Ophthalmic Medical Technicians Salary
Ophthalmic Medical Technicians in Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA make a median of $38,850 a year, or about $18.68 an hour. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $47K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.65), that's roughly $39,382 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,493/month, about 55.3% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $39K get you in Harrisburg-Carlisle?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Harrisburg-Carlisle’s Regional Price Parity (98.65). 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 Harrisburg-Carlisle
Pay for ophthalmic medical technicians in Harrisburg-Carlisle runs about 15% below the U.S. median of $46K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,493/month, which is 55.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.65) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for ophthalmic medical technicianss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for ophthalmic medical technicians in metros near Harrisburg-Carlisle, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $47K | $46K |
| Pittsburgh | $44K | $46K |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $46K | $46K |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre | $43K | $46K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
Entry-level ophthalmic medical technicians (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $39K. Top earners bring in $47K or more, a $9K 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 (all 50 states + DC)
Track ophthalmic medical technicians salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a ophthalmic medical technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Harrisburg-Carlisle?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $39K, rent takes 55.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,493/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 medical technicians in Harrisburg-Carlisle?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new ophthalmic medical technicians typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,242/month. At HUD’s $1,493/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 Harrisburg-Carlisle?
Local pay runs 15% below the national median — $39K here vs. $46K nationally.
How does Harrisburg-Carlisle compare to the national average for ophthalmic medical technicians?
Harrisburg-Carlisle pays $39K median vs. the U.S. average of $46K — that’s -15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.65), the purchasing-power equivalent is $39K — below the national median.
How much do ophthalmic medical technicians make in Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA?
The median is $38,850 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,370, and experienced ophthalmic medical technicians can clear $46,630. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $39K enough to live in Harrisburg-Carlisle?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,672/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,493/month, which eats 55.9% 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 Harrisburg-Carlisle?
Harrisburg-Carlisle has a Regional Price Parity of 98.65 (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 medical technicians salary is worth about $39,382 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.