---

Optometric Technician

Types of Degrees Optometric Technician Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Optometric Technician have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	64
Associate’s Degree	108
Master’s Degree	29

What Optometric Technician Majors Need to Know

Programs in Optometric Technician develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Optometric Technician graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Optometric Technician emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Medicine and Dentistry — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.
• Administrative — Importance 2.9 / 5; level 2.9 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set developed in a Optometric Technician program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Active Listening — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Service Orientation — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.
• Social Perceptiveness — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 3 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 3 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Optometric Technician careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4 / 7.
• Near Vision — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Optometric Technician graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public	4.5 / 7
Getting Information	4.5 / 7
Assisting and Caring for Others	4.5 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.3 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.1 / 7
Working with Computers	4.1 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.0 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.0 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	3.8 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	3.7 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Optometric Technician professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
ezChartWriter	Medical software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
EyeMD EMR Healthcare Systems EyeMD EMR	Medical software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
NaviNet Open	Medical software	—
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
iChartPlus	Medical software	—
AcuityPro	Medical software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Optometric Technician graduates include:

• Ophthalmic Diagnostic Sonographer
• Certified Ophthalmic Medical Technician (Certified Ophthalmic Medical Tech)
• Optometric Assistant
• Ophthalmic Medical Technician (Ophthalmic Medical Tech)
• Ocular Care Technician (Ocular Care Tech)
• Ophthalmology Technician (Ophthalmology Tech)
• Eyecare Advisor
• Ophthalmic Assistant
• Ophthalmology Assistant
• Optometric Technician (Optometric Tech)
• Paraoptometric
• Retinal Angiographer
• Certified Ophthalmic Surgical Assistant
• Health Technician (Health Tech)
• Medical Technician (Medical Tech)

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Optometric Technician graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
High school diploma or equivalent	59.1%
Postsecondary certificate	27.3%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	9.1%
Some college courses	4.5%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Optometric Technician?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 78.6% of Optometric Technician degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	158	78.6%
Men	43	21.4%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Optometric Technician graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	28	13.9%
Asian	2	1.0%
Hispanic or Latino	153	76.1%
Black or African American	15	7.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native	1	0.5%
Two or More Races	2	1.0%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Optometric Technician Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Optometric Technician graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$34,118
4 years	$36,016
5 years	$38,680

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $38,680 — roughly 13% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Optometric Technician Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Optometric Technician graduates earn a median of $36,016 four years after completion — about 5% below the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000). On earnings alone, this program does not show an income premium over the baseline; non-financial outcomes (career interests, certification requirements, advancement potential) are typically the stronger argument for fields in this range.

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Ophthalmic and Optometric Support Services and Allied Professions	51.18
Ophthalmic and Optometric Support Services and Allied Professions, Other	51.1899
Ophthalmic Technician/Technologist	51.1803
Opticianry/Ophthalmic Dispensing Optician	51.1801
Orthoptics/Orthoptist	51.1804

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.