Ophthalmic Laboratory Technology/Technician Degrees (2026 stats)
TL;DR
Ophthalmic Laboratory Technology/Technician maps to BLS occupations averaging about $67,635, with roughly 303,240 workers nationwide in those roles. Median in-state published tuition is about $5,250; common paths include Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians and Dental Laboratory Technicians.
Key Statistics
Ophthalmic Laboratory Technology/Technician: what the data shows
Common questions about ophthalmic laboratory technology/technician degrees, answered from IPEDS, College Scorecard, BLS OEWS, and O*NET in this repository—not program marketing copy.
What is a ophthalmic laboratory technology/technician degree?
A Ophthalmic Laboratory Technology/Technician program is classified under NCES CIP 51.1006 in the Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions field family (51.10).
A program that prepares individuals, under the supervision of ophthalmologists and optometrists, to cut, grind, edge, and finish corrective lenses and to fabricate eyewear. Includes instruction in optical theory, applied mathematics, lens surfacing and finishing, tinting and coating, impact resistance treatment and testing, frame construction and repair, prescription interpretation, equipment operation and maintenance, follow-up adjustment, record-keeping, and laboratory safety procedures
Types of ophthalmic laboratory technology/technician degrees and related programs
Other NCES program codes in the 51.10 family with pages on EDsmart Data:
- Blood Bank Technology Specialist (CIP 51.1001)
- Clinical Laboratory Science/Medical Technology/Technologist (CIP 51.1005)
- Clinical/Medical Laboratory Technician (CIP 51.1004)
- Cytogenetics/Genetics/Clinical Genetics Technology/Technologist (CIP 51.1010)
- Cytotechnology/Cytotechnologist (CIP 51.1002)
- Hematology Technology/Technician (CIP 51.1003)
- Histologic Technician (CIP 51.1008)
- Histologic Technology/Histotechnologist (CIP 51.1007)
- Phlebotomy Technician/Phlebotomist (CIP 51.1009)
- Renal/Dialysis Technologist/Technician (CIP 51.1011)
- Sterile Processing Technology/Technician (CIP 51.1012)
How long does it take to get a ophthalmic laboratory technology/technician degree?
Award levels reported to IPEDS for CIP 51.1006 in our file:
- 9 Associate (100.0% of IPEDS total)—about two years of full-time study
Time to completion depends on enrollment intensity and transfer credits; figures above describe credential type, not calendar time for every student.
What degree do you need?
For Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians (top mapped occupation), O*NET incumbent surveys in our career profile report these education credentials most often: Some college (29%), High School or Equivalent (27%), Bachelors Degree (22%).
O*NET education distributions describe incumbent workers, not minimum legal or employer requirements.
What jobs can you get with a ophthalmic laboratory technology/technician degree?
Our degree→occupation mapping links Ophthalmic Laboratory Technology/Technician to the BLS roles below. Employment is U.S. OEWS; median wage is national May 2024 where published in our extract.
| Occupation | U.S. employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians | 18,740 | $38,420 |
| Dental Laboratory Technicians | 33,920 | $48,310 |
| Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists | — | — |
| Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians | — | — |
| Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers | 114,190 | $37,320 |
| Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians | 136,390 | $78,680 |
See Careers & Jobs for mean wages and industry context.
Is a ophthalmic laboratory technology/technician degree worth it?
College Scorecard national medians for the Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions bachelor's program family: median debt $10,250, median earnings $75,975 four years after enrollment. Debt-to-earnings proxy: 0.16.
About 2.3% of graduates in this field family were not working and not enrolled one year after completion in Scorecard's national program medians.
Among schools reporting in our Scorecard extract, median published in-state tuition is $5,250 and median net price is $12,190.
We do not score "worth" on opinion—compare debt, earnings, wages for mapped occupations, and completion data above against your cost and career target.
Institutions
Information about the types of higher education institutions that grant degrees in Ophthalmic Laboratory Technology/Technician and the types of students that study this field.
