Opticians, Dispensing Salary
Opticians, Dispensings in Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT make a median of $71,440 a year, or about $34.35 an hour. The range runs from $45K at the entry level to $84K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 102.75), that's roughly $69,528 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,865/month, about 40% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $71K get you in Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford’s Regional Price Parity (102.75). 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 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford sits well above the national pay line for opticians, dispensing, local pay runs about 51% higher than the U.S. median of $47K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,865/month, which is 40.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 102.75) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for opticians, dispensings in metros near Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury | $79K | $74K |
| New Haven | $72K | $69K |
| Waterbury-Shelton | $77K | $77K |
| Norwich-New London-Willimantic | $76K | $76K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT
Entry-level opticians, dispensings (10th percentile) start around $45K. Mid-career wages sit at $71K. Top earners bring in $84K or more, a $40K 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 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $71K, rent takes 40.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,865/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,400/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for opticians, dispensings in Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new opticians, dispensings typically earn — is $45K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,672/month. At HUD’s $1,865/month FMR, rent would take 70% 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 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford?
Local pay is 51% above the national median — $71K here vs. $47K nationally.
How does Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford compare to the national average for opticians, dispensings?
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford pays $71K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s +51%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 102.75), the purchasing-power equivalent is $70K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do opticians, dispensings make in Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT?
The median is $71,440 a year, that works out to about $34 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $44,530, and experienced opticians, dispensings can clear $84,190. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $71K enough to live in Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,597/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,865/month, which eats 40.6% 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 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford?
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford has a Regional Price Parity of 102.75 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median opticians, dispensing salary is worth about $69,528 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.