Opticians, Dispensing Salary
Opticians, Dispensings in Roanoke, VA make a median of $52,650 a year, or about $25.31 an hour. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $66K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.62), which stretches that salary to about $56,238 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,254/month, about 36.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $53K get you in Roanoke?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Roanoke’s Regional Price Parity (93.62). 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 Roanoke
Roanoke sits well above the national pay line for opticians, dispensing, local pay runs about 11% 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 $1,254/month, which is 36% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.62 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for opticians, dispensings in metros near Roanoke, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $52K | $53K |
| Richmond | $55K | $56K |
| Charlottesville | $57K | $58K |
| Lynchburg | $49K | $55K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Roanoke, VA
Entry-level opticians, dispensings (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $53K. Top earners bring in $66K or more, a $30K 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 Roanoke?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $53K, rent takes 36% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,254/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for opticians, dispensings in Roanoke?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new opticians, dispensings typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,161/month. At HUD’s $1,254/month FMR, rent would take 58% 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 Roanoke?
Local pay is 11% above the national median — $53K here vs. $47K nationally.
How does Roanoke compare to the national average for opticians, dispensings?
Roanoke pays $53K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s +11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.62), the purchasing-power equivalent is $56K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do opticians, dispensings make in Roanoke, VA?
The median is $52,650 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,010, and experienced opticians, dispensings can clear $66,030. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $53K enough to live in Roanoke?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,486/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,254/month, which eats 36% 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 Roanoke?
Roanoke has a Regional Price Parity of 93.62 (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 $56,238 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.