Ophthalmic Technician (Ophthalmic Assistant, COA, COT, COMT) salary, United States
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The median annual wage for Ophthalmic Medical Technicians in the United States was $45,570 in BLS OEWS May 2025, and the middle half of workers earned between $38,170 and $51,390.
What does the published band tell you about a COA offer?
The published annual P25 to P75 band for COA in the United States is $38,170 to $51,390. That COA band spans
How does COA pay in the United States compare with the nation?
BLS reports $45,570 as the annual median for SOC 29-2057, Ophthalmic Medical Technicians, in the United States. COA in the United States has a annual median $0 away from the national median of $45,570. COA may cover different duties within that published occupation. We ask what this COA must handle before you use the the United States median in an offer.
What does New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ add to this COA comparison?
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ reports $55,100 for Ophthalmic Medical Technicians in BLS OEWS May 2025. The COA median gap between the United States and New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ is $9,530 on this annual basis. A COA candidate moving between these markets still has to weigh the work and schedule. For COA in the United States, this the United States comparison does not measure living costs, commuting distance or relocation expense.
What does Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN add to this COA comparison?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN reports $50,010 for Ophthalmic Medical Technicians in BLS OEWS May 2025. The COA median gap between the United States and Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN is $4,440 on this annual basis. A COA candidate moving between these markets still has to weigh the work and schedule. For COA in the United States, this the United States comparison does not measure living costs, commuting distance or relocation expense.
Which published industries help you read COA pay?
For COA, Hospitals, NAICS 622000, reports a national median of $62,350. For COA, Outpatient Care Centers, NAICS 621400, reports a national median of $60,640. These Ophthalmic Medical Technicians estimates are national, not industry pay rates for the United States. Top-coded industry medians are not placed in this numeric COA ranking. Use the COA setting and duties to decide whether that industry comparison belongs in your brief.
What changed between releases for COA in the United States?
COA in the United States had a annual median of $44,080 in BLS OEWS May 2024. The BLS OEWS May 2025 median for the same COA mapping is $45,570. Subtracting those two the United States medians gives
What belongs beside base pay in your COA offer?
COA wages in the United States include base rates and guaranteed or production pay under the BLS definition. Price the COA shift separately when you discuss differentials or extra cover. For this COA brief, overtime, shift differentials and on-call pay sit outside the OEWS wage. A non-production sign-on payment for COA is also outside that the United States figure. We discuss those COA terms without inventing an amount to add.
What else should you ask about this pay table?
COA maps to SOC 29-2057, Ophthalmic Medical Technicians. The the United States annual median is $45,570. For COA in the United States, the occupation is a direct match to this title.
Does the United States publish a separate wage for COA?
COA maps to SOC 29-2057, Ophthalmic Medical Technicians. The the United States annual median is $45,570. For COA in the United States, the occupation is a direct match to this title.
Where should you place a COA offer inside the the United States band?
The published annual P25 to P75 band for COA in the United States is $38,170 to $51,390. That COA band spans
Can the COA figure in the United States stand in for the whole package?
COA pay in this the United States table is not total compensation. For COA in the United States, shift differential, on-call pay and non-production sign-on payments are excluded by the OEWS definition. For COA in the United States, write those terms separately before comparing offers.
Which markets can you compare with the United States for COA?
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ and Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN have published rows for Ophthalmic Medical Technicians. For COA in the United States, they are employment-based comparison markets, not a claim about nearest locations. Each linked COA table names its own area and SOC.
Is the COA change in the United States a forecast?
COA in the United States had a annual median of $44,080 in BLS OEWS May 2024. The BLS OEWS May 2025 median for the same COA mapping is $45,570. Subtracting those two the United States medians gives
The COA national comparison markets use published employment, not geographic proximity. Read the geography and wage definitions.
BLS occupation: Ophthalmic Medical Technicians.
The published occupation matches Ophthalmic Technician (Ophthalmic Assistant, COA, COT, COMT). BLS wages are not a specific employer offer.
