Opticians, dispensing salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $35,610 | $17.12 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $47,260 | $22.72 |
| Mean (average) | $51,770 | $24.89 |
| 90th percentile | $76,750 | $36.90 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Opticians, dispensing pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 52 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $36,880 | $31,000 | $47,720 | 880 | 0.88 |
| Alaska | $58,250 | $38,940 | $75,760 | 90 | 0.59 |
| Arizona | $48,210 | $39,890 | $75,300 | 1,400 | 0.91 |
| Arkansas | $42,880 | $30,100 | $73,890 | 690 | 1.12 |
| California | $57,990 | $42,390 | $81,680 | 7,840 | 0.91 |
| Colorado | $47,310 | $38,900 | $66,160 | 1,520 | 1.12 |
| Connecticut | $75,300 | $48,700 | $85,070 | 610 | 0.76 |
| Delaware | $46,220 | $31,200 | $60,790 | 270 | 1.18 |
| District of Columbia | $61,310 | $45,190 | $86,110 | 80 | 0.24 |
| Florida | $58,850 | $36,510 | $75,480 | 5,080 | 1.08 |
| Georgia | $48,010 | $36,800 | $74,120 | 2,290 | 0.99 |
| Hawaii | $75,300 | $41,080 | $80,910 | 110 | 0.38 |
| Idaho | $43,950 | $34,730 | $75,300 | 530 | 1.3 |
| Illinois | $43,960 | $37,080 | $62,830 | 3,250 | 1.13 |
| Indiana | $39,370 | $31,930 | $49,960 | 2,010 | 1.33 |
| Iowa | $44,480 | $37,270 | $53,790 | 920 | 1.25 |
| Kansas | $40,140 | $36,050 | $48,480 | 630 | 0.92 |
| Kentucky | $44,290 | $30,190 | $65,130 | 950 | 1 |
| Louisiana | $36,360 | $28,840 | $46,870 | 720 | 0.79 |
| Maine | $47,220 | $39,110 | $60,190 | 350 | 1.14 |
| Maryland | $48,700 | $37,100 | $64,830 | 1,060 | 0.81 |
| Massachusetts | $67,210 | $48,850 | $83,550 | 1,360 | 0.79 |
| Michigan | $41,180 | $34,610 | $52,090 | 3,080 | 1.48 |
| Minnesota | $48,020 | $36,920 | $67,490 | 1,490 | 1.07 |
| Mississippi | $36,680 | $28,180 | $47,210 | 560 | 1.01 |
| Missouri | $38,750 | $34,110 | $54,810 | 1,600 | 1.15 |
| Montana | $47,050 | $36,240 | $64,730 | 330 | 1.34 |
| Nebraska | $39,830 | $35,800 | $52,670 | 870 | 1.79 |
| Nevada | $46,910 | $38,090 | $84,660 | 960 | 1.31 |
| New Hampshire | $51,980 | $41,130 | $66,670 | 440 | 1.38 |
| New Jersey | $72,460 | $47,110 | $85,020 | 2,010 | 0.99 |
| New Mexico | $39,090 | $31,010 | $72,920 | 340 | 0.83 |
| New York | $63,880 | $43,060 | $81,200 | 3,520 | 0.77 |
| North Carolina | $50,190 | $36,500 | $81,340 | 2,020 | 0.87 |
| North Dakota | $45,230 | $37,220 | $56,100 | 230 | 1.14 |
| Ohio | $50,500 | $35,830 | $65,280 | 2,960 | 1.13 |
| Oklahoma | $37,940 | $29,530 | $54,310 | 730 | 0.9 |
| Oregon | $49,210 | $39,480 | $76,750 | 1,000 | 1.08 |
| Pennsylvania | $45,450 | $36,160 | $58,450 | 2,230 | 0.78 |
| Puerto Rico | $28,980 | $22,690 | $44,340 | 1,380 | 3.11 |
| Rhode Island | $47,400 | $38,480 | $77,130 | 350 | 1.46 |
| South Carolina | $48,000 | $36,240 | $73,890 | 890 | 0.82 |
| South Dakota | $43,400 | $32,390 | $49,730 | 430 | 1.97 |
| Tennessee | $49,840 | $34,740 | $74,160 | 1,530 | 0.98 |
| Texas | $38,720 | $29,970 | $58,240 | 6,700 | 1.01 |
| Utah | $41,780 | $35,680 | $76,750 | 700 | 0.85 |
| Vermont | $57,350 | $41,600 | $76,850 | 70 | 0.47 |
| Virginia | $55,820 | $36,360 | $77,460 | 1,860 | 0.96 |
| Washington | $49,220 | $41,120 | $78,830 | 2,100 | 1.25 |
| West Virginia | $38,120 | $31,250 | $52,370 | 350 | 1.05 |
| Wisconsin | $44,820 | $36,680 | $60,320 | 1,430 | 1.03 |
| Wyoming | $39,100 | $33,110 | $53,840 | 130 | 0.96 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for opticians, dispensing
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 5,600. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 1.6%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for opticians, dispensing
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Opticianry/Ophthalmic Dispensing Optician CIP 51.1801
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical 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.
Technology skills
- Intuit QuickBooks (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Compulink Eyecare Advantage
- Cygnet Infotech Optifocus
- Database software
- Diversified Ophthalmics Practice Maximus
- EMRlogic Systems ENTERPRISE Visions
- EZ-Zone Optizone Enterprise
- First Insight MaximEyes
- HealthLine Systems Eyecom
- Insight Software My Vision Express
- Inventory management systems
- OfficeMate Software Solutions OfficeMate
- Specialist Data Solutions OctoPlus
Transferable skills for career changers: Service Orientation, Social Perceptiveness, Coordination, Persuasion, Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making.
Common job titles: Certified Optician, Contact Lens Technician, Dispensing Optician, Licensed Dispensing Optician (LDO), Licensed Optician, Ophthalmic Dispenser, Optical Technician, Optician, Optometric Technician, Registered Optician.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do opticians, dispensing make?
The national median annual wage for opticians, dispensing was $47,260 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $35,610 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $76,750. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do opticians, dispensing need?
BLS lists high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and long-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is opticians, dispensing a growing career?
BLS projects employment of opticians, dispensing to change +4.2% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 5,600 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay opticians, dispensing the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Connecticut ($75,300), Hawaii ($75,300), New Jersey ($72,460). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.