Dispensing Opticians in California

Is California a good place for you to work as a Dispensing Optician?

You’re in luck! Jobs for Dispensing Opticians in California are projected to grow and these jobs tend to pay higher than average.

• Projected employment for Dispensing Opticians in California is growing faster than average.

• Dispensing Opticians in California earn lower salaries than the typical U.S. wage earner.

What Major Will Prepare You For a Dispensing Optician Career?

• Health Professions
• Ophthalmic & Optometric Support Services
• Opticianry/Ophthalmic Dispensing Optician

How Many Dispensing Opticians Work in California?

There were approximately 6,920 workers employed as Dispensing Opticians in this state in 2018.

There were 7,600 Dispensing Opticians employed in this state in 2017.

That’s a decline of 680 jobs between 2017 and 2018.

The typical state has 980 Dispensing Opticians working in it, which means California has more Dispensing Opticians than average.

Job Projections for California

Jobs for Dispensing Opticians in this state are growing at a rate of 17.6% which is faster than the nationwide estimated projection of 15.1%.

California Annual Job Openings

The BLS estimates 790 annual job openings, and a total of 10,000 jobs for California Dispensing Opticians in 2026.

Nationwide, the prediction is 7,000 annual jobs and 89,300 total jobs in 2026.

What do Dispensing Opticians Make in California?

In 2018 wages for Dispensing Opticians ranged from $26,440 to $62,430 with $39,310 being the median annual salary.

Broken down to an hourly rate, workers in this field made anywhere from $12.71 to $30.02. The median hourly rate was $18.9.

Workers in this field were paid a median of $18.89 an hour in 2017.

The hourly rate grew by $0.01.

The median salary in California is higher than the nationwide median salary.

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Top California Metros for Dispensing Opticians

The table below shows some of the metros in this state with the most Dispensing Opticians.

Metro	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	2,740	$40,610
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA	700	$36,370
Sacramento–Roseville–Arden-Arcade, CA	460	$37,430
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	430	$41,270
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA	390	$39,140
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA	220	$42,590
Bakersfield, CA	170	$34,830
Vallejo-Fairfield, CA	120	$34,080
Modesto, CA	110	$35,780
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA	100	$36,350
Fresno, CA	90	$37,630
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA	90	$38,780
Salinas, CA	80	$38,920
Stockton-Lodi, CA	70	$39,220
Santa Rosa, CA	60	$50,040
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA	60	$46,200
Visalia-Porterville, CA	50	$41,080
Chico, CA	40	$34,800
Redding, CA	30	$39,060
Napa, CA	30	$36,400

Top States for Dispensing Opticians Employment

The table below shows the states where most Dispensing Opticians work.

State	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
California	6,920	$39,310
Texas	6,300	$33,610
Florida	4,510	$38,420
Michigan	3,580	$35,190
New York	3,240	$56,960
Ohio	3,150	$39,860
Illinois	2,840	$34,170
Pennsylvania	2,560	$34,230
Minnesota	2,200	$37,900
Indiana	2,190	$29,860
New Jersey	1,750	$57,450
Georgia	1,740	$32,890
North Carolina	1,710	$39,680
Massachusetts	1,680	$57,400
Colorado	1,640	$38,270
Wisconsin	1,630	$34,330
Virginia	1,630	$46,330
Tennessee	1,610	$36,770
Arizona	1,460	$35,510
Washington	1,450	$43,070

Below are the states where Dispensing Opticians get paid the most:

State	Annual Median Salary
New Jersey	$57,450
Massachusetts	$57,400
New York	$56,960
Connecticut	$53,880
Rhode Island	$50,650
District of Columbia	$46,650
Virginia	$46,330
Vermont	$46,140
Alaska	$45,360
Hawaii	$45,040

References

• Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online

More about our data sources and methodologies.