How much do Ophthalmic Medical Technicians make in Columbia, MO?

Percentile spread

For Ophthalmic Medical Technicians, the published 10th percentile is $35,640 and the 90th percentile is $55,640. The difference is $20,000, which is 46.2% of the median. Ten percent of measured wages fall below the 10th percentile and ten percent fall above the 90th. How to read a percentile.

The middle half of the distribution, from the 25th percentile at $36,890 to the 75th at $55,640, covers $18,750.

The mean annual wage is $45,780, which sits above the median of $43,300. Median and mean measure different points in the same distribution.

National and state comparison

The Columbia, MO median is 5% lower than the national median of $45,570 for Ophthalmic Medical Technicians. In 2024 national prices the local median is $48,413, which is 6.2% higher than that same national median. The national figure is already in national prices because the United States parity is 100.

It is 7.5% higher than the Missouri median of $40,290.

Price-adjusted pay

The 2024 all-items regional price parity for Columbia, MO is 89.438, with the United States at 100. The Bureau of Economic Analysis released those parities on February 19, 2026. Dividing the May 2025 median of $43,300 by that parity and multiplying by 100 puts Ophthalmic Medical Technicians at $48,413 in national prices. The wage year and the price year are different. Compare this wage after prices.

Nearby metros

8 other metropolitan areas within 200 miles publish a annual median for Ophthalmic Medical Technicians. Columbia, MO ranks 4th of 9 on that median, counting itself. Distance is the great-circle mileage between Census Bureau internal points (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files, Core Based Statistical Areas, internal points (INTPTLAT, INTPTLONG).).

• Kansas City, MO-KS is 100 miles away, with a median of $43,700 and employment of 500. That median is 0.9% higher than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $47,221, against $48,413 here.
• Springfield, MO is 117 miles away, with a median of $38,900 and employment of 170. That median is 10.2% lower than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $43,913, against $48,413 here.
• St. Louis, MO-IL is 122 miles away, with a median of $39,440 and employment of 530. That median is 8.9% lower than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $41,477, against $48,413 here.

Employment share

Ophthalmic Medical Technicians accounts for 0.04% of wage-and-salary employment in Columbia, MO (40 of 107,680). Nationally the occupation is 0.05% of employment (71,010 of 155,495,730). The local share is 0.81 times the national share. That ratio is the location quotient computed from these May 2025 employment counts. It is not copied from the location-quotient column in the BLS bulk file.