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Optician: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 26, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$47,260median pay per year, or $22.72 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $35,610lowest 10% earn less
  2. $38,82025th percentile
  3. $47,260median
  4. $61,70075th percentile
  5. $76,750top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[4]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[5]

Dispensing opticians, who fit people with eyeglasses and contact lenses, had a median pay of $47,260 a year[1]. Employment is projected to grow 4.2% over the decade to 2035, a little faster than all occupations[2][3].

Job growth, 2025–35
+4.2%[2]
Openings per year
5,600[6]
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent[7]

How much do opticians make?

The median pay for dispensing opticians was $47,260 a year, or $22.72 an hour[1]. Half earned more and half earned less[1]. The average was $51,770 a year, or $24.89 an hour[8]. The median for all occupations was $50,980 a year, so the typical optician earned somewhat less than that[5].

Pay spreads out widely. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $35,610 a year, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $76,750[4]. BLS shares percentile boundaries rather than a starting salary[9].

Point in the pay range Annual Hourly
10th percentile[4][10] $35,610 $17.12
25th percentile[4][10] $38,820 $18.66
Median[1] $47,260 $22.72
75th percentile[4][10] $61,700 $29.66
90th percentile[4][10] $76,750 $36.90

These numbers cover people paid a wage or salary. They leave out the self-employed and the value of benefits[11].

Pay by state and city

Pay differs a lot from place to place. Connecticut and Hawaii were tied at the top with a median of $75,300[12]. New Jersey came next at $72,460, then Massachusetts at $67,210[12]. At the bottom of the list, Louisiana had a median of $36,360[12].

California had the most jobs at 7,840[13]. Texas followed with 6,700, then Florida with 5,080[13]. Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT had the highest median at $78,600[14]. Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA was next at $77,460, then New Haven, CT at $72,410[14]. The New York-Newark-Jersey City area had the most jobs, 3,460, with a median of $71,050[15].

Show median pay in 50 states and DC
StateMedian per yearJobs
Connecticut[12]$75,300610
Hawaii$75,300110
New Jersey$72,4602,010
Massachusetts$67,2101,360
New York$63,8803,520
District of Columbia$61,31080
Florida$58,8505,080
Alaska$58,25090
California$57,9907,840
Vermont$57,35070
Virginia$55,8201,860
New Hampshire$51,980440
Ohio$50,5002,960
North Carolina$50,1902,020
Tennessee$49,8401,530
Washington$49,2202,100
Oregon$49,2101,000
Maryland$48,7001,060
Arizona$48,2101,400
Minnesota$48,0201,490
Georgia$48,0102,290
South Carolina$48,000890
Rhode Island$47,400350
Colorado$47,3101,520
Maine$47,220350
Montana$47,050330
Nevada$46,910960
Delaware$46,220270
Pennsylvania$45,4502,230
North Dakota$45,230230
Wisconsin$44,8201,430
Iowa$44,480920
Kentucky$44,290950
Illinois$43,9603,250
Idaho$43,950530
South Dakota$43,400430
Arkansas$42,880690
Utah$41,780700
Michigan$41,1803,080
Kansas$40,140630
Nebraska$39,830870
Indiana$39,3702,010
Wyoming$39,100130
New Mexico$39,090340
Missouri$38,7501,600
Texas$38,7206,700
West Virginia$38,120350
Oklahoma$37,940730
Alabama$36,880880
Mississippi$36,680560
Louisiana$36,360720

How to become an optician

BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the usual entry education. It lists no related work experience and long-term on-the-job training[7].

Programs mix classroom work with supervised clinical experience[20]. Employers may require or prefer certification in eyeglass dispensing and contact lens dispensing, and each needs its own exam[21]. Some states also require continuing education to keep a license[22].

In an O*NET survey of 24 workers, 46% said a high school diploma or equivalent is the required level[23]. Another 25% named a post-secondary certificate and 25% an associate's degree[23]. Our facts do not give program costs or exam names.

What opticians do

Dispensing opticians turn an eye prescription into glasses or contact lenses that fit the person wearing them[24]. Typical tasks include:

BLS lists good communication and customer-service skills among the important qualities, and some business knowledge if the optician runs a store[26][27][28].

