29 Series · SOC 29-2081
Opticians, Dispensing Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $47,260
- Median / year
- $76,750
- Top 10% earn
- +2.9%
- Growth '23–'33
- 73,530
- US workers
Opticians, Dispensing earn a median of $47,260 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $47,260, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $35,610 (10th percentile) to $76,750 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 73,530 US workers. Connecticut pays the most ($75,300), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Opticians, Dispensing earn a median of $47,260, putting them below the typical US occupation and higher than 25% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Healthcare Practitioners and Technical, it ranks #66 of 71 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 2.9% by 2033.
- $47,260
- Median annual wage
- Top 75%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #66 of 71
- in Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- 2.2×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Connecticut at $75,300. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
Opticians, Dispensing (SOC 29-2081) pays a national median of $47,260 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $35,610 at the 10th percentile to $76,750 at the 90th, with a mean of $51,770 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 73,530 Americans work in this occupation across 52 reporting states and 426 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +2.9% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as slower than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 6,800 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is High school diploma or equivalent and long-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of A for this role, with a fatality rate of 0.7 per 100,000 and injury rate of 1.5 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Connecticut pays the highest state median at $75,300, which is +59% above the national figure. The top metro is Vallejo, CA at $78,830 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
BLS OEWS May 2025 73,530 jobs Median $47,260/yr
Median Salary
$47,260
per year
Median Hourly
$22.72/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$51,770
average
Employment
73,530
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Opticians, Dispensing pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$47,260 Bottom 25% higher than 25% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 29-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Opticians, Dispensing; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 25 29-series occupations with growth data, Opticians, Dispensing sits on the slower-growing side at +2.9% growth and $47,260 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+2.9%
Slower than average
Annual Openings
6,800
per year (projected)
Typical Education
High school diploma or equivalent
On-the-Job Training
Long-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings → A
Very Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
0.7/100K
Injury Rate
1.5/100
Danger Index
6.4/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Opticians, Dispensing roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Speaking 4.0
Active Listening 3.9
Reading Comprehension 3.8
Critical Thinking 3.5
Service Orientation 3.5
Writing 3.3
Social Perceptiveness 3.3
Coordination 3.3
Persuasion 3.3
Active Learning 3.0
Knowledge Areas
Customer and Personal Service 4.9
Sales and Marketing 4.3
Mathematics 3.9
Production and Processing 3.8
Administrative 3.8
English Language 3.7
Administration and Management 3.5
Education and Training 3.4
Psychology 3.2
Law and Government 3.1
Key Tasks
- ▸ Measure clients' bridge and eye size, temple length, vertex distance, pupillary distance, and optical centers of eyes, using measuring devices.
- ▸ Verify that finished lenses are ground to specifications.
- ▸ Evaluate prescriptions in conjunction with clients' vocational and avocational visual requirements.
- ▸ Recommend specific lenses, lens coatings, and frames to suit client needs.
- ▸ Assist clients in selecting frames according to style and color, and ensure that frames are coordinated with facial and eye measurements and optical prescriptions.
- ▸ Maintain records of customer prescriptions, work orders, and payments.
- ▸ Heat, shape, or bend plastic or metal frames to adjust eyeglasses to fit clients, using pliers and hands.
- ▸ Show customers how to insert, remove, and care for their contact lenses.
- ▸ Determine clients' current lens prescriptions, when necessary, using lensometers or lens analyzers and clients' eyeglasses.
