Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians Salary
Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians in Kansas City, MO-KS make a median of $45,750 a year, or about $22 an hour. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $48K for experienced workers.
So what does $46K get you in Kansas City?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Kansas City’s Regional Price Parity (92.5). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About ophthalmic laboratory technicians
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What this looks like in Kansas City
Kansas City sits well above the national pay line for ophthalmic laboratory technicians, local pay runs about 16% higher than the U.S. median of $39K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,146/month, which is 36.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.5 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for ophthalmic laboratory technicians in metros near Kansas City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| St. Louis | $39K | , |
| Omaha | $41K | , |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway | $38K | , |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $37K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kansas City, MO-KS
Entry-level ophthalmic laboratory technicians (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $46K. Top earners bring in $48K or more, a $16K spread from bottom to top.
Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | $62K | +58% | 170 |
| New Hampshire | $59K | +51% | 180 |
| Washington | $49K | +25% | 260 |
| Colorado | $49K | +23% | 320 |
| Rhode Island | $47K | +20% | 70 |
| New Jersey | $47K | +20% | N/A |
| California | $47K | +20% | 1,630 |
| Maryland | $47K | +19% | 360 |
| Ohio | $46K | +17% | 560 |
| Oregon | $46K | +16% | 250 |
| Michigan | $45K | +15% | 330 |
| Georgia | $45K | +14% | 960 |
| Kansas | $45K | +14% | N/A |
| North Carolina | $44K | +12% | 210 |
| Maine | $44K | +10% | 50 |
| Massachusetts | $43K | +9% | N/A |
| Wisconsin | $43K | +9% | 200 |
| New York | $42K | +8% | 1,250 |
| Nebraska | $41K | +3% | 170 |
| Minnesota | $40K | +2% | 1,110 |
| Nevada | $39K | -1% | 240 |
| Missouri | $39K | -2% | 360 |
| Arizona | $39K | -2% | 150 |
| New Mexico | $39K | -2% | 130 |
| Florida | $38K | -4% | 1,230 |
| Texas | $38K | -4% | 3,380 |
| Pennsylvania | $38K | -5% | 510 |
| Tennessee | $37K | -5% | 130 |
| Indiana | $37K | -5% | 330 |
| Louisiana | $37K | -6% | 300 |
| West Virginia | $37K | -6% | N/A |
| Arkansas | $37K | -6% | 170 |
| Alabama | $37K | -6% | 190 |
| Illinois | $37K | -7% | 830 |
| Kentucky | $37K | -7% | 610 |
| Oklahoma | $36K | -10% | 210 |
| Mississippi | $35K | -11% | 220 |
| Virginia | $34K | -13% | 470 |
| South Carolina | $34K | -13% | 130 |
| Iowa | $34K | -14% | 100 |
Showing 1–10 of 40 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track ophthalmic laboratory technicians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Kansas City numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a ophthalmic laboratory technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kansas City?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $46K, rent takes 36.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,146/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for ophthalmic laboratory technicians in Kansas City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new ophthalmic laboratory technicians typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,919/month. At HUD’s $1,146/month FMR, rent would take 60% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is ophthalmic laboratory technician a high-paying job in Kansas City?
Local pay is 16% above the national median — $46K here vs. $39K nationally.
How does Kansas City compare to the national average for ophthalmic laboratory technicians?
Kansas City pays $46K median vs. the U.S. average of $39K — that’s +16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.5), the purchasing-power equivalent is $49K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do ophthalmic laboratory technicians make in Kansas City, MO-KS?
The median is $45,750 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,980, and experienced ophthalmic laboratory technicians can clear $47,550. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $46K enough to live in Kansas City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,118/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,146/month, which eats 36.8% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a ophthalmic laboratory technicians salary go in Kansas City?
Kansas City has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median ophthalmic laboratory technicians salary is worth about $49,459 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do ophthalmic laboratory technicians get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.