SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Design, measure, fit, and adapt lenses and frames for client according to written optical prescription or specification. Assist client with inserting, removing, and caring for contact lenses. Assist client with selecting frames. Measure customer for size of eyeglasses and coordinate frames with facial and eye measurements and optical prescription. Prepare work order for optical laboratory containing instructions for grinding and mounting lenses in frames. Verify exactness of finished lens spectacles. Adjust frame and lens position to fit client. May shape or reshape frames. Includes contact lens opticians.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 29-2081.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $35,610 | $2,968 | $685 | $17.12 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $38,820 | $3,235 | $747 | $18.66 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $47,260 | $3,938 | $909 | $22.72 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $61,700 | $5,142 | $1,187 | $29.66 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $76,750 | $6,396 | $1,476 | $36.90 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Opticians, Dispensing is $47,260, which is 7% lower. Among the 71 occupations of the field Healthcare Practitioners and Technical, it ranks number 66 by median pay. With 73,530 jobs, it makes up about 4.7 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Opticians, Dispensing pay by state
The highest median pay was in Connecticut ($75,300), Hawaii ($75,300) and New Jersey ($72,460). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($28,980), Louisiana ($36,360) and Mississippi ($36,680). The most jobs were in California (7,840), Texas (6,700) and Florida (5,080). The occupation is most concentrated in Puerto Rico, where its share of all jobs is 3.1 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | 610 | $75,300 | $69,290 | $36.20 |
| Hawaii | 110 | $75,300 | $67,390 | $36.20 |
| New Jersey | 2,010 | $72,460 | $69,680 | $34.84 |
| Massachusetts | 1,360 | $67,210 | $67,520 | $32.31 |
| New York | 3,520 | $63,880 | $64,830 | $30.71 |
| District of Columbia | 80 | $61,310 | $61,790 | $29.48 |
| Florida | 5,080 | $58,850 | $56,560 | $28.30 |
| Alaska | 90 | $58,250 | $57,900 | $28.01 |
| California | 7,840 | $57,990 | $61,070 | $27.88 |
| Vermont | 70 | $57,350 | $62,790 | $27.57 |
| Virginia | 1,860 | $55,820 | $55,110 | $26.84 |
| New Hampshire | 440 | $51,980 | $54,080 | $24.99 |
| Ohio | 2,960 | $50,500 | $51,200 | $24.28 |
| North Carolina | 2,020 | $50,190 | $55,810 | $24.13 |
| Tennessee | 1,530 | $49,840 | $51,920 | $23.96 |
| Washington | 2,100 | $49,220 | $55,010 | $23.66 |
| Oregon | 1,000 | $49,210 | $53,510 | $23.66 |
| Maryland | 1,060 | $48,700 | $51,270 | $23.41 |
| Arizona | 1,400 | $48,210 | $53,070 | $23.18 |
| Minnesota | 1,490 | $48,020 | $50,370 | $23.09 |
| Georgia | 2,290 | $48,010 | $53,570 | $23.08 |
| South Carolina | 890 | $48,000 | $51,010 | $23.08 |
| Rhode Island | 350 | $47,400 | $54,140 | $22.79 |
| Colorado | 1,520 | $47,310 | $51,210 | $22.74 |
| Maine | 350 | $47,220 | $48,080 | $22.70 |
| Montana | 330 | $47,050 | $49,220 | $22.62 |
| Nevada | 960 | $46,910 | $56,700 | $22.55 |
| Delaware | 270 | $46,220 | $46,190 | $22.22 |
| Pennsylvania | 2,230 | $45,450 | $46,330 | $21.85 |
| North Dakota | 230 | $45,230 | $45,640 | $21.74 |
| Wisconsin | 1,430 | $44,820 | $46,000 | $21.55 |
| Iowa | 920 | $44,480 | $44,570 | $21.39 |
| Kentucky | 950 | $44,290 | $47,050 | $21.29 |
| Illinois | 3,250 | $43,960 | $46,020 | $21.14 |
| Idaho | 530 | $43,950 | $49,950 | $21.13 |
| South Dakota | 430 | $43,400 | $42,560 | $20.87 |
| Arkansas | 690 | $42,880 | $47,910 | $20.62 |
| Utah | 700 | $41,780 | $47,020 | $20.09 |
| Michigan | 3,080 | $41,180 | $43,530 | $19.80 |
| Kansas | 630 | $40,140 | $42,660 | $19.30 |
| Nebraska | 870 | $39,830 | $42,810 | $19.15 |
| Indiana | 2,010 | $39,370 | $41,390 | $18.93 |
| Wyoming | 130 | $39,100 | $41,050 | $18.80 |
| New Mexico | 340 | $39,090 | $43,750 | $18.80 |
| Missouri | 1,600 | $38,750 | $43,900 | $18.63 |
| Texas | 6,700 | $38,720 | $42,650 | $18.61 |
| West Virginia | 350 | $38,120 | $40,470 | $18.33 |
| Oklahoma | 730 | $37,940 | $40,500 | $18.24 |
| Alabama | 880 | $36,880 | $38,710 | $17.73 |
| Mississippi | 560 | $36,680 | $37,590 | $17.63 |
| Louisiana | 720 | $36,360 | $37,840 | $17.48 |
| Puerto Rico | 1,380 | $28,980 | $30,960 | $13.93 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Medical Records Specialists$51,140 a year
- Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other$50,290 a year
- Veterinary Technologists and Technicians$47,380 a year
- Pharmacy Technicians$45,750 a year
- Ophthalmic Medical Technicians$45,570 a year
- Psychiatric Technicians$45,130 a year
Common questions
How much do Opticians, Dispensing earn in the United States?
The median pay was $47,260 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $35,610 and the highest-paid 10% more than $76,750.
How many people work as Opticians, Dispensing?
About 73,530 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.
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