Opticians, Dispensing · Illinois

Opticians, Dispensing Salary in Illinois

Opticians, Dispensing in Illinois earn a median annual wage of $43,960 —7.0% below the national median of $47,260. That ranks IL #34 of 51 covered states and territories for this occupation.

Median annual
$43,960
Median hourly
$21.14
Entry level (P10)
$37,080
10th percentile
Top 10% (P90)
$62,830
90th percentile
Employment
3,250
0.5 per 1,000 jobs
vs U.S. median
-7.0%
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
$37,080
$38,190
$43,960
$47,850
$37,080$43,960$62,830
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $43,960.

Employment concentration (1.13×) is close to the national average.

Highest-paying states for opticians, dispensing

All 51 states ranked by median annual wage. Illinois 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 Illinois

Occupations in the same job family, compared within Illinois.

OccupationIllinois medianU.S. median
Registered Nurses$95,990$97,550
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$75,000$64,400
Pharmacy Technicians$46,650$45,750
Physicians, All Other$132,540$265,930
Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$71,950$62,930
Nurse Practitioners$130,680$132,300

Frequently asked questions

How much do opticians, dispensing make in Illinois?

The median annual wage for opticians, dispensing in Illinois is $43,960, or $21.14 per hour. That is 7.0% below the national median of $47,260.

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

Workers at the 10th percentile earn $37,080 per year ($17.83/hour). The 25th percentile is $38,190.

How many people work as opticians, dispensing in Illinois?

About 3,250 people work in this occupation in Illinois, or 0.5 per 1,000 jobs statewide.

Is Illinois a good state for opticians, dispensing?

Illinois ranks #34 of 51 states by median wage for this occupation. Employment concentration (1.13x) 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