Dispensing Opticians in North Carolina

Get the information you need to know about working as a Dispensing Optician.

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

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

• Dispensing Opticians in North Carolina 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 North Carolina?

There were approximately 1,710 workers employed as Dispensing Opticians in this state in 2018.

There were 1,800 Dispensing Opticians employed in this state in 2017.

That’s a decline of 90 jobs between 2017 and 2018.

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

Job Projections for North Carolina

Jobs for Dispensing Opticians in this state are growing at a rate of 16.6% which is faster than the nationwide estimated projection of 15.1%.

North Carolina Annual Job Openings

The BLS estimates 160 annual job openings, and a total of 1,970 jobs for North Carolina 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 North Carolina?

In 2018 wages for Dispensing Opticians ranged from $27,010 to $60,760 with $39,680 being the median annual salary.

Broken down to an hourly rate, workers in this field made anywhere from $12.99 to $29.21. The median hourly rate was $19.08.

In 2017 the median pay for this field was $18.92 an hour.

The hourly rate grew by $0.16.

The median salary in North Carolina is higher than the nationwide median salary.

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Top North Carolina 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
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC	400	$42,270
Raleigh, NC	340	$51,260
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC	310	$46,490
Greensboro-High Point, NC	140	$34,600
Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC-NC	110	$35,670
Winston-Salem, NC	90	$35,400
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC	80	$44,920
Asheville, NC	80	$39,810
Fayetteville, NC	60	$31,670
Wilmington, NC	60	$55,370
Rocky Mount, NC	40	$33,620

Top States for Dispensing Opticians Employment

View the list below to see 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.