Optician Salary

The salary for opticians, like most other occupations will vary, mainly through location because of the cost of living, but it is also affected by other factors as well. Experience is a reason for increased salary and opticians who have worked for a while and are licensed, even in states that do not require licensing, tend to earn more money. Licensed optician salary will depend on the state and area and could be lower than an unlicensed optician in another state. The type of work area also determines the salary for opticians who are employed in different industries such as the office of an optometrist, large department store, and hospitals will all make contrasting pay.

Looking at the Numbers

According to the BLS, the median annual pay for dispensing opticians in May of 2008 was $35,060, with the lowest 10% earning less than $21,250 and the top 10% earning over $50,580 based on a 40 hour work week.

For May of 2009 these numbers decreased with a new median annual pay of $32,740 with the lowest 10% earning less than $21,120, and the top 10% earning over $50,560. Although some opticians are on a yearly salary, for those who are paid by the hour this comes out to a range of anywhere from just over $10 dollars to almost $25 per hour.

Another point to look at when it comes to an optician’s yearly income is the industry they are employed in. Most are employed in offices of medical providers or in department stores, but some are employed in management positions or at hospitals where the hourly mean wage is above $20 per hour (although not too many opticians work in these industries). The hourly mean wage for offices and general department stores range from $15 to $19 dollars, resulting in yearly earnings from $32,000 to just under $40,000. The statistics of self-employed opticians is harder to summarize as many do not report to the BLS. Self-employed opticians can make a lot more money than regular opticians because of the potential of profit from selling eye care products and services. Read the optician career and advancement page for different opportunities.

Licensed Optician Salary by State

Data from May 2009