Opticians, Dispensing Salary
Opticians, Dispensings in Traverse City, MI make a median of $42,050 a year, or about $20.22 an hour. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $58K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.37), which stretches that salary to about $45,036 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,224/month, about 42.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $42K get you in Traverse City?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Traverse City’s Regional Price Parity (93.37). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Traverse City
Pay for opticians, dispensing in Traverse City runs about 11% below the U.S. median of $47K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,224/month, which is 43.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.37 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% 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.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for opticians, dispensings in metros near Traverse City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn | $44K | $44K |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood | $42K | $44K |
| Lansing-East Lansing | $41K | $44K |
| Flint | $39K | $42K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Traverse City, MI
Entry-level opticians, dispensings (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $42K. Top earners bring in $58K or more, a $23K 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
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Traverse City numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a opticians, dispensing afford a 2BR apartment alone in Traverse City?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $42K, rent takes 43.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,224/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for opticians, dispensings in Traverse City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new opticians, dispensings typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,098/month. At HUD’s $1,224/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 Traverse City?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $42K here vs. $47K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Traverse City compare to the national average for opticians, dispensings?
Traverse City pays $42K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.37), the purchasing-power equivalent is $45K — below the national median.
How much do opticians, dispensings make in Traverse City, MI?
The median is $42,050 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,960, and experienced opticians, dispensings can clear $57,660. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $42K enough to live in Traverse City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,837/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,224/month, which eats 43.1% 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 Traverse City?
Traverse City has a Regional Price Parity of 93.37 (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 $45,036 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.