Ophthalmic Medical Technicians Salary
Ophthalmic Medical Technicians in Sioux Falls, SD-MN make a median of $47,320 a year, or about $22.75 an hour. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $60K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.63), which stretches that salary to about $52,212 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,156/month, about 33.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $47K get you in Sioux Falls?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Sioux Falls’s Regional Price Parity (90.63). 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 Sioux Falls
Ophthalmic medical technicians pay in Sioux Falls tracks closely to the national median, $47K locally vs. $46K nationwide, a 4% difference. Rent runs $1,156/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 34.6% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.63 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for ophthalmic medical technicians in metros near Sioux Falls, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Rapid City | $39K | $44K |
| 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, Sioux Falls, SD-MN
Entry-level ophthalmic medical technicians (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $47K. Top earners bring in $60K or more, a $23K 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 Sioux Falls?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $47K, rent takes 34.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,156/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/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 Sioux Falls?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new ophthalmic medical technicians typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,225/month. At HUD’s $1,156/month FMR, rent would take 52% 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 Sioux Falls?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $47K locally vs. $46K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Sioux Falls compare to the national average for ophthalmic medical technicians?
Sioux Falls pays $47K median vs. the U.S. average of $46K — that’s +4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.63), the purchasing-power equivalent is $52K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do ophthalmic medical technicians make in Sioux Falls, SD-MN?
The median is $47,320 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,080, and experienced ophthalmic medical technicians can clear $59,700. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $47K enough to live in Sioux Falls?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,338/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,156/month, which eats 34.6% 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 Sioux Falls?
Sioux Falls has a Regional Price Parity of 90.63 (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 $52,212 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.