Opticians, Dispensing · California

Opticians, Dispensing Salary in California

Opticians, Dispensing in California earn a median annual wage of $57,990 —22.7% above the national median of $47,260. That ranks CA #9 of 51 covered states and territories for this occupation.

Median annual
$57,990
Median hourly
$27.88
Entry level (P10)
$42,390
10th percentile
Top 10% (P90)
$81,680
90th percentile
Employment
7,840
0.4 per 1,000 jobs
vs U.S. median
+22.7%
U.S. $47,260

Wage distribution

How earnings are spread across workers in this occupation, from the 10th to the 90th percentile.

10th percentile90th percentile
$42,390
$47,050
$57,990
$77,460
$42,390$57,990$81,680
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $57,990.

Employment concentration (0.91×) is close to the national average.

Highest-paying states for opticians, dispensing

All 51 states ranked by median annual wage. California is highlighted.

#StateMedian annual Median hourlyEmploymentLocation quotient
1Hawaii$75,300$36.201100.38
2Connecticut$75,300$36.206100.76
3New Jersey$72,460$34.842,0100.99
4Massachusetts$67,210$32.311,3600.79
5New York$63,880$30.713,5200.77
6District of Columbia$61,310$29.48800.24
7Florida$58,850$28.305,0801.08
8Alaska$58,250$28.01900.59
9California$57,990$27.887,8400.91
10Vermont$57,350$27.57700.47

Related occupations in California

Occupations in the same job family, compared within California.

OccupationCalifornia medianU.S. median
Registered Nurses$140,270$97,550
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$79,750$64,400
Pharmacy Technicians$55,110$45,750
Physicians, All Other$281,590$265,930
Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$76,010$62,930
Nurse Practitioners$168,520$132,300

Frequently asked questions

How much do opticians, dispensing make in California?

The median annual wage for opticians, dispensing in California is $57,990, or $27.88 per hour. That is 22.7% above the national median of $47,260.

What is the entry-level opticians, dispensing salary in California?

Workers at the 10th percentile earn $42,390 per year ($20.38/hour). The 25th percentile is $47,050.

How many people work as opticians, dispensing in California?

About 7,840 people work in this occupation in California, or 0.4 per 1,000 jobs statewide.

Is California a good state for opticians, dispensing?

California ranks #9 of 51 states by median wage for this occupation. Employment concentration (0.91x) is close to the national average.

Which state pays opticians, dispensing the most?

Hawaii has the highest median wage at $75,300 per year, followed by Connecticut ($75,300) and New Jersey ($72,460).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, cross-industry estimates. Retrieved 2026-10-26. Figures are rounded by BLS to the nearest dollar (annual) and cent (hourly). Percentile wages describe the distribution of workers, not the pay range for a single job posting. bls.gov/oes