- ▸ Prepare work orders and instructions for grinding lenses and fabricating eyeglasses.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$35,610
25th Percentile
$38,820
Median
$47,260
75th Percentile
$61,700
90th Percentile
$76,750
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 52 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut | $75,300 | +59% above national |
| 2 | Hawaii | $75,300 | +59% above national |
| 3 | New Jersey | $72,460 | +53% above national |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $67,210 | +42% above national |
| 5 | New York | $63,880 | +35% above national |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $61,310 | +30% above national |
| 7 | Florida | $58,850 | +25% above national |
| 8 | Alaska | $58,250 | +23% above national |
| 9 | California | $57,990 | +23% above national |
| 10 | Vermont | $57,350 | +21% above national |
| 11 | Virginia | $55,820 | +18% above national |
| 12 | New Hampshire | $51,980 | +10% above national |
| 13 | Ohio | $50,500 | +7% above national |
| 14 | North Carolina | $50,190 | +6% above national |
| 15 | Tennessee | $49,840 | +5% above national |
| 16 | Washington | $49,220 | +4% above national |
| 17 | Oregon | $49,210 | +4% above national |
| 18 | Maryland | $48,700 | +3% above national |
| 19 | Arizona | $48,210 | +2% above national |
| 20 | Minnesota | $48,020 | +2% above national |
| 21 | Georgia | $48,010 | +2% above national |
| 22 | South Carolina | $48,000 | +2% above national |
| 23 | Rhode Island | $47,400 | same as national |
| 24 | Colorado | $47,310 | same as national |
| 25 | Maine | $47,220 | same as national |
| 26 | Montana | $47,050 | same as national |
| 27 | Nevada | $46,910 | 1% below national |
| 28 | Delaware | $46,220 | 2% below national |
| 29 | Pennsylvania | $45,450 | 4% below national |
| 30 | North Dakota | $45,230 | 4% below national |
| 31 | Wisconsin | $44,820 | 5% below national |
| 32 | Iowa | $44,480 | 6% below national |
| 33 | Kentucky | $44,290 | 6% below national |
| 34 | Illinois | $43,960 | 7% below national |
| 35 | Idaho | $43,950 | 7% below national |
| 36 | South Dakota | $43,400 | 8% below national |
| 37 | Arkansas | $42,880 | 9% below national |
| 38 | Utah | $41,780 | 12% below national |
| 39 | Michigan | $41,180 | 13% below national |
| 40 | Kansas | $40,140 | 15% below national |
| 41 | Nebraska | $39,830 | 16% below national |
| 42 | Indiana | $39,370 | 17% below national |
| 43 | Wyoming | $39,100 | 17% below national |
| 44 | New Mexico | $39,090 | 17% below national |
| 45 | Missouri | $38,750 | 18% below national |
| 46 | Texas | $38,720 | 18% below national |
| 47 | West Virginia | $38,120 | 19% below national |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $37,940 | 20% below national |
| 49 | Alabama | $36,880 | 22% below national |
| 50 | Mississippi | $36,680 | 22% below national |
| 51 | Louisiana | $36,360 | 23% below national |
| 52 | Puerto Rico | $28,980 | 39% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 426 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vallejo, CA | $78,830 | +67% above national |
| 2 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $78,600 | +66% above national |
| 3 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $77,460 | +64% above national |
| 4 | Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $76,820 | +63% above national |
| 5 | Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | $76,170 | +61% above national |
| 6 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $75,300 | +59% above national |
| 7 | New Haven, CT | $72,410 | +53% above national |
| 8 | Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $72,290 | +53% above national |
| 9 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $71,440 | +51% above national |
| 10 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $71,050 | +50% above national |
| 11 | Springfield, MA | $71,000 | +50% above national |
| 12 | Barnstable Town, MA | $69,530 | +47% above national |
| 13 | Syracuse, NY | $68,880 | +46% above national |
| 14 | Worcester, MA | $67,630 | +43% above national |
| 15 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $67,110 | +42% above national |
| 16 | Watertown-Fort Drum, NY | $65,870 | +39% above national |
| 17 | Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | $65,000 | +38% above national |
| 18 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $64,280 | +36% above national |
| 19 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $64,170 | +36% above national |
| 20 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $63,710 | +35% above national |
| 21 | West Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $63,670 | +35% above national |
| 22 | Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area | $63,540 | +34% above national |
| 23 | Kingston, NY | $63,390 | +34% above national |
| 24 | Harrisonburg, VA | $62,980 | +33% above national |
| 25 | Naples-Marco Island, FL | $62,940 | +33% above national |
| 26 | Utica-Rome, NY | $62,930 | +33% above national |
| 27 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $62,240 | +32% above national |
| 28 | Rochester, NY | $62,230 | +32% above national |
| 29 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $62,030 | +31% above national |
