Ophthalmic Medical Technicians Salary
Ophthalmic Medical Technicians in Texas make a median of $43,640 a year, or about $20.98 an hour. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $58K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.49), which stretches that salary to about $47,699 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,415/month, about 45.1% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Texas. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $44K get you in Texas?
About ophthalmic medical technicians
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What this looks like in Texas
Ophthalmic medical technicians pay in Texas tracks closely to the national median, $44K locally vs. $46K nationwide, a 4% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,415/month, which is 45.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.49 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% 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, Texas
Entry-level ophthalmic medical technicians (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $44K. Top earners bring in $58K or more, a $26K spread from bottom to top.
Ophthalmic Medical Technicians salary by metro in Texas
16 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $50K | +14% | 2,310 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $46K | +6% | 1,100 |
| College Station-Bryan | $40K | -8% | 80 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $38K | -12% | 1,040 |
| Midland | $38K | -13% | 50 |
| San Angelo | $37K | -15% | 50 |
| Victoria | $37K | -15% | 60 |
| Waco | $37K | -16% | 50 |
| Amarillo | $37K | -16% | 190 |
| Abilene | $37K | -16% | 40 |
| Wichita Falls | $36K | -17% | 60 |
| Longview | $36K | -17% | 50 |
| El Paso | $35K | -19% | 80 |
| Lubbock | $35K | -19% | 90 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission | $35K | -19% | 100 |
| Texarkana | $32K | -26% | 30 |
Showing 1–10 of 16 metros
Compare to other states
Track ophthalmic medical technicians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Texas numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a ophthalmic medical technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Texas?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $44K, rent takes 45.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,415/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 Texas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new ophthalmic medical technicians typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,916/month. At HUD’s $1,415/month FMR, rent would take 74% 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 Texas?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $44K locally vs. $46K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Texas compare to the national average for ophthalmic medical technicians?
Texas pays $44K median vs. the U.S. average of $46K — that’s -4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $48K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do ophthalmic medical technicians make in Texas?
The median is $43,640 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,930, and experienced ophthalmic medical technicians can clear $58,130. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $44K enough to live in Texas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,092/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,415/month, which eats 45.8% 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 Texas?
Texas has a Regional Price Parity of 91.49 (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 $47,699 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.