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BLSSalary

Opticians, Dispensing Salary (2025)

Based on 73,530 employed workers · BLS OEWS May 2025

Official BLS Data
Annual Mean
$51,770
$24.89/hr
Annual Median
$47,260
$22.72/hr
Bottom 10%
$35,610
$17.12/hr
Top 10%
$76,750
$36.90/hr

Salary Percentile Breakdown

PercentileAnnual
10th Percentile
Bottom 10%
$35,610
25th Percentile
Lower quarter
$38,820
50th PercentileMedian
Median
$47,260
75th Percentile
Upper quarter
$61,700
90th Percentile
Top 10%
$76,750

Salary Distribution

Annual Salary Range

10th

$36K

25th

$39K

Median

$47K

75th

$62K

90th

$77K

Highest Paying States for Opticians, Dispensing

States with highest average wages · BLS May 2025

StateAnnual Mean
New Jersey$69,680
Connecticut$69,290
Massachusetts$67,520
Hawaii$67,390
New York$64,830
Vermont$62,790
District of Columbia$61,790
California$61,070
Alaska$57,900
Nevada$56,700

Geographic Salary Variation

Opticians, Dispensing salaries vary significantly across the United States. The highest paying state is New Jersey at an average of $69,680 per year, while Nevada has an average of $56,700 — a difference of $12,980. These geographic differences reflect variations in cost of living, demand, and local labor market conditions.

About Opticians, Dispensing

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 73,530 workers were employed as Opticians, Dispensings in the United States as of May 2025. This occupation is classified under Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations. The annual mean wage of $51,770 reflects data from employer surveys conducted by BLS.

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 · SOC Code: 29-2081

What do these percentiles mean? The 10th percentile ($35,610) represents entry-level or part-time Opticians, Dispensings, while the 90th percentile ($76,750) represents highly experienced professionals or those in high-demand locations. The median ($47,260) is the midpoint — half of all Opticians, Dispensings earn more and half earn less than this amount.
Data sourced from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025. Public domain. Not affiliated with the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.