Home / Apprenticeships / Occupations / Opticians, Dispensing
Opticians, Dispensing: apprenticeship hours and pay
O*NET-SOC 29-2081.00
Approved titles
1
RAPIDS codes
Shortest term
4,000 h
longest minimum 6,000 h
National median pay
$47,260
a year, BLS May 2025
Jobs nationally
73,530
BLS May 2025
Approved apprenticeship titles
- Training approaches
- competency-based, hybrid, time-based
- Shortest approved term
- 4,000 hours, OPTHALMIC DISPEN OPT/CONTACT LENS (competency-based)
- State medians
- $75,300 in Connecticut to $28,980 in Puerto Rico (52 states publish one)
| Title | RAPIDS code | Approach and term |
|---|---|---|
| OPTHALMIC DISPEN OPT/CONTACT LENS | 0089 | Competency-Based: 4,000 hours Hybrid: 6,000 to 7,500 hours Time-Based: 4,000 hours |
What opticians, dispensing earn, by state
| State | Median pay | Hourly | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | $75,300 | $36.20 | 610 |
| Hawaii | $75,300 | $36.20 | 110 |
| New Jersey | $72,460 | $34.84 | 2,010 |
| Massachusetts | $67,210 | $32.31 | 1,360 |
| New York | $63,880 | $30.71 | 3,520 |
| District of Columbia | $61,310 | $29.48 | 80 |
| Florida | $58,850 | $28.30 | 5,080 |
| Alaska | $58,250 | $28.01 | 90 |
| California | $57,990 | $27.88 | 7,840 |
| Vermont | $57,350 | $27.57 | 70 |
| Virginia | $55,820 | $26.84 | 1,860 |
| New Hampshire | $51,980 | $24.99 | 440 |
| Ohio | $50,500 | $24.28 | 2,960 |
| North Carolina | $50,190 | $24.13 | 2,020 |
| Tennessee | $49,840 | $23.96 | 1,530 |
| Washington | $49,220 | $23.66 | 2,100 |
| Oregon | $49,210 | $23.66 | 1,000 |
| Maryland | $48,700 | $23.41 | 1,060 |
| Arizona | $48,210 | $23.18 | 1,400 |
| Minnesota | $48,020 | $23.09 | 1,490 |
| Georgia | $48,010 | $23.08 | 2,290 |
| South Carolina | $48,000 | $23.08 | 890 |
| Rhode Island | $47,400 | $22.79 | 350 |
| Colorado | $47,310 | $22.74 | 1,520 |
| Maine | $47,220 | $22.70 | 350 |
| Montana | $47,050 | $22.62 | 330 |
| Nevada | $46,910 | $22.55 | 960 |
| Delaware | $46,220 | $22.22 | 270 |
| Pennsylvania | $45,450 | $21.85 | 2,230 |
| North Dakota | $45,230 | $21.74 | 230 |
| Wisconsin | $44,820 | $21.55 | 1,430 |
| Iowa | $44,480 | $21.39 | 920 |
| Kentucky | $44,290 | $21.29 | 950 |
| Illinois | $43,960 | $21.14 | 3,250 |
| Idaho | $43,950 | $21.13 | 530 |
| South Dakota | $43,400 | $20.87 | 430 |
| Arkansas | $42,880 | $20.62 | 690 |
| Utah | $41,780 | $20.09 | 700 |
| Michigan | $41,180 | $19.80 | 3,080 |
| Kansas | $40,140 | $19.30 | 630 |
| Nebraska | $39,830 | $19.15 | 870 |
| Indiana | $39,370 | $18.93 | 2,010 |
| Wyoming | $39,100 | $18.80 | 130 |
| New Mexico | $39,090 | $18.80 | 340 |
| Missouri | $38,750 | $18.63 | 1,600 |
| Texas | $38,720 | $18.61 | 6,700 |
| West Virginia | $38,120 | $18.33 | 350 |
| Oklahoma | $37,940 | $18.24 | 730 |
| Alabama | $36,880 | $17.73 | 880 |
| Mississippi | $36,680 | $17.63 | 560 |
| Louisiana | $36,360 | $17.48 | 720 |
| Puerto Rico | $28,980 | $13.93 | 1,380 |
Finding a program
How to find a sponsor that trains this title · Apprenticeship sponsors by state (25,633) · All approved occupations
- Approved titles and terms: apprenticeship.gov approved occupations list, Last-Modified October 8, 2026, read October 8, 2026.
- Pay and jobs: BLS OEWS, May 2025, all industries, read October 8, 2026.