SOC 29-2057 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Ophthalmic Medical Technicians — Salem
Salem, OR · 6 metro areas compared
In Salem, OR the median wage for Ophthalmic Medical Technicians is $50,600 a year, which is 11.0% higher than the national figure of $45,570.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to grow much faster than average
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- +19.8%
- Openings per year
- 12,500
- Typical entry-level education
- Postsecondary nondegree award
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for Salem, OR.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
In Salem, OR the median wage for Ophthalmic Medical Technicians is $50,600 a year, which is 11.0% higher than the national figure of $45,570. The middle half of workers in this occupation earn between $46,800 and $61,080. The lowest tenth earn under $46,000, while the highest tenth earn more than $72,100.
Within the state, Portland records the highest median at $62,390. Of the 434 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 298th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $46,000 | +0.9% |
| 25th | $46,800 | +2.7% |
| Median (50th) | $50,600 | +11.0% |
| 75th | $61,080 | +34.0% |
| 90th | $72,100 | +58.2% |
| Mean | $53,690 | +17.8% |
Other metro areas in Oregon
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Salem run 3.6% above the national average, so the median of $50,600 buys what $48,842 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 7.2% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$50,600as reported by BLSLocal price level
103.6US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$48,842US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $50,600 a year, 11.0% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $46,000 to $72,100 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Portland, at $62,390.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Ophthalmic Medical Technicians in Salem, OR?
The median annual wage is $50,600, or $24.33 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $45,570, so pay in Salem, OR is 11.0% higher. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Salem, OR earns more than $72,100 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $46,000 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Portland, at $62,390 per year.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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