What does this occupation pay nationally?
BLS publishes five national pay points for Ophthalmic Medical Technicians, SOC 29-2057, in BLS OEWS May 2025: the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th and 90th percentiles. The range bar and table below show each published point. Percentiles describe the spread of pay across workers, not experience levels. Read the median as a midpoint, not an offer for your vacancy.
- P10 to P90 published range
- P25 to P75 middle range
- P50 median
| Point | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $35,700 |
| 25th percentile | $38,170 |
| Median | $45,570 |
| 75th percentile | $51,390 |
| 90th percentile | $61,940 |
| Mean (average) | $47,060 |
For Ophthalmic Medical Technicians in the United States, BLS reports a median of $45,570; the middle half of workers earned between $38,170 and $51,390 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
- P10 to P90 published range
- P25 to P75 middle range
- P50 median
| Point | Hourly wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $17.17 |
| 25th percentile | $18.35 |
| Median | $21.91 |
| 75th percentile | $24.71 |
| 90th percentile | $29.78 |
| Mean (average) | $22.63 |
For Ophthalmic Medical Technicians in the United States, BLS reports a median of $21.91; the middle half of workers earned between $18.35 and $24.71 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
What BLS wages include and exclude
Included
- Base rates
- Commissions
- Cost-of-living allowances
- Deadheading pay
- Guaranteed pay
- Hazard pay
- Incentive pay
- Longevity pay
- Over-the-road pay (Mileage)
- Piece rates
- Portal-to-portal rates
- Production bonuses
- Tips
Excluded
- Attendance bonuses
- Back pay
- Clothing allowances
- Discount
- Draw
- Holiday bonus
- Holiday premium pay
- Jury duty pay
- Meal and lodging payments
- Merchandise discounts
- Non-production bonuses
- On-call pay
- Overtime pay
- Perquisites
- Profit-sharing payments
- Relocation allowances
- Severance pay
- Shift differentials
- Stock bonuses
- Tool/equipment allowances
- Tuition repayment
- Uniform allowance
- Weekend premium pay
- Year-end bonuses
Employment: 71,010 jobs nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, BLS OEWS May 2025. SOC 29-2057 Ophthalmic Medical Technicians, United States. BLS page for this occupation. CSV
How has published pay changed since the last BLS release?
These are separate BLS estimates, not a wage growth forecast. Survey coverage and area boundaries can change. The table places the published median for Ophthalmic Medical Technicians in United States from BLS OEWS May 2024 next to BLS OEWS May 2025. A top-coded value is a floor, not an exact median.
| Pay basis | BLS OEWS May 2024 | BLS OEWS May 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| annual | $44,080 | $45,570 |
| hourly | $21.19 | $21.91 |
Prior release: 2024-05, published 2025-04-02. Current release: 2025-05, published 2026-05-15. A top-coded value is a floor, not an exact median.
What does this pay include, and what does it leave out?
OEWS counts base rates, guaranteed pay and production incentives. It describes pay reported for employees, not an offer for this vacancy. Benefits and self-employed earnings are outside these wage estimates. Compare the regular pay for the duties you need covered.
A BLS occupation can include different settings, shifts and levels; it does not price your exact schedule.
Overtime, shift differentials and on-call pay are excluded. If this job has a call rota or extra shifts, spell out those payments rather than treating the BLS median as the whole package.
Meal and lodging payments and relocation allowances are excluded. A travel per diem for those costs is not part of this wage. Keep it separate from the pay comparison.
Non-production bonuses are excluded. A sign-on or retention payment that is not tied to production should be discussed separately. BLS does not publish an amount to add for that payment.
BLS pay definitions. These notes do not add an estimated bonus or premium.
Which metro areas publish pay for this occupation?
