Opticians, Dispensing Salary
Opticians, Dispensings in Boise City, ID make a median of $44,720 a year, or about $21.5 an hour. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $77K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.39), that's roughly $45,452 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,655/month, about 54.3% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $45K get you in Boise City?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Boise City’s Regional Price Parity (98.39). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About opticians, dispensings
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Boise City
Opticians, dispensing pay in Boise City tracks closely to the national median, $45K locally vs. $47K nationwide, a 5% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,655/month, which is 54.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.39) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for opticians, dispensings in metros near Boise City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Idaho Falls | $42K | $44K |
| Coeur d'Alene | $46K | $47K |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | $49K | $44K |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas | $47K | $47K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Boise City, ID
Entry-level opticians, dispensings (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $45K. Top earners bring in $77K or more, a $44K spread from bottom to top.
Opticians, Dispensing pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Opticians, Dispensing salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | $75K | +59% | 610 |
| Hawaii | $75K | +59% | 110 |
| New Jersey | $72K | +53% | 2,010 |
| Massachusetts | $67K | +42% | 1,360 |
| New York | $64K | +35% | 3,520 |
| District of Columbia | $61K | +30% | 80 |
| Florida | $59K | +25% | 5,080 |
| Alaska | $58K | +23% | 90 |
| California | $58K | +23% | 7,840 |
| Vermont | $57K | +21% | 70 |
| Virginia | $56K | +18% | 1,860 |
| New Hampshire | $52K | +10% | 440 |
| Ohio | $51K | +7% | 2,960 |
| North Carolina | $50K | +6% | 2,020 |
| Tennessee | $50K | +5% | 1,530 |
| Washington | $49K | +4% | 2,100 |
| Oregon | $49K | +4% | 1,000 |
| Maryland | $49K | +3% | 1,060 |
| Arizona | $48K | +2% | 1,400 |
| Minnesota | $48K | +2% | 1,490 |
| Georgia | $48K | +2% | 2,290 |
| South Carolina | $48K | +2% | 890 |
| Rhode Island | $47K | +0% | 350 |
| Colorado | $47K | +0% | 1,520 |
| Maine | $47K | -0% | 350 |
| Montana | $47K | -0% | 330 |
| Nevada | $47K | -1% | 960 |
| Delaware | $46K | -2% | 270 |
| Pennsylvania | $45K | -4% | 2,230 |
| North Dakota | $45K | -4% | 230 |
| Wisconsin | $45K | -5% | 1,430 |
| Iowa | $44K | -6% | 920 |
| Kentucky | $44K | -6% | 950 |
| Illinois | $44K | -7% | 3,250 |
| Idaho | $44K | -7% | 530 |
| South Dakota | $43K | -8% | 430 |
| Arkansas | $43K | -9% | 690 |
| Utah | $42K | -12% | 700 |
| Michigan | $41K | -13% | 3,080 |
| Kansas | $40K | -15% | 630 |
| Nebraska | $40K | -16% | 870 |
| Indiana | $39K | -17% | 2,010 |
| Wyoming | $39K | -17% | 130 |
| New Mexico | $39K | -17% | 340 |
| Missouri | $39K | -18% | 1,600 |
| Texas | $39K | -18% | 6,700 |
| West Virginia | $38K | -19% | 350 |
| Oklahoma | $38K | -20% | 730 |
| Alabama | $37K | -22% | 880 |
| Mississippi | $37K | -22% | 560 |
| Louisiana | $36K | -23% | 720 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track opticians, dispensing salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Boise City numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a opticians, dispensing afford a 2BR apartment alone in Boise City?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $45K, rent takes 54.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,655/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for opticians, dispensings in Boise City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new opticians, dispensings typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,942/month. At HUD’s $1,655/month FMR, rent would take 85% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is opticians, dispensing a high-paying job in Boise City?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $45K locally vs. $47K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Boise City compare to the national average for opticians, dispensings?
Boise City pays $45K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s -5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.39), the purchasing-power equivalent is $45K — below the national median.
How much do opticians, dispensings make in Boise City, ID?
The median is $44,720 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $32,360, and experienced opticians, dispensings can clear $76,750. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $45K enough to live in Boise City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,037/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,655/month, which eats 54.5% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a opticians, dispensing salary go in Boise City?
Boise City has a Regional Price Parity of 98.39 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median opticians, dispensing salary is worth about $45,452 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do opticians, dispensings get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.