Tuition Costs for Common Institutions
$5,250 Median In-State Public
$30,680 Median Out of State Private
Tuition costs for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technology/Technician majors are, on average, $5,250 for in-state public colleges, and $30,680 for out of state private colleges.
Tuition costs comparison for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technology/Technician programs.
Degrees Awarded Over Time
100,000 Total Degrees Awarded in 2023
This chart shows the number of degrees awarded in Ophthalmic Laboratory Technology/Technician from 2015 to 2023.
Historical trend of degrees awarded in Ophthalmic Laboratory Technology/Technician.
Top 5 Schools by Enrollment
| # | School | State | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grand Canyon University | AZ | 73,371 |
| 2 | University of Central Florida | FL | 59,146 |
| 3 | Ivy Tech Community College | IN | 58,267 |
| 4 | Ivy Tech Community College | IN | 58,267 |
| 5 | Miami Dade College | FL | 46,182 |
Schools with the largest enrollment offering Ophthalmic Laboratory Technology/Technician programs.
Top 5 Most Affordable Tuition
| # | School | State | Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | El Camino Community College District | CA | $1,144 |
| 2 | San Diego City College | CA | $1,146 |
| 3 | San Diego Mesa College | CA | $1,146 |
| 4 | San Diego Miramar College | CA | $1,146 |
| 5 | San Diego Miramar College | CA | $1,146 |
Schools with the lowest tuition costs for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technology/Technician programs.
Top 5 Lowest Net Price
| # | School | State | Net Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Mexico State University-Grants | NM | $68 |
| 2 | Infinity College | LA | $230 |
| 3 | Wiregrass Georgia Technical College | GA | $614 |
| 4 | Wiregrass Georgia Technical College | GA | $614 |
| 5 | Southern Regional Technical College | GA | $813 |
Schools with the lowest average net price for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technology/Technician programs.
Graduation Rates
Graduation rate data is not available for this degree program.
Graduation/completion rates for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technology/Technician programs across institutions.
Related specializations
Other NCES program codes in the 51.10 CIP family with dedicated pages on EDsmart Data.
- Blood Bank Technology Specialist CIP 51.1001
- Clinical Laboratory Science/Medical Technology/Technologist CIP 51.1005
- Clinical/Medical Laboratory Technician CIP 51.1004
- Cytogenetics/Genetics/Clinical Genetics Technology/Technologist CIP 51.1010
- Cytotechnology/Cytotechnologist CIP 51.1002
- Hematology Technology/Technician CIP 51.1003
- Histologic Technician CIP 51.1008
- Histologic Technology/Histotechnologist CIP 51.1007
- Phlebotomy Technician/Phlebotomist CIP 51.1009
- Renal/Dialysis Technologist/Technician CIP 51.1011
- Sterile Processing Technology/Technician CIP 51.1012
Degree Levels (IPEDS)
Completions reported to IPEDS for CIP 51.1006 in the survey year used in our extract (9 total across levels below).
- 9 Associate (100.0% of IPEDS total)
Source: IPEDS Completions (c2024_a), summed by award level for this CIP.
Careers & Jobs
Occupations linked to this major in our degree→career mapping, with wages and employment from processed BLS career profiles in this repo.
Across these BLS occupations, employment-weighted mean pay is about $67,635. Figures are national OEWS estimates for the occupation—not earnings of Ophthalmic Laboratory Technology/Technician graduates alone.
Related occupations (BLS OEWS)
| Occupation | Mean annual wage | U.S. employment |
|---|---|---|
| Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians | $55,813 | 18,740 |
| Dental Laboratory Technicians | $58,727 | 33,920 |
| Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists | — | — |
| Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians | — | — |
| Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers | $47,822 | 114,190 |
| Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians | $88,062 | 136,390 |
Open each occupation for full career profile charts and industry breakdowns on EDsmart Data.