This table lists every metro area where BLS published a median for Ophthalmic Medical Technicians in BLS OEWS May 2025. Each row shows the median, the middle half of pay from the 25th to the 75th percentile, employment and the location quotient. Metros without a published median are left out rather than estimated.
| Metro area | Median | 25th to 75th | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $55,100 | $44,150 to $58,240 | 5,670 | 1.31 |
| Northern New Jersey market: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ. Shared metro, not New Jersey-only. | $55,100 | $44,150 to $58,240 | 5,670 | 1.31 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $53,990 | $46,930 to $68,820 | 530 | 0.55 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $52,670 | $49,040 to $65,650 | 1,740 | 1.41 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $51,380 | $45,260 to $58,840 | 640 | 1.04 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $50,010 | $39,710 to $50,680 | 2,390 | 1.16 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $49,950 | $43,180 to $56,960 | 2,310 | 1.25 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $49,870 | $45,230 to $60,350 | 620 | 0.85 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $49,710 | $39,640 to $57,570 | 1,880 | 1.46 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $48,830 | $43,740 to $49,520 | 1,150 | 1.06 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $48,050 | $43,880 to $59,580 | 920 | 0.64 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $47,290 | $38,930 to $50,890 | 840 | 0.96 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $47,210 | $38,030 to $49,350 | 940 | 1.43 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $47,010 | $41,870 to $56,360 | 550 | 1.10 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $46,990 | $43,350 to $53,260 | 1,050 | 0.80 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $46,640 | $37,970 to $46,830 | 1,570 | 2.44 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $46,500 | $45,210 to $56,540 | 510 | 1.56 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $46,450 | $35,900 to $54,100 | 1,100 | 0.73 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $44,230 | $37,270 to $47,730 | 720 | 1.43 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $44,110 | $37,210 to $48,180 | 570 | 1.84 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $42,860 | $38,030 to $47,010 | 300 | 0.88 |
| Cleveland, OH | $41,620 | $37,680 to $49,610 | 640 | 1.37 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $41,410 | $39,200 to $48,510 | 750 | 1.49 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $39,440 | $37,040 to $47,010 | 530 | 0.87 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $39,150 | $39,150 to $45,770 | 1,540 | 1.17 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $38,240 | $37,440 to $45,080 | 1,040 | 2.02 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $37,570 | $36,600 to $44,550 | 770 | 1.48 |
How do you find pay for a state or nonmetro area?
Choose a state, metro or nonmetropolitan area below to open the published figures for Ophthalmic Medical Technicians. If BLS did not publish a median, the guide shows the state or national estimate with a clear fallback label. It does not create a salary page for that missing combination. Every area page names its source row.
Does this pay differ by healthcare industry?
National industry estimates for Ophthalmic Medical Technicians, SOC 29-2057. Industry names are the names published by BLS. These are not local industry wages. Each row uses the pay basis BLS published for that industry, from the 10th to the 90th percentile, with employment. Cells BLS did not publish stay blank rather than estimated.
| Industry / NAICS | Basis | P10 | P25 | Median | P75 | P90 | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offices of Physicians NAICS 621100 | annual | $37,540 | $40,230 | $47,200 | $53,820 | $61,600 | 38,900 |
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners NAICS 621300 | annual | $30,930 | $36,030 | $38,650 | $45,970 | $51,420 | 22,930 |
| Outpatient Care Centers NAICS 621400 | annual | $44,200 | $48,150 | $60,640 | $82,310 | $103,920 | 1,570 |
| Hospitals NAICS 622000 | annual | $44,970 | $50,460 | $62,350 | $67,470 | $81,220 | 3,210 |
| Nursing and Residential Care Facilities NAICS 623000 | annual | $31,500 | $32,950 | $33,660 | $36,200 | $37,260 | 120 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, BLS OEWS May 2025. National industry-specific estimates. A value marked “or more” is top-coded.
Where is published pay highest and lowest for this occupation?
