Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians Salary
Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians in York-Hanover, PA make a median of $37,780 a year, or about $18.16 an hour. The range runs from $30K at the entry level to $50K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96), that's roughly $39,354 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,335/month, about 50.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $38K get you in York-Hanover?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by York-Hanover’s Regional Price Parity (96). 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 York-Hanover
Ophthalmic laboratory technicians pay in York-Hanover tracks closely to the national median, $38K locally vs. $39K nationwide, a 4% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,335/month, which is 51.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 96) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for ophthalmic laboratory technicians in metros near York-Hanover, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $36K | $35K |
| Pittsburgh | $39K | $41K |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $38K | $34K |
| Rochester | $45K | $47K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, York-Hanover, PA
Entry-level ophthalmic laboratory technicians (10th percentile) start around $30K. Mid-career wages sit at $38K. Top earners bring in $50K or more, a $20K 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 with published data
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 York-Hanover numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a ophthalmic laboratory technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in York-Hanover?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $38K, rent takes 51.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,335/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/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 York-Hanover?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new ophthalmic laboratory technicians typically earn — is $30K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,790/month. At HUD’s $1,335/month FMR, rent would take 75% 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 York-Hanover?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $38K locally vs. $39K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does York-Hanover compare to the national average for ophthalmic laboratory technicians?
York-Hanover pays $38K median vs. the U.S. average of $39K — that’s -4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96), the purchasing-power equivalent is $39K — below the national median.
How much do ophthalmic laboratory technicians make in York-Hanover, PA?
The median is $37,780 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $29,830, and experienced ophthalmic laboratory technicians can clear $49,750. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $38K enough to live in York-Hanover?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,603/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,335/month, which eats 51.3% 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 York-Hanover?
York-Hanover has a Regional Price Parity of 96 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median ophthalmic laboratory technicians salary is worth about $39,354 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.