Optician, Dispensing salary
What opticians, dispensing earn across the U.S., in every state and in the top-paying metro areas.
Median pay$47,260$22.72 per hour
Average pay$51,770$24.89 per hour
Middle half earn$38,820 – $61,700Top 10%: $76,750+
Jobs73,530Employed nationwide
Optician, Dispensing salary by state
Click a column to sort. Select a state for its cities.
| State | Median | Hourly | Jobs | Per 1,000 jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $36,880 | $17.73 | 880 | 0.42 |
| Alaska | $58,250 | $28.01 | 90 | 0.28 |
| Arizona | $48,210 | $23.18 | 1,400 | 0.43 |
| Arkansas | $42,880 | $20.62 | 690 | 0.53 |
| California | $57,990 | $27.88 | 7,840 | 0.43 |
| Colorado | $47,310 | $22.74 | 1,520 | 0.53 |
| Connecticut | $75,300 | $36.20 | 610 | 0.36 |
| Delaware | $46,220 | $22.22 | 270 | 0.56 |
| Florida | $58,850 | $28.30 | 5,080 | 0.51 |
| Georgia | $48,010 | $23.08 | 2,290 | 0.47 |
| Hawaii | $75,300 | $36.20 | 110 | 0.18 |
| Idaho | $43,950 | $21.13 | 530 | 0.62 |
| Illinois | $43,960 | $21.14 | 3,250 | 0.53 |
| Indiana | $39,370 | $18.93 | 2,010 | 0.63 |
| Iowa | $44,480 | $21.39 | 920 | 0.59 |
| Kansas | $40,140 | $19.30 | 630 | 0.44 |
| Kentucky | $44,290 | $21.29 | 950 | 0.47 |
| Louisiana | $36,360 | $17.48 | 720 | 0.37 |
| Maine | $47,220 | $22.70 | 350 | 0.54 |
| Maryland | $48,700 | $23.41 | 1,060 | 0.38 |
| Massachusetts | $67,210 | $32.31 | 1,360 | 0.37 |
| Michigan | $41,180 | $19.80 | 3,080 | 0.7 |
| Minnesota | $48,020 | $23.09 | 1,490 | 0.51 |
| Mississippi | $36,680 | $17.63 | 560 | 0.48 |
| Missouri | $38,750 | $18.63 | 1,600 | 0.55 |
| Montana | $47,050 | $22.62 | 330 | 0.64 |
| Nebraska | $39,830 | $19.15 | 870 | 0.85 |
| Nevada | $46,910 | $22.55 | 960 | 0.62 |
| New Hampshire | $51,980 | $24.99 | 440 | 0.65 |
| New Jersey | $72,460 | $34.84 | 2,010 | 0.47 |
| New Mexico | $39,090 | $18.80 | 340 | 0.39 |
| New York | $63,880 | $30.71 | 3,520 | 0.36 |
| North Carolina | $50,190 | $24.13 | 2,020 | 0.41 |
| North Dakota | $45,230 | $21.74 | 230 | 0.54 |
| Ohio | $50,500 | $24.28 | 2,960 | 0.53 |
| Oklahoma | $37,940 | $18.24 | 730 | 0.43 |
| Oregon | $49,210 | $23.66 | 1,000 | 0.51 |
| Pennsylvania | $45,450 | $21.85 | 2,230 | 0.37 |
| Rhode Island | $47,400 | $22.79 | 350 | 0.69 |
| South Carolina | $48,000 | $23.08 | 890 | 0.39 |
| South Dakota | $43,400 | $20.87 | 430 | 0.93 |
| Tennessee | $49,840 | $23.96 | 1,530 | 0.47 |
| Texas | $38,720 | $18.61 | 6,700 | 0.48 |
| Utah | $41,780 | $20.09 | 700 | 0.4 |
| Vermont | $57,350 | $27.57 | 70 | 0.22 |
| Virginia | $55,820 | $26.84 | 1,860 | 0.45 |
| Washington | $49,220 | $23.66 | 2,100 | 0.59 |
| West Virginia | $38,120 | $18.33 | 350 | 0.5 |
| Wisconsin | $44,820 | $21.55 | 1,430 | 0.49 |
| Wyoming | $39,100 | $18.80 | 130 | 0.45 |
Top-paying metro areas
| Metro area | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Vallejo, CA | $78,830 | 90 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $78,600 | 130 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $77,460 | 120 |
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $76,820 | 70 |
| Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | $76,170 | 60 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $75,300 | 90 |
| New Haven, CT | $72,410 | 100 |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $72,290 | 70 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $71,440 | 220 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $71,050 | 3,460 |
| Springfield, MA | $71,000 | 70 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | $69,530 | 60 |
| Syracuse, NY | $68,880 | 180 |
| Worcester, MA | $67,630 | 160 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $67,110 | 100 |
Metro areas with the most opticians, dispensing
| Metro area | Jobs | Median |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 3,460 | $71,050 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 3,070 | $56,130 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 2,420 | $44,530 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 2,070 | $46,030 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 1,660 | $38,050 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 1,470 | $43,830 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 1,380 | $51,890 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 1,250 | $61,880 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 1,140 | $48,960 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 1,080 | $59,520 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 1,070 | $49,300 |
| San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | 1,050 | $28,980 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 990 | $48,530 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 950 | $64,170 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 940 | $58,360 |
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Questions
How much does an optician, dispensing make?
The median pay for opticians, dispensing in the U.S. was $47,260 a year ($22.72 an hour) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $38,820 and $61,700.
Which states pay opticians, dispensing the most?
The highest pay was in Connecticut ($75,300), Hawaii ($75,300), New Jersey ($72,460), Massachusetts ($67,210), New York ($63,880). The lowest was in Louisiana ($36,360), Mississippi ($36,680), Alabama ($36,880).
How many opticians, dispensing are there in the U.S.?
About 73,530 people were employed as opticians, dispensing in May 2025.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, all industries. Metro areas with fewer than 50 jobs in this occupation are left out. All healthcare salaries.