Highest and lowest published numeric medians for Ophthalmic Medical Technicians, SOC 29-2057. Top-coded medians cannot be ranked exactly and are not placed in this list. The table shows up to ten metros at each end, with employment and location quotient. Location quotient describes employment concentration, not pay. A metro missing here may still publish a capped value.
| Metro | Median | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $102,540 | 40 | 0.42 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $65,000 | 130 | 0.81 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $63,300 | 420 | 0.39 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $63,080 | 450 | 0.51 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $62,390 | Not published by BLS | Not published by BLS |
| Duluth, MN-WI | $61,880 | 40 | 0.64 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $61,580 | 300 | 0.81 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $60,600 | Not published by BLS | Not published by BLS |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $60,440 | 310 | 0.44 |
| Bend, OR | $59,990 | 100 | 2.05 |
| Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL | $35,300 | 90 | 2.17 |
| Lubbock, TX | $35,250 | 90 | 1.24 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $35,180 | 100 | 0.77 |
| Columbus, GA-AL | $35,140 | 70 | 1.38 |
| Logan, UT-ID | $34,710 | 60 | 1.80 |
| Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | $34,570 | 50 | 1.95 |
| Florence, SC | $34,410 | 50 | 1.30 |
| Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $34,350 | 100 | 0.75 |
| Texarkana, TX-AR | $32,110 | 30 | 1.27 |
| San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $31,730 | Not published by BLS | Not published by BLS |
How does this pay compare with all wages in each metro?
We divide this occupation's median by the all-occupations median for the same area and pay basis. This is simple arithmetic on BLS rows. It is not a cost-of-living adjustment or a percentile. Location quotient is shown separately. A ratio above one means this occupation's median is higher than the area's all-occupations median.
| Metro | Occupation median | All-occupations median | Median ratio | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $102,540 | $56,850 | 1.80 times | 0.42 |
| Duluth, MN-WI | $61,880 | $50,000 | 1.24 times | 0.64 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $61,580 | $51,160 | 1.20 times | 0.81 |
| La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $56,010 | $48,260 | 1.16 times | 2.51 |
| Bend, OR | $59,990 | $54,570 | 1.10 times | 2.05 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $60,600 | $55,850 | 1.09 times | Not published by BLS |
| San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $31,730 | $29,440 | 1.08 times | Not published by BLS |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $65,000 | $60,720 | 1.07 times | 0.81 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $63,080 | $59,320 | 1.06 times | 0.51 |
| Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL | $48,240 | $45,480 | 1.06 times | 2.65 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, BLS OEWS May 2025. SOC 29-2057 Ophthalmic Medical Technicians, metropolitan areas listed above. BLS page for this occupation. CSV
What do we see when recruiting for this role?
Read the Ophthalmic Technician (Ophthalmic Assistant, COA, COT, COMT) brief alongside the occupation mapping. Required credentials, current duties and the work setting can differ within Ophthalmic Medical Technicians. A BLS wage is a description of surveyed workers, not an offer recommendation. This is a qualitative view from our search work, not BLS data.
Compare the actual responsibilities and the candidate's preferences before changing the brief.
What is the median pay for Ophthalmic Medical Technicians?
$45,570 nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025). 50% of workers in this occupation earned less than this and 50% earned more. The median covers every setting BLS surveyed, so it is a midpoint of reported pay, not an offer benchmark for your vacancy. Read the mapping note and the percentile range before you set pay.
How much do the best-paid workers earn?
10% of workers in this occupation earned more than $61,940, and 10% earned less than $35,700.
Is this the pay for Ophthalmic Technician (Ophthalmic Assistant, COA, COT, COMT) exactly?
BLS publishes Ophthalmic Medical Technicians as its own occupation, so this is a direct match. The published occupation matches Ophthalmic Technician (Ophthalmic Assistant, COA, COT, COMT). BLS wages are not a specific employer offer.
What is the hourly equivalent?
The BLS median hourly wage is $21.91. BLS converts hourly to annual with 2,080 hours a year, so the annual median is $45,570.
Where is the median highest?
Among the metro areas listed on this page, Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA has the highest published median at $102,540.
How many people work in this occupation?
BLS estimates 71,010 jobs nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025).