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How to Become an Optician

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Home » Specialties » Optician

Optician Career At a Glance

  • What you’ll do: As an optician—or dispensing optician—you’ll fill eye wear prescriptions written by an optometrist or ophthalmologist. You’ll write work orders to help ophthalmic lab technicians correctly fill prescriptions, and help patients select the frames and lens styles that best suit their needs and facial features.
  • Where you’ll work: Opticians usually work in a medical office or in a retail environment. Both full- and part-time positions are generally available.
  • Degree you’ll need: High school diploma or GED and completion of a 1- to 2-year certificate, diploma or associate degree program
  • Median annual salary: $39,610
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Optician Job Description

Your daily duties as an optician will likely include the following:

  • Help clients select the type of glasses most appropriate for their lifestyle
  • Take clients’ facial measurements
  • Customize glasses to suit client’s faces by making adjustments to the frames
  • Keep customer records up-to-date
  • Work with insurance companies to maximize your clients’ benefits
  • Track sales and inventory

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The Difference Between an Optician, Optometrist and Ophthalmologist

  • Optician: Works with optometrists and ophthalmologists by filling their prescriptions and dispensing eyewear.
  • Optometrist: Although not a medical doctor, an optometrist has a post-bachelor’s degree in optometry and is licensed to practice. In addition to performing eye exams and prescribing glasses and contact lenses, in some states optometrists are also licensed to prescribe drugs for eye problems and perform eye surgeries, such as foreign-body removal.
  • Ophthalmologist: A medical doctor licensed to practice medicine and perform eye surgery. Ophthalmologists treat and diagnose eye diseases, prescribe medication and also fit patients with glasses and contact lenses.

Certification

Regulations vary from state to state, however certification is highly recommended because most employers require it. The American Board of Opticianry (ABO) and the National Contact Lens Examiners (NCLE) offer national certification and testing for opticians. Opticians must re-certify every 3 years.

Median Annual Optician Salary

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics 2022 data reports the median annual salary for opticians as $39,610. Wages vary according to your education, experience, time on the job, and where you live.

Take a look at the median annual wage for your state.

Opticians, Dispensing

National data

Median Salary: $39,610

Projected job growth: 2.7%

10th Percentile: $29,540

25th Percentile: $34,310

75th Percentile: $52,000

90th Percentile: $64,760

Projected job growth: 2.7%

State data

State Median Salary Bottom 10% Top 10%
Alabama $30,510 $22,880 $45,510
Alaska $55,780 $39,660 $71,480
Arizona $39,020 $31,900 $64,050
Arkansas $36,510 $28,160 $62,500
California $48,100 $36,580 $76,220
Colorado $41,600 $31,860 $61,260
Connecticut $70,790 $38,730 $86,990
Delaware $36,000 $25,360 $47,300
District of Columbia $56,990 $33,180 $70,030
Florida $48,920 $29,490 $70,620
Georgia $37,670 $29,950 $64,050
Hawaii $62,390 $33,960 $68,540
Idaho $35,500 $29,380 $55,080
Illinois $36,880 $30,510 $47,170
Indiana $35,200 $28,980 $46,650
Iowa $36,300 $29,240 $48,640
Kansas $34,730 $28,760 $46,260
Kentucky $38,170 $26,290 $61,670
Louisiana $30,300 $22,730 $43,980
Maine $38,750 $30,590 $51,980
Maryland $43,840 $31,460 $59,070
Massachusetts $59,490 $44,140 $83,020
Michigan $37,230 $30,150 $49,220
Minnesota $38,840 $31,010 $58,540
Mississippi $30,160 $25,630 $46,840
Missouri $34,640 $29,940 $51,770
Montana $37,290 $28,180 $61,770
Nebraska $35,810 $29,370 $48,050
Nevada $42,580 $32,060 $81,070
New Hampshire $45,090 $33,110 $65,160
New Jersey $59,080 $38,730 $76,860
New Mexico $32,000 $24,960 $50,540
New York $59,940 $37,670 $76,860
North Carolina $39,360 $28,970 $69,880
North Dakota $37,860 $30,680 $49,820
Ohio $41,480 $28,220 $60,340
Oklahoma $33,000 $25,360 $47,720
Oregon $42,390 $34,020 $64,500
Pennsylvania $36,530 $28,860 $49,170
Rhode Island $50,810 $32,350 $63,390
South Carolina $44,580 $29,500 $64,520
South Dakota $34,260 $30,430 $47,020
Tennessee $43,680 $28,210 $66,320
Texas $35,750 $27,460 $47,170
Utah $31,200 $24,220 $53,160
Vermont $52,520 $37,200 $79,890
Virginia $50,850 $31,390 $71,240
Washington $47,280 $35,680 $68,230
West Virginia $37,660 $27,060 $55,450
Wisconsin $38,980 $29,920 $53,110
Wyoming $34,460 $29,120 $41,600

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) 2022 median salary; projected job growth through 2032. Actual salaries may vary depending on location, level of education, years of experience, work environment, and other factors. Salaries may differ even more for those who are self-employed or work part time.