Opticians, Dispensing Salary in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX
Opticians, Dispensings in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX make a median of $36,440 a year, or about $17.52 an hour. The range runs from $29K at the entry level to $46K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.63), that's roughly $36,946 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,573/month — about 60% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $36K get you in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands’s Regional Price Parity (98.63). 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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Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX
Entry-level opticians, dispensings (10th percentile) start around $29K. Mid-career wages sit at $36K. Top earners bring in $46K or more, a $17K spread from bottom to top.
Opticians, Dispensing pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | $66K | +42% | 2,260 |
| Connecticut | $65K | +39% | 580 |
| Massachusetts | $64K | +37% | 1,430 |
| New York | $60K | +29% | 5,180 |
| District of Columbia | $59K | +27% | 60 |
| California | $58K | +24% | 8,180 |
| Vermont | $58K | +23% | 90 |
| Florida | $57K | +22% | 5,030 |
| Alaska | $56K | +21% | 90 |
| Hawaii | $56K | +20% | 160 |
| Virginia | $54K | +17% | 2,500 |
| Rhode Island | $50K | +8% | 280 |
| North Carolina | $50K | +6% | 1,890 |
| Oregon | $50K | +6% | 1,090 |
| New Hampshire | $49K | +6% | 500 |
| Minnesota | $49K | +5% | 1,630 |
| Washington | $48K | +4% | 2,000 |
| Ohio | $48K | +3% | 3,190 |
| Tennessee | $48K | +3% | 1,640 |
| Maryland | $48K | +2% | 1,170 |
| Nevada | $48K | +2% | 1,440 |
| South Carolina | $47K | +1% | 870 |
| Arizona | $47K | -0% | 1,670 |
| Maine | $46K | -1% | 310 |
| Georgia | $46K | -2% | 2,580 |
| Arkansas | $45K | -2% | 660 |
| Montana | $45K | -4% | 310 |
| Kentucky | $45K | -4% | 980 |
| Pennsylvania | $44K | -5% | 2,750 |
| Wisconsin | $43K | -7% | 1,530 |
| Iowa | $42K | -10% | 1,000 |
| North Dakota | $41K | -11% | 300 |
| Illinois | $41K | -11% | 3,660 |
| South Dakota | $41K | -12% | 420 |
| Delaware | $40K | -13% | 280 |
| Michigan | $40K | -14% | 3,220 |
| Utah | $40K | -15% | 680 |
| Idaho | $40K | -15% | 570 |
| Nebraska | $39K | -17% | 670 |
| West Virginia | $38K | -17% | 400 |
| Kansas | $38K | -19% | 810 |
| Wyoming | $38K | -19% | 160 |
| Indiana | $38K | -19% | 1,900 |
| Missouri | $37K | -21% | 1,610 |
| New Mexico | $37K | -21% | 350 |
| Texas | $36K | -22% | 7,100 |
| Oklahoma | $36K | -22% | 700 |
| Alabama | $36K | -24% | 920 |
| Mississippi | $36K | -24% | 560 |
| Louisiana | $35K | -25% | 880 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track opticians, dispensing salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
How much do opticians, dispensings make in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX?
The median is $36,440 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $29,330, and experienced opticians, dispensings can clear $45,860. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $36K enough to live in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,610/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,573/month, which eats 60.3% 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 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands?
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands has a Regional Price Parity of 98.63 (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 $36,946 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.