Program outcomes (College Scorecard)
National medians across bachelor's programs in the Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions CIP family (6 programs reporting debt). Not specific to every Ophthalmic Laboratory Technology/Technician graduate.
- $10,250 median federal loan debt among completers
- $75,975 median earnings four years after enrollment (national program median)
- 0.16 debt-to-earnings ratio (Scorecard proxy)
- 2.3% of graduates not working and not enrolled one year out (program cohort)
Source: College Scorecard program-level outcomes aggregated by 4-digit CIP family.
Employment
Wages and industry mix below use BLS OEWS data for occupations linked to this major in our mapping—not a graduate earnings survey.
Yearly Income for Common Jobs
$67,635 Average Wage in Workforce
The average salary for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technology/Technician majors is $67,635.
Average annual salaries of the most common occupations for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technology/Technician majors.
Occupations by Share
303,240 2023 Workforce
The number of Ophthalmic Laboratory Technology/Technician graduates in the workforce has been growing.
Various jobs filled by those with a major in Ophthalmic Laboratory Technology/Technician by share of the total number of graduates.
Diversity
Demographic information for those who earn a degree in Ophthalmic Laboratory Technology/Technician in the United States.
Workforce Age
N/A Average Age in 2023
This chart shows distribution of ages for employees with a degree in Ophthalmic Laboratory Technology/Technician.
Age distribution for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technology/Technician degree holders in the workforce.
Gender Distribution
76 Total Degrees Awarded
24 Male (31.58%)
52 Female (68.42%)
Gender distribution of Ophthalmic Laboratory Technology/Technician degree recipients.
Race and Ethnicity Distribution
41 Hispanic or Latino (53.95%)
18 White (23.68%)
9 Black or African American (11.84%)
3 Asian (3.95%)
1 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (1.32%)
Racial and ethnic distribution of Ophthalmic Laboratory Technology/Technician degree recipients.
Degrees Awarded
The most common degree types awarded to students graduating in Ophthalmic Laboratory Technology/Technician are Bachelors Degree, Masters Degree, and Associates Degree.
Distribution of degree types awarded in Ophthalmic Laboratory Technology/Technician.
Skills
Data on the critical and distinctive skills necessary for those working in the Ophthalmic Laboratory Technology/Technician field from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Required Skills
Ophthalmic Laboratory Technology/Technician majors need many skills, but most especially Critical Thinking, Active Listening, and Reading Comprehension.
Rating of how necessary various skills are for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technology/Technician majors.
Skills Bar Chart
This bar chart shows the same information as the radar chart, displaying the importance of each skill.
Skill importance ratings for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technology/Technician majors.
About
A program that prepares individuals, under the supervision of ophthalmologists and optometrists, to cut, grind, edge, and finish corrective lenses and to fabricate eyewear. Includes instruction in optical theory, applied mathematics, lens surfacing and finishing, tinting and coating, impact resistance treatment and testing, frame construction and repair, prescription interpretation, equipment operation and maintenance, follow-up adjustment, record-keeping, and laboratory safety procedures
In 2023, 100,000 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs in Ophthalmic Laboratory Technology/Technician.
CIP Code
51.1006 - Ophthalmic Laboratory Technology/Technician
What the data shows
At the program-family level, College Scorecard reports median debt of $10,250 for bachelor's completers and median earnings near $75,975, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.16. Those figures describe national program cohorts in this CIP family—not every individual Ophthalmic Laboratory Technology/Technician graduate.
Women earned 68.4% of 76 Ophthalmic Laboratory Technology/Technician completions in the IPEDS file used here.
Mapped BLS occupations show employment-weighted mean pay of about $67,635. The largest mapped role by headcount is Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians (18,740 U.S. jobs in OEWS).
Published tuition medians in College Scorecard land at $5,250 in-state at public colleges and $30,680 at private institutions for programs in this field.
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 U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, IPEDS completion data, and Bureau of Labor Statistics employment data.
All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Employment and wage data are from the most recent Census Bureau ACS PUMS estimates.