| 30 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $61,880 | +31% above national |
| 31 | Glens Falls, NY | $61,850 | +31% above national |
| 32 | South Florida nonmetropolitan area | $61,360 | +30% above national |
| 33 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $61,150 | +29% above national |
| 34 | Gainesville, FL | $60,680 | +28% above national |
| 35 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $60,620 | +28% above national |
| 36 | Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL | $60,490 | +28% above national |
| 37 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $60,480 | +28% above national |
| 38 | Punta Gorda, FL | $60,360 | +28% above national |
| 39 | Binghamton, NY | $60,290 | +28% above national |
| 40 | Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area | $60,220 | +27% above national |
| 41 | Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | $60,140 | +27% above national |
| 42 | Anchorage, AK | $59,940 | +27% above national |
| 43 | Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $59,800 | +27% above national |
| 44 | Central East New York nonmetropolitan area | $59,800 | +27% above national |
| 45 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $59,520 | +26% above national |
| 46 | Ocala, FL | $59,470 | +26% above national |
| 47 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $59,420 | +26% above national |
| 48 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $59,310 | +25% above national |
| 49 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $59,120 | +25% above national |
| 50 | Modesto, CA | $59,010 | +25% above national |
| 51 | Tallahassee, FL | $58,700 | +24% above national |
| 52 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $58,360 | +23% above national |
| 53 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $58,310 | +23% above national |
| 54 | Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $58,250 | +23% above national |
| 55 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $58,250 | +23% above national |
| 56 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $58,240 | +23% above national |
| 57 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $58,220 | +23% above national |
| 58 | Winchester, VA-WV | $58,190 | +23% above national |
| 59 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $57,870 | +22% above national |
| 60 | Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | $57,780 | +22% above national |
| 61 | Fayetteville, NC | $57,780 | +22% above national |
| 62 | Wildwood-The Villages, FL | $57,670 | +22% above national |
| 63 | Napa, CA | $57,620 | +22% above national |
| 64 | Southside Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $57,190 | +21% above national |
| 65 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $57,180 | +21% above national |
| 66 | Charlottesville, VA | $57,140 | +21% above national |
| 67 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $57,100 | +21% above national |
| 68 | Jacksonville, FL | $57,000 | +21% above national |
| 69 | North Florida nonmetropolitan area | $56,430 | +19% above national |
| 70 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $56,130 | +19% above national |
| 71 | Chico, CA | $56,100 | +19% above national |
| 72 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $56,030 | +19% above national |
| 73 | Winston-Salem, NC | $55,990 | +18% above national |
| 74 | Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $55,950 | +18% above national |
| 75 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $55,680 | +18% above national |
| 76 | Burlington, NC | $55,530 | +17% above national |
| 77 | San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $55,380 | +17% above national |
| 78 | Spartanburg, SC | $55,170 | +17% above national |
| 79 | Salinas, CA | $55,140 | +17% above national |
| 80 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $55,070 | +17% above national |
| 81 | Richmond, VA | $55,020 | +16% above national |
| 82 | Southwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $54,980 | +16% above national |
| 83 | Jacksonville, NC | $54,900 | +16% above national |
| 84 | Bend, OR | $54,750 | +16% above national |
| 85 | South Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $54,350 | +15% above national |
| 86 | Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $53,900 | +14% above national |
| 87 | Bellingham, WA | $53,050 | +12% above national |
| 88 | Roanoke, VA | $52,650 | +11% above national |
| 89 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $52,390 | +11% above national |
| 90 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $52,300 | +11% above national |
| 91 | Cleveland, OH | $52,060 | +10% above national |
| 92 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $51,890 | +10% above national |
| 93 | Morristown, TN | $51,770 | +10% above national |
| 94 | Bozeman, MT | $51,760 | +10% above national |
| 95 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $51,620 | +9% above national |
| 96 | Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $51,520 | +9% above national |
| 97 | North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) | $51,480 | +9% above national |
| 98 | Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $51,450 | +9% above national |
