---

Opticians, Dispensing in Nebraska

Want to work as an Opticians, Dispensing in Nebraska? Here’s what you need to know. 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.

What do Opticians, Dispensing Make in Nebraska?

For a opticians, dispensing working in Nebraska, the typical annual salary is $38,850 per year (or roughly $18.68/hour).Pay can range from $32,140 at the 10th percentile to $48,130 at the 90th percentile.

Wage Statistic	Annual	Hourly
10th percentile	$32,140	$15.45
25th percentile	$37,020	$17.80
Median (50th)	$38,850	$18.68
75th percentile	$46,070	$22.15
90th percentile	$48,130	$23.14

The location quotient — a measure of how concentrated this occupation is in Nebraska relative to the national average — is 1.27, suggesting that opticians, dispensing are more concentrated here than the national average.

National Wage Comparison

Nationally, opticians, dispensing earn a median of $127,783 per year ($61.43/hour), below the Nebraska median.

Employment Outlook

Nationally, total employment in this occupation is 1,141,586 opticians, dispensing across the United States. In Nebraska alone, around 670 people work in this role. That trails the typical state, which employs around 1,000 opticians, dispensing.

Top Nebraska Metros for Opticians, Dispensing

These are the Nebraska metros with the most opticians, dispensing in Nebraska.

Metro Area	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
Omaha, NE-IA	280	$41,030
Lincoln, NE	120	$37,710
Grand Island, NE	40	$37,620

Top States for Opticians, Dispensing Employment

These states have the highest employment of opticians, dispensing work.

State	Number Employed
California	8,180
Texas	7,100
New York	5,180
Florida	5,030
Illinois	3,660
Michigan	3,220
Ohio	3,190
Pennsylvania	2,750
Georgia	2,580
Virginia	2,500
New Jersey	2,260
Washington	2,000
Indiana	1,900
North Carolina	1,890
Arizona	1,670
Tennessee	1,640
Minnesota	1,630
Missouri	1,610
Wisconsin	1,530
Colorado	1,510

Highest-Paying States for Opticians, Dispensing

These states pay the most for opticians, dispensing.

State	Annual Median Salary
New Jersey	$66,250
Connecticut	$64,780
Massachusetts	$63,810
New York	$60,100
District of Columbia	$59,110
California	$57,770
Vermont	$57,500
Florida	$56,920
Alaska	$56,260
Hawaii	$56,090

Skills

Key opticians, dispensing skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Knowledge Areas

Important knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Abilities

Key abilities for opticians, dispensing, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Daily Tasks

Common tasks include:

• 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.
• Evaluate prescriptions in conjunction with clients' vocational and avocational visual requirements.
• Recommend specific lenses, lens coatings, and frames to suit client needs.
• Assist clients in selecting frames according to style and color, and ensure that frames are coordinated with facial and eye measurements and optical prescriptions.
• Maintain records of customer prescriptions, work orders, and payments.
• Heat, shape, or bend plastic or metal frames to adjust eyeglasses to fit clients, using pliers and hands.
• Show customers how to insert, remove, and care for their contact lenses.
• Determine clients' current lens prescriptions, when necessary, using lensometers or lens analyzers and clients' eyeglasses.
• Prepare work orders and instructions for grinding lenses and fabricating eyeglasses.
• Obtain a customer's previous record, or verify a prescription with the examining optometrist or ophthalmologist.
• Sell goods such as contact lenses, spectacles, sunglasses, and goods related to eyes, in general.

Work Activities

• Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
• Documenting/Recording Information
• Selling or Influencing Others
• Getting Information
• Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
• Working with Computers
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
• Assisting and Caring for Others
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
• Performing Administrative Activities

Tools & Technology

Software and systems commonly involved: Hot technologies: Intuit QuickBooks

What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?

Related college programs include:

• Optometric Support Services

Related Careers

Careers similar to opticians, dispensing include:

• Optometrists
• Pharmacists
• Audiologists
• Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric
• Radiologic Technologists and Technicians
• Pharmacy Technicians

Also Known As

Certified Optician, Contact Lens Fitter, Contact Lens Technician, Dispensing Optician, Dispensing and Measuring Optician, Eyecare Advisor, Eyeglass Fitter, Eyewear Specialist, Licensed Dispensing Optician (LDO), Licensed Optical Dispenser, Licensed Optician, Ophthalmic Dispenser, Optical Dispenser, Optical Sales Associate, Optical Technician.

References

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
• O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
• BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
• O*NET-SOC code: 29-2081.00