Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians pay range in Chicago
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $35,630 a year or less, while the top 10% make $48,510 or more. The middle half of ophthalmic laboratory technicians in Chicago earn between $36,450 and $41,080.
- $36K10th
- $36K25th
- $37KMedian
- $41K75th
- $49K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $40,050 | $3,338 | $19.25 |
| Median | $36,870 | $3,072 | $17.73 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $36,450 | $3,038 | $17.52 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $41,080 | $3,423 | $19.75 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians salary after taxes in Chicago
On the average salary of $40,050, a single filer in Chicago takes home about $32,519 a year, or $2,710 a month and $1,251 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% of gross pay.
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in IN | $33,189 | $2,766 |
| Working in IL | $32,519 | $2,710 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
Is Chicago a good place for ophthalmic laboratory technicians? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Chicago area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 103.6), so the average $40,050 buys what about $38,660 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Chicago ($54,720). A typical home costs $353,998, or 8.8 years of this average salary before tax.
Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians salary in other Illinois cities
Chicago ranks 2nd of 2 Illinois metro areas for this job; Peoria pays the most ($44,080).
- Peoria$44,080
- Chicago$40,050
Highest-paying cities for ophthalmic laboratory technicians
San Francisco, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($60,920).
- San Francisco, CA$60,920
- Los Angeles, CA$57,460
- Manchester, NH$54,640
- Jacksonville, FL$53,480
- Seattle, WA$52,500
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Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians salary in Chicago: questions
How much do ophthalmic laboratory technicians make an hour in Chicago?
$19.26 an hour on average, and $17.73 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level ophthalmic laboratory technicians salary in Chicago?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $35,630 a year and the 25th percentile is $36,450, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the ophthalmic laboratory technicians take-home pay in Chicago?
About $32,519 a year ($2,710 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $40,050.
Do ophthalmic laboratory technicians earn more in Chicago than elsewhere?
The average here is 8% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($43,419).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 51-9083; area Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (16980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 4.6%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.96, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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