Ophthalmic Medical Technicians Salary
Ophthalmic Medical Technicians in Wausau, WI make a median of $47,660 a year, or about $22.92 an hour. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $64K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.65), which stretches that salary to about $51,441 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,147/month, about 35.3% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $48K get you in Wausau?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Wausau’s Regional Price Parity (92.65). 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 Wausau
Ophthalmic medical technicians pay in Wausau tracks closely to the national median, $48K locally vs. $46K nationwide, a 5% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,147/month, which is 35.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.65 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for ophthalmic medical technicians in metros near Wausau, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $62K | $64K |
| Madison | $59K | $61K |
| La Crosse-Onalaska | $56K | $61K |
| Green Bay | $51K | $54K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Wausau, WI
Entry-level ophthalmic medical technicians (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $48K. Top earners bring in $64K or more, a $28K 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 states
Track ophthalmic medical technicians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Wausau numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a ophthalmic medical technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Wausau?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $48K, rent takes 35.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,147/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 Wausau?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new ophthalmic medical technicians typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,149/month. At HUD’s $1,147/month FMR, rent would take 53% 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 Wausau?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $48K locally vs. $46K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Wausau compare to the national average for ophthalmic medical technicians?
Wausau pays $48K median vs. the U.S. average of $46K — that’s +5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.65), the purchasing-power equivalent is $51K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do ophthalmic medical technicians make in Wausau, WI?
The median is $47,660 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,810, and experienced ophthalmic medical technicians can clear $63,650. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $48K enough to live in Wausau?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,238/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,147/month, which eats 35.4% 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 Wausau?
Wausau has a Regional Price Parity of 92.65 (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 $51,441 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.