Where opticians work

Many opticians work in offices of eye doctors. Others work in retail stores that sell eyewear and related goods, either independent shops or parts of larger stores[29]. Offices of optometrists were the largest employer group in 2025, at 43%[30]. Only 1.6% were self-employed[31].

Most opticians work full time, and part-time work is common. Evening and weekend hours are possible[32].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment of dispensing opticians to grow 4.2% from 2025 to 2035[2]. That means about 74,300 jobs growing to 77,400[2]. Growth for all occupations is projected at 3.5%[3].

About 5,600 openings are projected each year[6]. These include jobs that open when workers retire or change occupations, not only new jobs[6]. Each year, 3.4% of workers leave the labor force and 3.6% move to a different occupation[33].

Is it a good fit?

The facts show a job with a wide pay range. The median sits a bit under the all-occupations median, but the top 10% earned more than $76,750[1][5][4]. Where you live matters, as state medians run from $36,360 in Louisiana to $75,300 in Connecticut and Hawaii[12]. Entry needs a high school diploma plus long-term on-the-job training, though some people take a 1-year or 2-year program, and some states add a license[7][17][19]. Growth is slightly above the all-occupations rate[2][3]. The day-to-day work mixes measuring, advising customers and careful fitting[25][27].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[34].

Frequently asked questions

How much does an optician make an hour?
The median was $22.72 an hour in May 2025[1]. The 25th percentile was $18.66 and the 75th was $29.66[10].
What degree do you need to be an optician?
BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the usual entry education[7]. Some opticians complete a 2-year associate's degree or 1-year certificate[17].
Do opticians need a license?
Some states require one. It usually means passing one or more exams and completing an approved program or supervised work[19].
What is the highest paying state for opticians?
Connecticut and Hawaii were tied at a median of $75,300 a year[12].
Are optician jobs in demand?
Employment is projected to grow 4.2% from 2025 to 2035, against 3.5% for all occupations[2][3]. About 5,600 openings are projected each year[6].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Opticians, Dispensing in the US was $47,260 per year and $22.72 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Opticians, Dispensing is projected to grow 4.2% from 2025 to 2035, from about 74,300 to 77,400 jobs (a change of +3,100). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Opticians, Dispensing: 10th percentile $35,610, 25th percentile $38,820, 75th percentile $61,700, 90th percentile $76,750. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. BLS Employment Projections: about 5,600 openings for Opticians, Dispensing are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Opticians, Dispensing: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Long-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Opticians, Dispensing was $51,770 per year and $24.89 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Opticians, Dispensing: 10th percentile $17.12, 25th percentile $18.66, 75th percentile $29.66, 90th percentile $36.90. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. Median annual wage for Opticians, Dispensing in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Opticians, Dispensing jobs: California 7,840; Texas 6,700; Florida 5,080; New York 3,520; Illinois 3,250. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Opticians, Dispensing (areas with at least 100 jobs): Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT $78,600; Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $77,460; New Haven, CT $72,410; Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $71,440; New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $71,050; Syracuse, NY $68,880; Worcester, MA $67,630; Trenton-Princeton, NJ $67,110. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Opticians, Dispensing jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 3,460 (median $71,050); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 3,070 (median $56,130); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 2,420 (median $44,530); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 2,070 (median $46,030); Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 1,660 (median $38,050); Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 1,470 (median $43,830). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education and Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  17. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education and Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  18. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education and Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  20. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education and Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  21. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  22. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  23. O*NET 29-2081.00 survey of workers (24 respondents), education level they say is required: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 46%, Post-Secondary Certificate 25%, Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree 25% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  24. O*NET description of Opticians, Dispensing. O*NET OnLine
  25. O*NET task list for Opticians, Dispensing. O*NET OnLine
  26. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  27. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  28. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  29. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  30. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of opticians in 2025: Offices of optometrists 43%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  31. BLS Employment Projections: 1.6% of Opticians, Dispensing were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  32. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  33. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Opticians, Dispensing: 3.4% of workers leave the labor force each year and 3.6% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  34. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.