Ophthalmic Medical Technicians Salary
Ophthalmic Medical Technicians in Rapid City, SD make a median of $39,300 a year, or about $18.89 an hour. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $56K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.16), which stretches that salary to about $44,078 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,336/month, about 47.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $39K get you in Rapid City?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Rapid City’s Regional Price Parity (89.16). 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 Rapid City
Pay for ophthalmic medical technicians in Rapid City runs about 14% below the U.S. median of $46K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,336/month, which is 47.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.16 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. 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 Rapid City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Sioux Falls | $47K | $52K |
| Cedar Rapids | $49K | $55K |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls | $39K | $45K |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $63K | $60K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Rapid City, SD
Entry-level ophthalmic medical technicians (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $39K. Top earners bring in $56K or more, a $19K 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 Rapid City?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $39K, rent takes 47.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,336/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 Rapid City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new ophthalmic medical technicians typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,191/month. At HUD’s $1,336/month FMR, rent would take 61% 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 Rapid City?
Local pay runs 14% below the national median — $39K here vs. $46K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Rapid City compare to the national average for ophthalmic medical technicians?
Rapid City pays $39K median vs. the U.S. average of $46K — that’s -14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.16), the purchasing-power equivalent is $44K — below the national median.
How much do ophthalmic medical technicians make in Rapid City, SD?
The median is $39,300 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,520, and experienced ophthalmic medical technicians can clear $55,740. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $39K enough to live in Rapid City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,801/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,336/month, which eats 47.7% 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 Rapid City?
Rapid City has a Regional Price Parity of 89.16 (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 $44,078 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.