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Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician

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 Degrees Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Associate’s Degree	9
Master’s Degree	67

What Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician Majors Need to Know

Coursework for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Medicine and Dentistry — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.3 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills built by a Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Judgment and Decision Making — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Near Vision — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.2 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.1 / 7
Working with Computers	4.0 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	3.9 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	3.9 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.8 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	3.7 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	3.7 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	3.6 / 7
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others	3.6 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
Calendar and scheduling software	Calendar and scheduling software	—
SAS	Analytical or scientific software	—
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
Turning Technologies TurningPoint	Multi-media educational software	—
Sakai CLE	Computer based training software	—
iParadigms Turnitin	Information retrieval or search software	—
DOC Cop	Information retrieval or search software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician graduates include:

• Gynecology Teacher
• Clinical Laboratory Science Professor
• Laboratory Technology Teacher
• Health Education Teacher
• Correctional Therapy Teacher
• Gastroenterology Teacher
• Activity Therapy Teacher
• Teacher
• Public Health Teacher
• Dentistry Teacher
• Clinical Laboratory Aides Teacher
• Anesthesiology Teacher
• Surgical Technology Instructor
• Serology Teacher
• Inhalation Therapy Aides Teacher

What Can You Do With a Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician Degree?

Graduates with a degree in Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician commonly enter the following occupations:

Occupation	Job Growth	Median Salary	25th–75th Pctile
Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary	10.7%	$46,663	$40,304–$53,022

^{Job-growth = projected employment change for the parent occupation. Source: ONET / BLS Employment Projections.*}

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Master’s degree	23.4%
High school diploma or equivalent	21.9%
Doctoral degree	15.3%
Post-doctoral training	11.7%
Bachelor’s degree	9.1%
Some college courses	5.7%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	5.4%
Postsecondary certificate	5.2%
Less than a high school diploma	1.9%
First professional degree	0.6%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 68.4% of Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	52	68.4%
Men	24	31.6%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	18	23.7%
Asian	3	3.9%
Hispanic or Latino	41	53.9%
Black or African American	9	11.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	1	1.3%
Two or More Races	1	1.3%
Race Unknown	2	2.6%
International Students	1	1.3%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$42,942
4 years	$39,910
5 years	$44,672

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $44,672 — roughly 4% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician graduates earn a median of $39,910 four years after completion — roughly 5% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions	20,443
Phlebotomy Technician/Phlebotomist	9,347
Clinical Laboratory Science/Medical Technology/Technologist	3,893
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Technician	3,329
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions, Other	2,445
Sterile Processing Technology/Technician	1,964
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science and Allied Professions, Other	895
Histologic Technician	260
Blood Bank Technology Specialist	241
Advanced General Dentistry	238
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences, Other	150
Cytotechnology/Cytotechnologist	127

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.