| 99 | Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL | $51,060 | +8% above national |
| 100 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $51,030 | +8% above national |
| 101 | Johnson City, TN | $51,010 | +8% above national |
| 102 | Fresno, CA | $50,960 | +8% above national |
| 103 | Boulder, CO | $50,840 | +8% above national |
| 104 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $50,730 | +7% above national |
| 105 | Columbus, OH | $50,730 | +7% above national |
| 106 | Southern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $50,640 | +7% above national |
| 107 | Visalia, CA | $50,590 | +7% above national |
| 108 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $50,520 | +7% above national |
| 109 | Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $50,490 | +7% above national |
| 110 | South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $50,230 | +6% above national |
| 111 | Northwestern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $50,180 | +6% above national |
| 112 | Central New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area | $49,800 | +5% above national |
| 113 | Northern New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area | $49,770 | +5% above national |
| 114 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $49,750 | +5% above national |
| 115 | Youngstown-Warren, OH | $49,750 | +5% above national |
| 116 | North Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $49,650 | +5% above national |
| 117 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $49,620 | +5% above national |
| 118 | Yuma, AZ | $49,610 | +5% above national |
| 119 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $49,540 | +5% above national |
| 120 | Western Washington nonmetropolitan area | $49,390 | +5% above national |
| 121 | Toledo, OH | $49,370 | +4% above national |
| 122 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $49,300 | +4% above national |
| 123 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $49,240 | +4% above national |
| 124 | Asheville, NC | $49,110 | +4% above national |
| 125 | Knoxville, TN | $49,050 | +4% above national |
| 126 | East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $48,990 | +4% above national |
| 127 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $48,960 | +4% above national |
| 128 | West Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $48,950 | +4% above national |
| 129 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $48,940 | +4% above national |
| 130 | North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $48,940 | +4% above national |
| 131 | Akron, OH | $48,890 | +3% above national |
| 132 | Lynchburg, VA | $48,890 | +3% above national |
| 133 | North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $48,850 | +3% above national |
| 134 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $48,840 | +3% above national |
| 135 | Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $48,780 | +3% above national |
| 136 | Lancaster, PA | $48,620 | +3% above national |
| 137 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $48,530 | +3% above national |
| 138 | North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $48,470 | +3% above national |
| 139 | Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ | $48,450 | +3% above national |
| 140 | Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ | $48,440 | +2% above national |
| 141 | West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $48,440 | +2% above national |
| 142 | Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area | $48,420 | +2% above national |
| 143 | Canton-Massillon, OH | $48,410 | +2% above national |
| 144 | Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | $48,390 | +2% above national |
| 145 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $48,320 | +2% above national |
| 146 | Mansfield, OH | $48,260 | +2% above national |
| 147 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $48,190 | +2% above national |
| 148 | Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC | $48,120 | +2% above national |
| 149 | Missoula, MT | $48,050 | +2% above national |
| 150 | Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $47,950 | +1% above national |
| 151 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $47,900 | +1% above national |
| 152 | West Montana nonmetropolitan area | $47,890 | +1% above national |
| 153 | Reno, NV | $47,680 | +1% above national |
| 154 | Clarksville, TN-KY | $47,660 | +1% above national |
| 155 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $47,650 | +1% above national |
| 156 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $47,620 | +1% above national |
| 157 | Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | $47,550 | +1% above national |
| 158 | Salem, OR | $47,550 | +1% above national |
| 159 | Jackson, TN | $47,480 | same as national |
| 160 | Rochester, MN | $47,460 | same as national |
| 161 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $47,360 | same as national |
| 162 | Coast Oregon nonmetropolitan area | $47,360 | same as national |
| 163 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $47,310 | same as national |
| 164 | Florence, SC | $47,150 | same as national |
| 165 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $47,140 | same as national |
