Ophthalmic Medical Technicians Salary
Ophthalmic Medical Technicians in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC make a median of $65,000 a year, or about $31.25 an hour. The range runs from $43K at the entry level to $74K for experienced workers.
So what does $65K get you in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Durham-Chapel Hill’s Regional Price Parity (97.6). 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 medical technicians
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What this looks like in Durham-Chapel Hill
Durham-Chapel Hill sits well above the national pay line for ophthalmic medical technicians, local pay runs about 43% higher than the U.S. median of $46K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,711/month, which is 40.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 97.6) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for ophthalmic medical technicians in metros near Durham-Chapel Hill, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $48K | , |
| Raleigh-Cary | $43K | , |
| Wilmington | $46K | , |
| Winston-Salem | $46K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
Entry-level ophthalmic medical technicians (10th percentile) start around $43K. Mid-career wages sit at $65K. Top earners bring in $74K or more, a $31K spread from bottom to top.
Ophthalmic Medical Technicians pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Ophthalmic Medical Technicians salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | $63K | +38% | 720 |
| Hawaii | $58K | +28% | 190 |
| Wisconsin | $56K | +24% | 1,260 |
| California | $54K | +20% | 2,500 |
| District of Columbia | $51K | +11% | N/A |
| Vermont | $50K | +10% | 150 |
| Maryland | $50K | +10% | 1,300 |
| Oregon | $50K | +10% | 1,060 |
| Alaska | $50K | +10% | 90 |
| Massachusetts | $50K | +9% | 2,330 |
| New Hampshire | $49K | +8% | 300 |
| New Jersey | $49K | +8% | 4,150 |
| Washington | $49K | +7% | 1,250 |
| New York | $48K | +6% | 4,250 |
| Connecticut | $48K | +6% | 780 |
| Maine | $48K | +6% | 320 |
| Montana | $47K | +4% | 380 |
| Illinois | $47K | +3% | 3,250 |
| Arizona | $47K | +3% | 1,630 |
| Florida | $47K | +3% | 7,020 |
| Michigan | $47K | +3% | 1,800 |
| Rhode Island | $47K | +2% | 410 |
| Colorado | $46K | +2% | 1,470 |
| North Dakota | $46K | +1% | 220 |
| Nebraska | $45K | -1% | 530 |
| North Carolina | $45K | -1% | 1,630 |
| Pennsylvania | $45K | -1% | 2,890 |
| Delaware | $45K | -2% | N/A |
| Iowa | $44K | -3% | 500 |
| Kansas | $44K | -4% | 630 |
| Texas | $44K | -4% | 6,540 |
| Indiana | $43K | -5% | 1,610 |
| South Dakota | $42K | -7% | 300 |
| Virginia | $41K | -10% | 1,540 |
| South Carolina | $40K | -11% | 1,470 |
| Ohio | $40K | -11% | 2,510 |
| Missouri | $40K | -12% | 960 |
| Georgia | $39K | -14% | 2,570 |
| Kentucky | $39K | -14% | 1,570 |
| Tennessee | $39K | -15% | 1,760 |
| Louisiana | $39K | -15% | 890 |
| New Mexico | $39K | -15% | 400 |
| Idaho | $38K | -16% | 230 |
| Oklahoma | $38K | -17% | 980 |
| Nevada | $38K | -17% | 960 |
| Arkansas | $37K | -18% | 540 |
| West Virginia | $37K | -19% | 260 |
| Alabama | $37K | -20% | 1,260 |
| Mississippi | $36K | -21% | 690 |
| Utah | $36K | -21% | 680 |
| Wyoming | $36K | -22% | 110 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 states
Track ophthalmic medical technicians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Durham-Chapel Hill numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a ophthalmic medical technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Durham-Chapel Hill?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $65K, rent takes 40.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,711/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for ophthalmic medical technicians in Durham-Chapel Hill?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new ophthalmic medical technicians typically earn — is $43K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,564/month. At HUD’s $1,711/month FMR, rent would take 67% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is ophthalmic medical technician a high-paying job in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Local pay is 43% above the national median — $65K here vs. $46K nationally.
How does Durham-Chapel Hill compare to the national average for ophthalmic medical technicians?
Durham-Chapel Hill pays $65K median vs. the U.S. average of $46K — that’s +43%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.6), the purchasing-power equivalent is $67K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do ophthalmic medical technicians make in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC?
The median is $65,000 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $42,740, and experienced ophthalmic medical technicians can clear $74,180. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $65K enough to live in Durham-Chapel Hill?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,266/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,711/month, which eats 40.1% 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 medical technicians salary go in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Durham-Chapel Hill 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 medical technicians salary is worth about $66,598 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do ophthalmic medical 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.