Steadiness, Finger Dexterity, Manual Dexterity, Control Precision.

Required abilities for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians.

Work Activities

Common work activities performed by Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians.

Daily Activities

Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians spend their time on activities such as Getting Information, Handling and Moving Objects, Controlling Machines and Processes, Working with Computers, Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge.

Most important work activities for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians.

About

Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians

The average yearly wage for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians was $55,813 in 2023.

SOC Code

51-9083 - Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians

Insights and Analysis

Compensation snapshot: Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians reports an average salary of $55,813.

Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 1,470 workers, indicating sustained demand.

Forward outlook: Projected annual decline is -3.1%, which should inform long-term career planning.

Data Sources

This page uses data from the following sources:

  • College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
    • Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
    • Data years: 2015-2024
    • Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
  • Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
    • Employment and wage data by occupation
    • Latest data: May 2024
    • Source: bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
    • Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
    • Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
    • Source: onetcenter.org
  • IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
    • Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
    • Data years: 2015-2024
    • Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
  • Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
    • Demographic and workforce data
    • Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
    • Source: census.gov/acs

Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.

Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.

Methodology

Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.

All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.