| 166 | Great Falls, MT | $47,120 | same as national |
| 167 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $47,090 | same as national |
| 168 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $46,970 | 1% below national |
| 169 | Tucson, AZ | $46,930 | 1% below national |
| 170 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $46,920 | 1% below national |
| 171 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $46,850 | 1% below national |
| 172 | Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $46,790 | 1% below national |
| 173 | West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $46,750 | 1% below national |
| 174 | Northeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $46,490 | 2% below national |
| 175 | Madison, WI | $46,480 | 2% below national |
| 176 | Pittsburgh, PA | $46,470 | 2% below national |
| 177 | Coeur d'Alene, ID | $46,450 | 2% below national |
| 178 | Greeley, CO | $46,440 | 2% below national |
| 179 | Savannah, GA | $46,440 | 2% below national |
| 180 | Sussex Delaware nonmetropolitan area | $46,380 | 2% below national |
| 181 | Eugene-Springfield, OR | $46,270 | 2% below national |
| 182 | Billings, MT | $46,260 | 2% below national |
| 183 | Athens-Clarke County, GA | $46,250 | 2% below national |
| 184 | Duluth, MN-WI | $46,240 | 2% below national |
| 185 | Yakima, WA | $46,240 | 2% below national |
| 186 | Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $46,170 | 2% below national |
| 187 | Columbia, SC | $46,150 | 2% below national |
| 188 | State College, PA | $46,150 | 2% below national |
| 189 | Arizona nonmetropolitan area | $46,150 | 2% below national |
| 190 | Albany, OR | $46,100 | 2% below national |
| 191 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $46,080 | 2% below national |
| 192 | Redding, CA | $46,040 | 3% below national |
| 193 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $46,030 | 3% below national |
| 194 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $46,020 | 3% below national |
| 195 | Salisbury, MD | $46,020 | 3% below national |
| 196 | Lebanon, PA | $46,010 | 3% below national |
| 197 | Iowa City, IA | $46,000 | 3% below national |
| 198 | Southeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $45,980 | 3% below national |
| 199 | Medford, OR | $45,930 | 3% below national |
| 200 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $45,930 | 3% below national |
| 201 | Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $45,850 | 3% below national |
| 202 | Hot Springs, AR | $45,790 | 3% below national |
| 203 | Bismarck, ND | $45,770 | 3% below national |
| 204 | Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | $45,740 | 3% below national |
| 205 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $45,710 | 3% below national |
| 206 | Balance of Nevada nonmetropolitan area | $45,600 | 4% below national |
| 207 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $45,590 | 4% below national |
| 208 | Dubuque, IA | $45,560 | 4% below national |
| 209 | Kenosha, WI | $45,420 | 4% below national |
| 210 | Wilmington, NC | $45,400 | 4% below national |
| 211 | Bangor, ME | $45,360 | 4% below national |
| 212 | Gainesville, GA | $45,310 | 4% below national |
| 213 | York-Hanover, PA | $45,300 | 4% below national |
| 214 | Grand Forks, ND-MN | $45,280 | 4% below national |
| 215 | Colorado Springs, CO | $45,240 | 4% below national |
| 216 | St. Cloud, MN | $45,210 | 4% below national |
| 217 | Eastern Oregon nonmetropolitan area | $45,180 | 4% below national |
| 218 | Ann Arbor, MI | $45,090 | 5% below national |
| 219 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $45,090 | 5% below national |
| 220 | Wausau, WI | $45,090 | 5% below national |
| 221 | Elizabethtown, KY | $45,070 | 5% below national |
| 222 | Fargo, ND-MN | $45,040 | 5% below national |
| 223 | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $44,930 | 5% below national |
| 224 | Sheboygan, WI | $44,910 | 5% below national |
| 225 | East Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $44,900 | 5% below national |
| 226 | Warner Robins, GA | $44,870 | 5% below national |
| 227 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $44,860 | 5% below national |
| 228 | Macon-Bibb County, GA | $44,810 | 5% below national |
| 229 | Boise City, ID | $44,720 | 5% below national |
| 230 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $44,700 | 5% below national |
| 231 | La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $44,620 | 6% below national |
| 232 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $44,530 | 6% below national |
| 233 | Southwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $44,500 | 6% below national |
| 234 | Central Oregon nonmetropolitan area | $44,390 | 6% below national |
| 235 | Grand Junction, CO | $44,360 | 6% below national |
| 236 | Southwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $44,260 | 6% below national |
| 237 | Valdosta, GA | $44,220 | 6% below national |
| 238 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $44,190 | 6% below national |
| 239 | Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $44,160 | 7% below national |
| 240 | Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area | $44,030 | 7% below national |
