Opticians, Dispensing Salary
Opticians, Dispensings in Texas make a median of $38,720 a year, or about $18.61 an hour. The range runs from $30K at the entry level to $58K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.49), which stretches that salary to about $42,322 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,415/month, about 50.8% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Texas. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $39K get you in Texas?
About opticians, dispensings
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What this looks like in Texas
Pay for opticians, dispensing in Texas runs about 18% below the U.S. median of $47K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,415/month, which is 51.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.49 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% 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.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Texas
Entry-level opticians, dispensings (10th percentile) start around $30K. Mid-career wages sit at $39K. Top earners bring in $58K or more, a $28K spread from bottom to top.
Opticians, Dispensing salary by metro in Texas
24 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $46K | +19% | 2,070 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $46K | +18% | 610 |
| Amarillo | $42K | +8% | 70 |
| Odessa | $41K | +5% | 50 |
| Texarkana | $40K | +3% | 40 |
| College Station-Bryan | $39K | -1% | 50 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $38K | -2% | 600 |
| Midland | $38K | -2% | 40 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $38K | -2% | 1,660 |
| Abilene | $38K | -2% | 30 |
| Longview | $38K | -2% | 60 |
| Killeen-Temple | $37K | -3% | 60 |
| El Paso | $37K | -4% | 100 |
| Lubbock | $37K | -5% | 90 |
| Wichita Falls | $37K | -5% | 40 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur | $36K | -6% | 100 |
| San Angelo | $36K | -8% | 30 |
| Tyler | $35K | -9% | 50 |
| Corpus Christi | $35K | -9% | 150 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen | $35K | -9% | 70 |
| Laredo | $35K | -10% | 40 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission | $35K | -10% | 120 |
| Waco | $35K | -11% | 60 |
| Victoria | $34K | -11% | 40 |
Showing 1–10 of 24 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Texas numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a opticians, dispensing afford a 2BR apartment alone in Texas?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $39K, rent takes 51.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,415/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for opticians, dispensings in Texas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new opticians, dispensings typically earn — is $30K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,798/month. At HUD’s $1,415/month FMR, rent would take 79% 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 Texas?
Local pay runs 18% below the national median — $39K here vs. $47K nationally. Cost of living is 9% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Texas compare to the national average for opticians, dispensings?
Texas pays $39K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s -18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $42K — below the national median.
How much do opticians, dispensings make in Texas?
The median is $38,720 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $29,970, and experienced opticians, dispensings can clear $58,240. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $39K enough to live in Texas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,763/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,415/month, which eats 51.2% 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 Texas?
Texas has a Regional Price Parity of 91.49 (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 $42,322 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.