Opticians, Dispensing Career, Salary and Skills
Opticians, Dispensing have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $47,260 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 73,530. Wage data is published for 370 locations.
Occupation description
Design, measure, fit, and adapt lenses and frames for client according to written optical prescription or specification. Assist client with inserting, removing, and caring for contact lenses. Assist client with selecting frames. Measure customer for size of eyeglasses and coordinate frames with facial and eye measurements and optical prescription. Prepare work order for optical laboratory containing instructions for grinding and mounting lenses in frames. Verify exactness of finished lens spectacles. Adjust frame and lens position to fit client. May shape or reshape frames. Includes contact lens opticians.
O*NET code
29-2081.00
Job zone
3
Typical education
High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
Experience
None
National salary and employment
Median annual
$47,260
Hourly median
$22.72
Employment
73,530
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Speaking | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| Active Listening | 3.88 | 4.00 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.75 | 3.88 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.50 | 3.88 |
| Service Orientation | 3.50 | 3.50 |
| Coordination | 3.25 | 3.12 |
| Persuasion | 3.25 | 3.00 |
| Writing | 3.25 | 3.25 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.25 | 3.00 |
| Monitoring | 3.00 | 3.00 |
Typical tasks
- Order and purchase frames and lenses.
- Grind lens edges, or apply coatings to lenses.
- Repair damaged frames.
- Arrange and maintain displays of optical merchandise.
- Instruct clients in how to wear and care for eyeglasses.
- Measure clients' bridge and eye size, temple length, vertex distance, pupillary distance, and optical centers of eyes, using measuring devices.
- Verify that finished lenses are ground to specifications.
- Supervise the training of student opticians.
Technology
- Compulink Eyecare Advantage
- Cygnet Infotech Optifocus
- Database software
- Diversified Ophthalmics Practice Maximus
- EMRlogic Systems ENTERPRISE Visions
- EZ-Zone Optizone Enterprise
- First Insight MaximEyes
- HealthLine Systems Eyecom
- Insight Software My Vision Express
- Intuit QuickBooks
- Inventory management systems
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Word
Opticians, Dispensing salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Opticians, Dispensing Salary in CAMedian $57,990 · Employment 7,840
- Opticians, Dispensing Salary in TXMedian $38,720 · Employment 6,700
- Opticians, Dispensing Salary in FLMedian $58,850 · Employment 5,080
- Opticians, Dispensing Salary in NYMedian $63,880 · Employment 3,520
- Opticians, Dispensing Salary in New York, NYMedian $71,050 · Employment 3,460
- Opticians, Dispensing Salary in ILMedian $43,960 · Employment 3,250
- Opticians, Dispensing Salary in MIMedian $41,180 · Employment 3,080
- Opticians, Dispensing Salary in Los Angeles, CAMedian $56,130 · Employment 3,070
- Opticians, Dispensing Salary in OHMedian $50,500 · Employment 2,960
- Opticians, Dispensing Salary in Chicago, ILMedian $44,530 · Employment 2,420
- Opticians, Dispensing Salary in GAMedian $48,010 · Employment 2,290
- Opticians, Dispensing Salary in PAMedian $45,450 · Employment 2,230
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Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.