Opticians, Dispensing Salary
Opticians, Dispensings in Dothan, AL make a median of $34,420 a year, or about $16.55 an hour. The range runs from $29K at the entry level to $43K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 83.83), which stretches that salary to about $41,059 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $950/month, about 40.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $34K get you in Dothan?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Dothan’s Regional Price Parity (83.83). 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
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What this looks like in Dothan
Pay for opticians, dispensing in Dothan runs about 27% below the U.S. median of $47K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $950/month, which is 40.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 83.83 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 16% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for opticians, dispensings.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for opticians, dispensings in metros near Dothan, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | $37K | $41K |
| Huntsville | $38K | $41K |
| Mobile | $36K | $41K |
| Daphne-Fairhope-Foley | $37K | $40K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Dothan, AL
Entry-level opticians, dispensings (10th percentile) start around $29K. Mid-career wages sit at $34K. Top earners bring in $43K or more, a $14K 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
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Frequently asked questions
Can a opticians, dispensing afford a 2BR apartment alone in Dothan?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $34K, rent takes 40.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $950/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for opticians, dispensings in Dothan?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new opticians, dispensings typically earn — is $29K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,728/month. At HUD’s $950/month FMR, rent would take 55% 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 Dothan?
Local pay runs 27% below the national median — $34K here vs. $47K nationally. Cost of living is 16% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Dothan compare to the national average for opticians, dispensings?
Dothan pays $34K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s -27%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 83.83), the purchasing-power equivalent is $41K — below the national median.
How much do opticians, dispensings make in Dothan, AL?
The median is $34,420 a year, that works out to about $17 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $28,800, and experienced opticians, dispensings can clear $42,640. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $34K enough to live in Dothan?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,345/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $950/month, which eats 40.5% 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 Dothan?
Dothan has a Regional Price Parity of 83.83 (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 $41,059 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.