Opticians, Dispensing Salary
Opticians, Dispensings in Punta Gorda, FL make a median of $60,360 a year, or about $29.02 an hour. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $74K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.53), that's roughly $60,042 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,470/month, about 35.1% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $60K actually covers in Punta Gorda, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Punta Gorda’s Regional Price Parity (100.53). 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 Punta Gorda
Punta Gorda sits well above the national pay line for opticians, dispensing, local pay runs about 28% higher than the U.S. median of $47K. Rent runs $1,470/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 34.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 100.53) 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 Punta Gorda, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | $62K | $54K |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater | $56K | $56K |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford | $59K | $58K |
| Jacksonville | $57K | $57K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Punta Gorda, FL
Entry-level opticians, dispensings (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $60K. Top earners bring in $74K or more, a $37K 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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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a opticians, dispensing afford a 2BR apartment alone in Punta Gorda?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $60K, rent takes 34.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,470/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for opticians, dispensings in Punta Gorda?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new opticians, dispensings typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,239/month. At HUD’s $1,470/month FMR, rent would take 66% 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 Punta Gorda?
Local pay is 28% above the national median — $60K here vs. $47K nationally.
How does Punta Gorda compare to the national average for opticians, dispensings?
Punta Gorda pays $60K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s +28%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.53), the purchasing-power equivalent is $60K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do opticians, dispensings make in Punta Gorda, FL?
The median is $60,360 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,310, and experienced opticians, dispensings can clear $74,310. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $60K enough to live in Punta Gorda?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,212/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,470/month, which eats 34.9% 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 Punta Gorda?
Punta Gorda has a Regional Price Parity of 100.53 (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 $60,042 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.