SOC 29-2057 · Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations · May 2025

How much do Ophthalmic Medical Technicians make in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC?

In the May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics estimates, released May 15, 2026, the median annual wage for Ophthalmic Medical Technicians in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC is $42,510. The 10th percentile is $36,120 and the 90th percentile is $51,520. Employment is 310.

Median annual wage

$42,510

10th percentile
$36,120
25th percentile
$36,810
Median
$42,510
75th percentile
$46,010
90th percentile
$51,520
Mean
$42,210

Annual wage from the May 2025 OEWS estimates.

An auto mechanic working on a car engine
An auto mechanic working on an engine. Photograph by Okpashira. Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

Percentile spread

For Ophthalmic Medical Technicians, the published 10th percentile is $36,120 and the 90th percentile is $51,520. The difference is $15,400, which is 36.2% 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 $36,810 to the 75th at $46,010, covers $9,200.

The mean annual wage is $42,210, which sits below the median of $42,510. Median and mean measure different points in the same distribution.

National and state comparison

The Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC median is 6.7% lower than the national median of $45,570 for Ophthalmic Medical Technicians. In 2024 national prices the local median is $43,404, which is 4.8% lower than that same national median. The national figure is already in national prices because the United States parity is 100.

It is 3.9% higher than the Virginia median of $40,920.

Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC covers more than one state. The state comparison uses Virginia, the primary state on the BLS area record.

Price-adjusted pay

The 2024 all-items regional price parity for Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC is 97.941, with the United States at 100. The Bureau of Economic Analysis released those parities on February 19, 2026. Dividing the May 2025 median of $42,510 by that parity and multiplying by 100 puts Ophthalmic Medical Technicians at $43,404 in national prices. The wage year and the price year are different. Compare this wage after prices.

Nearby metros

15 other metropolitan areas within 200 miles publish a annual median for Ophthalmic Medical Technicians. Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC ranks 9th of 16 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).).

  • Richmond, VA is 70 miles away, with a median of $39,120 and employment of 350. That median is 8% lower than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $39,976, against $43,404 here.
  • Salisbury, MD is 100 miles away, with a median of $39,380 and employment of 60. That median is 7.4% lower than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $41,185, against $43,404 here.
  • Raleigh-Cary, NC is 137 miles away, with a median of $42,860 and employment of 300. That median is 0.8% higher than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $43,665, against $43,404 here.

Employment share

Ophthalmic Medical Technicians accounts for 0.04% of wage-and-salary employment in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC (310 of 763,060). Nationally the occupation is 0.05% of employment (71,010 of 155,495,730). The local share is 0.89 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.

Highest-paying jobs in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC · Ophthalmic Medical Technicians by metro · How to read these percentiles · Median and mean · When a wage is not published · How the figures are made · Compare this wage after prices

Questions this page answers

How much do Ophthalmic Medical Technicians make in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC?

In the May 2025 OEWS estimates, released May 15, 2026, the median annual wage for Ophthalmic Medical Technicians in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC is $42,510. The 10th percentile is $36,120 and the 90th percentile is $51,520. Employment is 310.

How does that compare with the national median for Ophthalmic Medical Technicians?

The local median is 6.7% lower than the national median of $45,570.

What is Ophthalmic Medical Technicians pay in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC after local prices?

The 2024 all-items regional price parity for Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC is 97.941, with the United States at 100. In those national prices, the May 2025 median of $42,510 is $43,404. The wage is May 2025 and the parity is 2024.

How does Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC compare with nearby metros for Ophthalmic Medical Technicians?

Richmond, VA is the closest metropolitan area within 200 miles with a published annual median, 70 miles away, at $39,120. Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC ranks 9th of 16 metros within 200 miles on that median. Distances use Census Bureau internal points.