Ophthalmic Medical Technicians Salary
Ophthalmic Medical Technicians in Pennsylvania make a median of $45,050 a year, or about $21.66 an hour. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $56K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.97), which stretches that salary to about $47,436 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,351/month, about 43.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Pennsylvania. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $45K get you in Pennsylvania?
About ophthalmic medical technicians
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What this looks like in Pennsylvania
Ophthalmic medical technicians pay in Pennsylvania tracks closely to the national median, $45K locally vs. $46K nationwide, a 1% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,351/month, which is 44% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Pennsylvania
Entry-level ophthalmic medical technicians (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $45K. Top earners bring in $56K or more, a $20K spread from bottom to top.
Ophthalmic Medical Technicians salary by metro in Pennsylvania
9 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lancaster | $51K | +13% | 130 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $47K | +4% | 1,050 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $46K | +3% | 260 |
| Pittsburgh | $44K | -3% | 470 |
| Reading | $44K | -3% | 100 |
| York-Hanover | $43K | -4% | 100 |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre | $43K | -4% | 150 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $39K | -14% | 150 |
| State College | $38K | -16% | 60 |
Compare to other states
Track ophthalmic medical technicians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Pennsylvania numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a ophthalmic medical technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Pennsylvania?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $45K, rent takes 44% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,351/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 medical technicians in Pennsylvania?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new ophthalmic medical technicians typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,178/month. At HUD’s $1,351/month FMR, rent would take 62% 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 Pennsylvania?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $45K locally vs. $46K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Pennsylvania compare to the national average for ophthalmic medical technicians?
Pennsylvania pays $45K median vs. the U.S. average of $46K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $47K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do ophthalmic medical technicians make in Pennsylvania?
The median is $45,050 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,300, and experienced ophthalmic medical technicians can clear $55,900. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $45K enough to live in Pennsylvania?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,071/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,351/month, which eats 44% 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 Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has a Regional Price Parity of 94.97 (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 $47,436 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.