Opticians, Dispensing Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for opticians, dispensing is $47,260, or $22.72 per hour. About 73,530 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $75,300 in Hawaii to $36,360 in Louisiana.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 51 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $75,300 | $36.20 | 110 | 0.38 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $75,300 | $36.20 | 610 | 0.76 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $72,460 | $34.84 | 2,010 | 0.99 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $67,210 | $32.31 | 1,360 | 0.79 |
| 5 | New York | $63,880 | $30.71 | 3,520 | 0.77 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $61,310 | $29.48 | 80 | 0.24 |
| 7 | Florida | $58,850 | $28.30 | 5,080 | 1.08 |
| 8 | Alaska | $58,250 | $28.01 | 90 | 0.59 |
| 9 | California | $57,990 | $27.88 | 7,840 | 0.91 |
| 10 | Vermont | $57,350 | $27.57 | 70 | 0.47 |
| 11 | Virginia | $55,820 | $26.84 | 1,860 | 0.96 |
| 12 | New Hampshire | $51,980 | $24.99 | 440 | 1.38 |
| 13 | Ohio | $50,500 | $24.28 | 2,960 | 1.13 |
| 14 | North Carolina | $50,190 | $24.13 | 2,020 | 0.87 |
| 15 | Tennessee | $49,840 | $23.96 | 1,530 | 0.98 |
| 16 | Washington | $49,220 | $23.66 | 2,100 | 1.25 |
| 17 | Oregon | $49,210 | $23.66 | 1,000 | 1.08 |
| 18 | Maryland | $48,700 | $23.41 | 1,060 | 0.81 |
| 19 | Arizona | $48,210 | $23.18 | 1,400 | 0.91 |
| 20 | Minnesota | $48,020 | $23.09 | 1,490 | 1.07 |
| 21 | Georgia | $48,010 | $23.08 | 2,290 | 0.99 |
| 22 | South Carolina | $48,000 | $23.08 | 890 | 0.82 |
| 23 | Rhode Island | $47,400 | $22.79 | 350 | 1.46 |
| 24 | Colorado | $47,310 | $22.74 | 1,520 | 1.12 |
| 25 | Maine | $47,220 | $22.70 | 350 | 1.14 |
| 26 | Montana | $47,050 | $22.62 | 330 | 1.34 |
| 27 | Nevada | $46,910 | $22.55 | 960 | 1.31 |
| 28 | Delaware | $46,220 | $22.22 | 270 | 1.18 |
| 29 | Pennsylvania | $45,450 | $21.85 | 2,230 | 0.78 |
| 30 | North Dakota | $45,230 | $21.74 | 230 | 1.14 |
| 31 | Wisconsin | $44,820 | $21.55 | 1,430 | 1.03 |
| 32 | Iowa | $44,480 | $21.39 | 920 | 1.25 |
| 33 | Kentucky | $44,290 | $21.29 | 950 | 1.00 |
| 34 | Illinois | $43,960 | $21.14 | 3,250 | 1.13 |
| 35 | Idaho | $43,950 | $21.13 | 530 | 1.30 |
| 36 | South Dakota | $43,400 | $20.87 | 430 | 1.97 |
| 37 | Arkansas | $42,880 | $20.62 | 690 | 1.12 |
| 38 | Utah | $41,780 | $20.09 | 700 | 0.85 |
| 39 | Michigan | $41,180 | $19.80 | 3,080 | 1.48 |
| 40 | Kansas | $40,140 | $19.30 | 630 | 0.92 |
| 41 | Nebraska | $39,830 | $19.15 | 870 | 1.79 |
| 42 | Indiana | $39,370 | $18.93 | 2,010 | 1.33 |
| 43 | Wyoming | $39,100 | $18.80 | 130 | 0.96 |
| 44 | New Mexico | $39,090 | $18.80 | 340 | 0.83 |
| 45 | Missouri | $38,750 | $18.63 | 1,600 | 1.15 |
| 46 | Texas | $38,720 | $18.61 | 6,700 | 1.01 |
| 47 | West Virginia | $38,120 | $18.33 | 350 | 1.05 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $37,940 | $18.24 | 730 | 0.90 |
| 49 | Alabama | $36,880 | $17.73 | 880 | 0.88 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $36,680 | $17.63 | 560 | 1.01 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $36,360 | $17.48 | 720 | 0.79 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do opticians, dispensing make?
The median annual wage for opticians, dispensing in the United States is $47,260, or $22.72 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $35,610, and the top 10% earn $76,750.
How many opticians, dispensing are employed in the U.S.?
About 73,530 people work as opticians, dispensing nationwide.
Which state pays opticians, dispensing the most?
Hawaii pays the most at a median of $75,300, followed by Connecticut ($75,300) and New Jersey ($72,460).
Which state pays opticians, dispensing the least?
Louisiana has the lowest median at $36,360.
Where are opticians, dispensing jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is South Dakota at 1.97×.