| 241 | Eau Claire, WI | $43,910 | 7% below national |
| 242 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $43,830 | 7% below national |
| 243 | Green Bay, WI | $43,660 | 8% below national |
| 244 | Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | $43,660 | 8% below national |
| 245 | Appleton, WI | $43,620 | 8% below national |
| 246 | South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $43,540 | 8% below national |
| 247 | Jefferson City, MO | $43,440 | 8% below national |
| 248 | Omaha, NE-IA | $43,340 | 8% below national |
| 249 | West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $43,310 | 8% below national |
| 250 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $43,280 | 8% below national |
| 251 | Eastern and Southern Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $43,150 | 9% below national |
| 252 | Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $43,060 | 9% below national |
| 253 | East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $43,060 | 9% below national |
| 254 | St. George, UT | $43,040 | 9% below national |
| 255 | West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $42,890 | 9% below national |
| 256 | South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $42,870 | 9% below national |
| 257 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $42,710 | 10% below national |
| 258 | Middle Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $42,690 | 10% below national |
| 259 | Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $42,610 | 10% below national |
| 260 | Reading, PA | $42,470 | 10% below national |
| 261 | Maryland nonmetropolitan area | $42,130 | 11% below national |
| 262 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $42,070 | 11% below national |
| 263 | Rockford, IL | $42,070 | 11% below national |
| 264 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $42,070 | 11% below national |
| 265 | Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $42,070 | 11% below national |
| 266 | Pueblo, CO | $42,060 | 11% below national |
| 267 | Traverse City, MI | $42,050 | 11% below national |
| 268 | Idaho Falls, ID | $41,990 | 11% below national |
| 269 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $41,820 | 12% below national |
| 270 | Amarillo, TX | $41,710 | 12% below national |
| 271 | Lower West Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $41,640 | 12% below national |
| 272 | Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $41,580 | 12% below national |
| 273 | Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $41,580 | 12% below national |
| 274 | Lincoln, NE | $41,450 | 12% below national |
| 275 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $41,390 | 12% below national |
| 276 | Southeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $41,060 | 13% below national |
| 277 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $40,930 | 13% below national |
| 278 | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $40,910 | 13% below national |
| 279 | Ames, IA | $40,860 | 14% below national |
| 280 | Northwestern Idaho nonmetropolitan area | $40,840 | 14% below national |
| 281 | High Desert Utah nonmetropolitan area | $40,720 | 14% below national |
| 282 | Odessa, TX | $40,570 | 14% below national |
| 283 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $40,560 | 14% below national |
| 284 | West Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $40,560 | 14% below national |
| 285 | Northeast Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $40,370 | 15% below national |
| 286 | Santa Fe, NM | $40,200 | 15% below national |
| 287 | Bloomington, IL | $40,150 | 15% below national |
| 288 | Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | $39,950 | 15% below national |
| 289 | Texarkana, TX-AR | $39,920 | 16% below national |
| 290 | Fort Wayne, IN | $39,840 | 16% below national |
| 291 | Elkhart-Goshen, IN | $39,800 | 16% below national |
| 292 | Springfield, IL | $39,790 | 16% below national |
| 293 | Wheeling, WV-OH | $39,780 | 16% below national |
| 294 | Albany, GA | $39,670 | 16% below national |
| 295 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $39,580 | 16% below national |
| 296 | Ogden, UT | $39,540 | 16% below national |
| 297 | Northwest Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $39,520 | 16% below national |
| 298 | Columbus, GA-AL | $39,450 | 17% below national |
| 299 | Eastern Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | $39,400 | 17% below national |
| 300 | Albuquerque, NM | $39,230 | 17% below national |
| 301 | Flint, MI | $39,230 | 17% below national |
| 302 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $39,230 | 17% below national |
| 303 | Paducah, KY-IL | $39,210 | 17% below national |
| 304 | Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $39,200 | 17% below national |
| 305 | Tulsa, OK | $39,190 | 17% below national |
| 306 | Erie, PA | $39,120 | 17% below national |
| 307 | Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | $39,100 | 17% below national |
| 308 | Logan, UT-ID | $39,000 | 17% below national |
| 309 | Janesville-Beloit, WI | $38,900 | 18% below national |
| 310 | East Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $38,850 | 18% below national |
