Opticians, Dispensing

Job Zone 3 - Medium preparation needed

Design, measure, fit, and adapt lenses and frames for client according to written optical prescription or specification. Assist client with inserting, removing, and caring for contact lenses. Assist client with selecting frames. Measure customer for size of eyeglasses and coordinate frames with facial and eye measurements and optical prescription. Prepare work order for optical laboratory containing instructions for grinding and mounting lenses in frames. Verify exactness of finished lens spectacles. Adjust frame and lens position to fit client. May shape or reshape frames. Includes contact lens opticians.

Pay & job outlook

Median pay: $47,260/yr (U.S. national, May 2025)

$35,610$76,750

Typical range nationwide (10th–90th percentile). This is a population snapshot, not a personal prediction - actual pay varies by location, employer, and experience.

Job outlook: +2.9% projected growth, 2024–2034 — about as fast as average.

About 6,800 openings per year, on average, over the decade.

Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS and Employment Projections.

Top skills

SpeakingActive ListeningReading ComprehensionCritical ThinkingService OrientationCoordinationPersuasionWritingSocial PerceptivenessMonitoring

Top knowledge areas

Customer and Personal ServiceSales and MarketingMathematicsProduction and ProcessingAdministrativeEnglish LanguageAdministration and ManagementEducation and Training

Core tasks

• Measure clients' bridge and eye size, temple length, vertex distance, pupillary distance, and optical centers of eyes, using measuring devices.

• Verify that finished lenses are ground to specifications.

• Evaluate prescriptions in conjunction with clients' vocational and avocational visual requirements.

• Recommend specific lenses, lens coatings, and frames to suit client needs.

• Assist clients in selecting frames according to style and color, and ensure that frames are coordinated with facial and eye measurements and optical prescriptions.

• Maintain records of customer prescriptions, work orders, and payments.

• Heat, shape, or bend plastic or metal frames to adjust eyeglasses to fit clients, using pliers and hands.

• Show customers how to insert, remove, and care for their contact lenses.

Frequently asked questions

What's the median pay for Opticians, Dispensing?

The median pay for Opticians, Dispensing is $47,260 per year, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

What's the job outlook for Opticians, Dispensing?

Employment for Opticians, Dispensing is projected to change +2.9% from 2024 to 2034 - about as fast as average.

What education is typically required for Opticians, Dispensing?

Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.

How many job openings are there each year for Opticians, Dispensing?

About 6,800 openings per year, on average, over the decade.