The average salary for an optician in the United States is around $33,846 per year.
Avg Salary
This is 46% below the national average. Updated in 2018.
Opticians earn an average yearly salary of $33,846. Wages typically start from $22,561 and go up to $50,776.
Optician earnings by seniority
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Optician salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| New York | $54,730 |
| Massachusetts | $57,400 |
| New Jersey | $57,450 |
| Connecticut | $53,880 |
| Virginia | $46,330 |
| Rhode Island | $50,650 |
| Vermont | $46,140 |
| District of Columbia | $46,650 |
| Alaska | $45,360 |
| Kentucky | $40,340 |
| Hawaii | $45,040 |
| Washington | $43,070 |
| Maryland | $39,400 |
| Oregon | $38,660 |
| North Carolina | $39,680 |
| Illinois | $37,360 |
| New Hampshire | $41,040 |
| California | $39,310 |
| Nevada | $37,010 |
| Ohio | $39,860 |
| South Carolina | $37,910 |
| Florida | $38,420 |
| Minnesota | $37,900 |
| Colorado | $38,270 |
| Missouri | $30,890 |
| Tennessee | $36,770 |
| Maine | $38,060 |
| Arkansas | $35,890 |
| Texas | $34,690 |
| Delaware | $35,320 |
| Georgia | $32,890 |
| Michigan | $35,190 |
| Wisconsin | $34,330 |
| Nebraska | $32,330 |
| Pennsylvania | $33,231 |
| Iowa | $33,560 |
| North Dakota | $32,110 |
| Montana | $32,500 |
| West Virginia | $30,360 |
| Alabama | $30,961 |
| Louisiana | $30,930 |
| New Mexico | $29,880 |
| Idaho | $30,780 |
| Mississippi | $29,870 |
| Oklahoma | $30,410 |
| Arizona | $30,263 |
| Wyoming | $29,830 |
| Kansas | $30,800 |
| Utah | $28,910 |
| South Dakota | $29,930 |
| Indiana | $28,183 |
| Puerto Rico | $19,600 |
How much does an Optician earn?
Based on the type of work setting, the Bureau of Labor Statistics suggests that the average salary for opticians employed in general merchandise stores earned a yearly salary of about $36,280, while those employed in department stores earned less than $29,660 per annum.
Based on years of work experience according to BLS reports, an average yearly salary for an optician is as follows: an individual with less than one to four years of work experience earns from $17,114 – $44,698/yr; someone with five to nine years earns from $22,408 – $45,429/yr; someone with 10-19 years of experience receives between $28,358 – $62,030/yr; and someone with more than 20 years of work experience earns from $29,491 – $57,704/yr.
How do optician salaries compare to similar careers?
Opticians earn about the same as related careers in the United States. On average, they make less than mental health counselors but more than phlebotomists.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Mental health counselor salary | $36K |
| Endoscopy technician salary | $38K |
| Ophthalmic medical technician salary | $37K |
| Medical transcriptionist salary | $35K |
| Paramedic salary | $35K |
| Optician salary | $34K |
| Dental assistant salary | $33K |
| Veterinary technologist salary | $32K |
| Medical and clinical laboratory technician salary | $31K |
| Phlebotomist salary | $32K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)