| 311 | Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area | $38,780 | 18% below national |
| 312 | Rapid City, SD | $38,760 | 18% below national |
| 313 | Oklahoma City, OK | $38,670 | 18% below national |
| 314 | Saginaw, MI | $38,660 | 18% below national |
| 315 | Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $38,650 | 18% below national |
| 316 | Northwestern Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $38,600 | 18% below national |
| 317 | Niles, MI | $38,590 | 18% below national |
| 318 | College Station-Bryan, TX | $38,510 | 19% below national |
| 319 | Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $38,510 | 19% below national |
| 320 | Central Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $38,480 | 19% below national |
| 321 | Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $38,460 | 19% below national |
| 322 | Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $38,420 | 19% below national |
| 323 | Kokomo, IN | $38,390 | 19% below national |
| 324 | Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | $38,370 | 19% below national |
| 325 | Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $38,370 | 19% below national |
| 326 | Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $38,330 | 19% below national |
| 327 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $38,300 | 19% below national |
| 328 | Terre Haute, IN | $38,260 | 19% below national |
| 329 | South Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $38,240 | 19% below national |
| 330 | Northern Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $38,240 | 19% below national |
| 331 | Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $38,220 | 19% below national |
| 332 | Charleston, WV | $38,130 | 19% below national |
| 333 | Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | $38,120 | 19% below national |
| 334 | Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $38,120 | 19% below national |
| 335 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $38,090 | 19% below national |
| 336 | Midland, TX | $38,080 | 19% below national |
| 337 | Michigan City-La Porte, IN | $38,070 | 19% below national |
| 338 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $38,050 | 19% below national |
| 339 | South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $38,000 | 20% below national |
| 340 | Abilene, TX | $37,920 | 20% below national |
| 341 | Bloomington, IN | $37,890 | 20% below national |
| 342 | Topeka, KS | $37,890 | 20% below national |
| 343 | Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI | $37,870 | 20% below national |
| 344 | Johnstown, PA | $37,860 | 20% below national |
| 345 | Wichita, KS | $37,850 | 20% below national |
| 346 | Grand Island, NE | $37,830 | 20% below national |
| 347 | Southern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $37,810 | 20% below national |
| 348 | Evansville, IN | $37,790 | 20% below national |
| 349 | Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | $37,780 | 20% below national |
| 350 | Mid Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $37,780 | 20% below national |
| 351 | Longview, TX | $37,760 | 20% below national |
| 352 | Huntsville, AL | $37,700 | 20% below national |
| 353 | Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $37,680 | 20% below national |
| 354 | Springfield, MO | $37,650 | 20% below national |
| 355 | Jackson, MS | $37,580 | 20% below national |
| 356 | Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA | $37,580 | 20% below national |
| 357 | Kansas nonmetropolitan area | $37,580 | 20% below national |
| 358 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $37,530 | 21% below national |
| 359 | Killeen-Temple, TX | $37,440 | 21% below national |
| 360 | Southern Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $37,440 | 21% below national |
| 361 | Western Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $37,420 | 21% below national |
| 362 | Birmingham, AL | $37,410 | 21% below national |
| 363 | Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL | $37,410 | 21% below national |
| 364 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $37,370 | 21% below national |
| 365 | Southeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area | $37,330 | 21% below national |
| 366 | North Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $37,220 | 21% below national |
| 367 | Central Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $37,130 | 21% below national |
| 368 | El Paso, TX | $37,120 | 21% below national |
| 369 | Champaign-Urbana, IL | $37,080 | 22% below national |
| 370 | Peoria, IL | $37,040 | 22% below national |
| 371 | Bowling Green, KY | $37,000 | 22% below national |
| 372 | Baton Rouge, LA | $36,910 | 22% below national |
| 373 | Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $36,910 | 22% below national |
| 374 | Central Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $36,810 | 22% below national |
| 375 | Lubbock, TX | $36,790 | 22% below national |
| 376 | Morgantown, WV | $36,790 | 22% below national |
| 377 | Hattiesburg, MS | $36,770 | 22% below national |
| 378 | Southwest Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $36,770 | 22% below national |
| 379 | North Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $36,750 | 22% below national |
| 380 | Wichita Falls, TX | $36,710 | 22% below national |
