Opticians, Dispensing Salary
Opticians, Dispensings in Watertown-Fort Drum, NY make a median of $65,870 a year, or about $31.67 an hour. The range runs from $45K at the entry level to $81K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.69), which stretches that salary to about $75,117 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,405/month, about 32.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $66K get you in Watertown-Fort Drum?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Watertown-Fort Drum’s Regional Price Parity (87.69). 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 Watertown-Fort Drum
Watertown-Fort Drum sits well above the national pay line for opticians, dispensing, local pay runs about 39% higher than the U.S. median of $47K. Rent runs $1,405/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32.6% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.69 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for opticians, dispensings in metros near Watertown-Fort Drum, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $71K | $63K |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga | $61K | $63K |
| Rochester | $62K | $64K |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy | $64K | $64K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Watertown-Fort Drum, NY
Entry-level opticians, dispensings (10th percentile) start around $45K. Mid-career wages sit at $66K. Top earners bring in $81K or more, a $36K 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $75K | +59% | 110 |
| Connecticut | $75K | +59% | 610 |
| 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 states
Track opticians, dispensing salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a opticians, dispensing afford a 2BR apartment alone in Watertown-Fort Drum?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $66K, rent takes 32.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,405/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 Watertown-Fort Drum?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new opticians, dispensings typically earn — is $45K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,710/month. At HUD’s $1,405/month FMR, rent would take 52% 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 Watertown-Fort Drum?
Local pay is 39% above the national median — $66K here vs. $47K nationally.
How does Watertown-Fort Drum compare to the national average for opticians, dispensings?
Watertown-Fort Drum pays $66K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s +39%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.69), the purchasing-power equivalent is $75K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do opticians, dispensings make in Watertown-Fort Drum, NY?
The median is $65,870 a year, that works out to about $32 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $45,160, and experienced opticians, dispensings can clear $81,350. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $66K enough to live in Watertown-Fort Drum?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,309/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,405/month, which eats 32.6% 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 Watertown-Fort Drum?
Watertown-Fort Drum has a Regional Price Parity of 87.69 (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 $75,117 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.