Ophthalmic Medical Technicians Salary
Ophthalmic Medical Technicians in Virginia make a median of $40,920 a year, or about $19.68 an hour. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $52K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.79), which stretches that salary to about $43,169 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,646/month, about 59% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Virginia. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $41K get you in Virginia?
About ophthalmic medical technicians
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What this looks like in Virginia
Ophthalmic medical technicians pay in Virginia tracks closely to the national median, $41K locally vs. $46K nationwide, a 10% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,646/month, which is 59.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.79 (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, Virginia
Entry-level ophthalmic medical technicians (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $41K. Top earners bring in $52K or more, a $16K spread from bottom to top.
Ophthalmic Medical Technicians salary by metro in Virginia
8 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlottesville | $45K | +9% | N/A |
| Staunton-Stuarts Draft | $43K | +5% | 50 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $43K | +4% | 310 |
| Roanoke | $41K | -1% | 150 |
| Winchester | $40K | -2% | 50 |
| Richmond | $39K | -4% | 350 |
| Lynchburg | $37K | -8% | 60 |
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford | $37K | -10% | 30 |
Compare to other states
Track ophthalmic medical technicians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Virginia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a ophthalmic medical technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Virginia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $41K, rent takes 59.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,646/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 Virginia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new ophthalmic medical technicians typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,170/month. At HUD’s $1,646/month FMR, rent would take 76% 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 Virginia?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $41K locally vs. $46K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Virginia compare to the national average for ophthalmic medical technicians?
Virginia pays $41K median vs. the U.S. average of $46K — that’s -10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.79), the purchasing-power equivalent is $43K — below the national median.
How much do ophthalmic medical technicians make in Virginia?
The median is $40,920 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,170, and experienced ophthalmic medical technicians can clear $52,280. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $41K enough to live in Virginia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,757/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,646/month, which eats 59.7% 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 Virginia?
Virginia has a Regional Price Parity of 94.79 (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 $43,169 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.