| 381 | Joplin, MO-KS | $36,680 | 22% below national |
| 382 | North Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $36,640 | 22% below national |
| 383 | Columbia, MO | $36,600 | 23% below national |
| 384 | Muncie, IN | $36,600 | 23% below national |
| 385 | Southeast Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $36,560 | 23% below national |
| 386 | Eastern Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $36,560 | 23% below national |
| 387 | Northeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area | $36,520 | 23% below national |
| 388 | Tuscaloosa, AL | $36,500 | 23% below national |
| 389 | Montgomery, AL | $36,440 | 23% below national |
| 390 | Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $36,420 | 23% below national |
| 391 | Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $36,410 | 23% below national |
| 392 | South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $36,400 | 23% below national |
| 393 | St. Joseph, MO-KS | $36,390 | 23% below national |
| 394 | Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | $36,360 | 23% below national |
| 395 | Jonesboro, AR | $36,260 | 23% below national |
| 396 | Central Louisiana nonmetropolitan area | $36,260 | 23% below national |
| 397 | Alexandria, LA | $36,160 | 23% below national |
| 398 | Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | $36,100 | 24% below national |
| 399 | Northwest Alabama nonmetropolitan area | $36,070 | 24% below national |
| 400 | Northwest Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $36,020 | 24% below national |
| 401 | Mobile, AL | $35,960 | 24% below national |
| 402 | Northwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $35,850 | 24% below national |
| 403 | San Angelo, TX | $35,810 | 24% below national |
| 404 | West Delta Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $35,750 | 24% below national |
| 405 | South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $35,660 | 25% below national |
| 406 | Southwest Alabama nonmetropolitan area | $35,650 | 25% below national |
| 407 | Upper East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $35,400 | 25% below national |
| 408 | Tyler, TX | $35,310 | 25% below national |
| 409 | Corpus Christi, TX | $35,300 | 25% below national |
| 410 | Lake Charles, LA | $35,130 | 26% below national |
| 411 | Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $35,110 | 26% below national |
| 412 | Laredo, TX | $34,960 | 26% below national |
| 413 | McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $34,860 | 26% below national |
| 414 | Lower East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $34,770 | 26% below national |
| 415 | Waco, TX | $34,520 | 27% below national |
| 416 | Dothan, AL | $34,420 | 27% below national |
| 417 | Lafayette, LA | $34,300 | 27% below national |
| 418 | Victoria, TX | $34,280 | 27% below national |
| 419 | Monroe, LA | $33,410 | 29% below national |
| 420 | Northeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $32,440 | 31% below national |
| 421 | Ponce, PR | $29,070 | 38% below national |
| 422 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $28,980 | 39% below national |
| 423 | Mayaguez, PR | $28,370 | 40% below national |
| 424 | Arecibo, PR | $28,010 | 41% below national |
| 425 | Guayama, PR | $28,010 | 41% below national |
| 426 | Aguadilla, PR | $27,800 | 41% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 29 (healthcare practitioners) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Opticians, Dispensing make? ▼
The median annual salary for Opticians, Dispensing is $47,260 ($22.72/hour). The salary range spans from $35,610 at the 10th percentile to $76,750 at the 90th percentile.
What state pays Opticians, Dispensing the most? ▼
Connecticut pays the highest median salary for Opticians, Dispensing at $75,300/year, which is +59% above the national median.
What education do you need to become a Opticians, Dispensing? ▼
The typical entry-level education for Opticians, Dispensing is High school diploma or equivalent. On-the-job training: Long-term on-the-job training.
How dangerous is being a Opticians, Dispensing? ▼
Opticians, Dispensing has a safety grade of A (Very Safe) based on BLS data. The fatality rate is 0.7 per 100,000 workers and the injury rate is 1.5 per 100 workers.
Is Opticians, Dispensing a good career? ▼
Employment for Opticians, Dispensing is projected to grow 2.9% from 2024 to 2034, which is slower than average. About 6,800 openings are projected each year.
How does Opticians, Dispensing pay vary by state? ▼
Opticians, Dispensing salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is Connecticut at $75,300/year, while Oklahoma pays the least at $37,940/year. BLS data covers 52 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Opticians, Dispensing? ▼
The highest-paying metro area for Opticians, Dispensing is Vallejo, CA at $78,830/year. BLS reports wage data for 426 metro areas for this occupation, with pay varying based on local demand and cost of living.
What to do with this data
How to use Opticians, Dispensing pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $61,700/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Connecticut leads at $75,300/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.