Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians: Salary, Job Outlook & How to Become One (2026 Parent Guide)
Production · SOC 51-9083 · O*NET 51-9083.00
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.
Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians fall under the Production category in the U.S. occupational classification. Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians earn a median salary of $38,420 per year, ranking in the top 88% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects +2.3% job growth through 2034, projected to grow slower than the US average. Entry into this field typically requires an apprenticeship, technical certification, or postsecondary training, with specific licensing or certification depending on the state and employer. For parents whose teenager is exploring this path, the most actionable step is mapping the education requirements to specific colleges and majors before junior year — not waiting until application season.
What do ophthalmic laboratory technicians earn?
The median annual wage for ophthalmic laboratory technicians is $38,420. That puts ophthalmic laboratory technicians at #712 on the BLS ranked list of all U.S. occupations by median pay. This salary is around or below the U.S. median for individual workers, so career growth often depends on advancement into supervisory roles, specialization, or additional credentials. Actual pay varies meaningfully by state, employer type, and years of experience — entry-level salaries are typically 30–40% below the median, while top-decile earners often exceed it by 50% or more.
| 10th percentile (entry-level) | $31,250 |
| 25th percentile | $35,580 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $38,420 |
| 75th percentile | $45,410 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $55,480 |
| Median hourly wage | $18.47/hr |
Is ophthalmic laboratory technicians a growing career?
The 10-year outlook for ophthalmic laboratory technicians is +2.3%, projected to grow slower than the US average. Employment is projected to move from approximately 19K positions in 2024 to 20K in 2034, a net change of 1K. Flat growth typically reflects a mature, stable field. Most openings will come from retirements rather than new positions, which can favor candidates with strong networks and willingness to relocate.
What do ophthalmic laboratory technicians do every day?
According to O*NET task surveys of working ophthalmic laboratory technicians, these are the core responsibilities most professionals perform. This is what your teen would actually be doing in this role.
- 1.Mount and secure lens blanks or optical lenses in holding tools or chucks of cutting, polishing, grinding, or coating machines.
- 2.Set up machines to polish, bevel, edge, or grind lenses, flats, blanks, or other precision optical elements.
- 3.Shape lenses appropriately so that they can be inserted into frames.
- 4.Repair broken parts, using precision hand tools and soldering irons.
- 5.Adjust lenses and frames to correct alignment.
- 6.Select lens blanks, molds, tools, and polishing or grinding wheels, according to production specifications.
- 7.Position and adjust cutting tools to specified curvature, dimensions, and depth of cut.
- 8.Set dials and start machines to polish lenses or hold lenses against rotating wheels to polish them manually.
Top skills for ophthalmic laboratory technicians
O*NET ranks these as the most important skills for this occupation, on a 1–5 importance scale derived from worker surveys.
What education does my child need to become ophthalmic laboratory technician?
Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians typically enter the field through a formal apprenticeship, technical certification, or vocational training program — a strong fit for teens who prefer hands-on learning over traditional college. For parents helping a teen prepare, the highest-leverage step before junior year is identifying colleges and programs that feed reliably into this occupation — Solyo's college search lets parents filter by major and admissions data side by side.
Based on O*NET surveys of incumbents — what people in this job actually have, not what employers list as required.
Related careers your child might also consider
How parents help teens explore careers like this
Solyo helps parents map a teen's interests to specific careers, then back to the colleges and majors that lead there. Salary, outlook, and education data come from BLS and O*NET — the same sources high school counselors use — but presented for the parent's planning lens, not the student's exploration view.
Common questions parents ask about ophthalmic laboratory technicians
What is the median salary for ophthalmic laboratory technicians?
The median annual salary for ophthalmic laboratory technicians is $38,420 according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Is ophthalmic laboratory technicians a growing career?
BLS projects +2.3% growth for ophthalmic laboratory technicians from 2024 through 2034, which is flat growth projected to grow slower than the US average.
What education does my child need to become ophthalmic laboratory technician?
The typical entry path requires an apprenticeship, technical certification, or postsecondary training, plus any state licensure or certification specific to the role. Programs that align well with this career can be filtered inside Solyo's college search.
What careers are similar to ophthalmic laboratory technicians?
Related occupations within the Production category share education paths and skill profiles, so they're a useful starting set when a teen is uncertain. The "Related careers" section below lists nearby options.
Salary data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics program. Skills, tasks, and education distribution from the O*NET database. Job outlook from the BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 release.