Ophthalmic Medical Technicians Salary
Ophthalmic Medical Technicians in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA make a median of $60,600 a year, or about $29.14 an hour. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $96K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 113.57), so that salary is closer to $53,359 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,601/month, about 65.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $61K get you in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim’s Regional Price Parity (113.57). 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 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim sits well above the national pay line for ophthalmic medical technicians, local pay runs about 33% 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 $2,601/month, which is 64% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 14% above the national average (BEA RPP 113.57), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for ophthalmic medical technicians in metros near Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $45K | $41K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $63K | $55K |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $51K | $46K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $60K | $54K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
Entry-level ophthalmic medical technicians (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $61K. Top earners bring in $96K or more, a $57K 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
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a ophthalmic medical technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $61K, rent takes 64% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,601/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/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 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new ophthalmic medical technicians typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,342/month. At HUD’s $2,601/month FMR, rent would take 111% 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 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim?
Local pay is 33% above the national median — $61K here vs. $46K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 14% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim compare to the national average for ophthalmic medical technicians?
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim pays $61K median vs. the U.S. average of $46K — that’s +33%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 113.57), the purchasing-power equivalent is $53K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do ophthalmic medical technicians make in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA?
The median is $60,600 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,040, and experienced ophthalmic medical technicians can clear $95,730. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $61K enough to live in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,065/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,601/month, which eats 64% 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 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim?
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim has a Regional Price Parity of 113.57 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median ophthalmic medical technicians salary is worth about $53,359 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.