Ophthalmic Medical Technicians vs Radiologic Technologist: $46K vs $80K Median Pay

Ophthalmic Medical Technicians vs Radiologic Technologist: what changes?

Consider Ophthalmic Medical Technicians if you want to assist ophthalmologists by performing ophthalmic clinical functions. Consider Radiologic Technologist if you would rather take x-rays and CAT scans or administer nonradioactive materials into patient's bloodstream for diagnostic or research purposes. Entry credentials differ: Ophthalmic Medical Technicians, postsecondary nondegree award; Radiologic Technologist, associate's degree.

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Ophthalmic Medical Technicians and Radiologic Technologist. List the duties, credentials, prior experience, and paid training each employer actually asks for. Try a supervised class or sample project from each field before choosing a program.

BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. National medians are not starting offers. Occupation size is not a count of vacancies. View the BLS data.

Compare the practical differences

Ophthalmic Medical Technicians

National median pay (2025): $45,570
Route into the job: Postsecondary nondegree award
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.
Work to investigate: Take and document patients' medical histories.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 11,800

Know before you choose

The work routinely happens in close physical proximity to other people; personal space is limited.

See the full Ophthalmic Medical Technicians brief

Radiologic Technologist

National median pay (2025): $80,110
Route into the job: An associate degree with clinical training is typical. Check the program's full timeline, certification eligibility, and state licensing requirements before estimating when you can start paid work.
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.
Physical work: Long periods on your feet, patient positioning, and sometimes lifting or turning patients.
Schedule and hours: Hospital imaging may require evening, weekend, or overnight coverage; outpatient schedules can differ.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 13,000

Know before you choose

Imaging is hands-on patient care. Ask about help with transfers and the staffing of the shifts you would actually work.

BLS: entry routes, workplace, and schedules · Reviewed September 6, 2026. BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections.

What the workforce research adds

ASRT's 2025 staffing survey reported a 15.6% radiography vacancy rate, indicating continued staffing demand.

ASRT · 2025. Survey measures differ across careers; their percentages are not directly comparable. A national survey does not establish local hiring odds or the quality of a particular employer.

See the full Radiologic Technologist brief

How the national numbers differ

Radiologic Technologist has the edge on median pay

Radiologic Technologist is at $80,110, compared with $45,570 for Ophthalmic Medical Technicians.

Ophthalmic Medical Technicians has the edge on projected growth

Ophthalmic Medical Technicians is at 21.4% projected growth, compared with 5% projected growth for Radiologic Technologist.

Radiologic Technologist has the edge on annual openings

Radiologic Technologist is at 13,000 annual openings, compared with 11,800 annual openings for Ophthalmic Medical Technicians.

58/ 100

Ophthalmic Medical Technicians

67.7/ 100

Radiologic Technologist

Each available metric is ranked from 0 to 100 against the careers on ChooseField. The weighted average uses this profile: pay 30%, growth 25%, openings 30%, preparation level 15%. Missing values are not scored as zero; their weights are redistributed across available metrics. Occupation size has zero weight: employment is not accessible vacancies. Preparation categories do not measure admission difficulty or years without earnings. The score summarizes national measures; local opportunities and personal fit still need separate consideration.

Detailed evidence

Ophthalmic Medical Technicians vs Radiologic Technologist

Dimension	Ophthalmic Medical Technicians	Radiologic Technologist
Median pay (2025)	$45,570	$80,110
Pay percentile	18.8 percentile	72.4 percentile
Projected growth (2025–2035)	21.4%	5%
Annual openings (2025–2035)	11,800	13,000
2025 employment	72,500	234,200
How you qualify	Postsecondary nondegree award	An associate degree with clinical training is typical. Check the program's full timeline, certification eligibility, and state licensing requirements before estimating when you can start paid work.
O*NET preparation group	Job Zone 3	Job Zone 3
Related work experience	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
On-the-job training	BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.	BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.
Schedules	Varies by employer and setting; ask about shifts, overtime, on-call work, and predictable hours.	Hospital imaging may require evening, weekend, or overnight coverage; outpatient schedules can differ.
Physical work	Unknown: review standing, lifting, repetitive movement, and posture with a practitioner. No overall physical-demand rating is assigned.	Long periods on your feet, patient positioning, and sometimes lifting or turning patients.

The table reports national benchmarks and reviewed work descriptions. It does not rate personal suitability, job security, or physical safety.

Read Ophthalmic Medical Technicians brief Read Radiologic Technologist brief

Ophthalmic Medical Technicians vs Radiologic Technologist: what changes?

The facts most likely to affect your decision

Ophthalmic Medical Technicians

Radiologic Technologist

How the national numbers differ

Radiologic Technologist has the edge on median pay

Ophthalmic Medical Technicians has the edge on projected growth

Radiologic Technologist has the edge on annual openings

Ophthalmic Medical Technicians vs Radiologic Technologist

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