Pay distribution $36,380 10th $42,790 25th $56,520 75th $62,600 90th
Half of Opticians, Dispensing in the Baltimore metro area earn more than $48,320 per year, half earn less; the middle half earn between $42,790 and $56,520.
Wage percentiles (BLS OEWS) Wage 10th 25th Median 75th 90th Annual $36,380 $42,790 $48,320 $56,520 $62,600 Hourly $17.49 $20.57 $23.23 $27.17 $30.10
A percentile is a cut point: 25% of workers in this occupation and area earn less than the 25th-percentile wage. The median is the 50th percentile — half earn less, half earn more.
How this area compares Baltimore metro areathis metro area
$48,320 median for Baltimore metro area; middle half earns $42,790 to $56,520
$48,700 median for Maryland; middle half earns $42,070 to $59,820
$47,260 median for United States; middle half earns $38,820 to $61,700
Bars span the 25th–75th percentile (the middle half of workers); the tick marks the median.
The median here is −1% vs Maryland overall and +2% vs the U.S. median for this occupation.
Where this metro sits nationally $27,800 $44,810 $61,820 $78,830 Aguadilla, PR — $27,800 Arecibo, PR — $28,010 Guayama, PR — $28,010 Mayaguez, PR — $28,370 San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR — $28,980 Ponce, PR — $29,070 Monroe, LA — $33,410 Victoria, TX — $34,280 Lafayette, LA — $34,300 Dothan, AL — $34,420 Waco, TX — $34,520 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX — $34,860 Laredo, TX — $34,960 Brownsville-Harlingen, TX — $35,110 Lake Charles, LA — $35,130 Corpus Christi, TX — $35,300 Tyler, TX — $35,310 San Angelo, TX — $35,810 Mobile, AL — $35,960 Cape Girardeau, MO-IL — $36,100 Alexandria, LA — $36,160 Jonesboro, AR — $36,260 Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA — $36,360 St. Joseph, MO-KS — $36,390 Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX — $36,420 Montgomery, AL — $36,440 Tuscaloosa, AL — $36,500 Columbia, MO — $36,600 Muncie, IN — $36,600 Joplin, MO-KS — $36,680 Wichita Falls, TX — $36,710 Hattiesburg, MS — $36,770 Lubbock, TX — $36,790 Morgantown, WV — $36,790 Baton Rouge, LA — $36,910 Shreveport-Bossier City, LA — $36,910 Bowling Green, KY — $37,000 Peoria, IL — $37,040 Champaign-Urbana, IL — $37,080 El Paso, TX — $37,120 Fort Smith, AR-OK — $37,370 Birmingham, AL — $37,410 Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL — $37,410 Killeen-Temple, TX — $37,440 Gulfport-Biloxi, MS — $37,530 Jackson, MS — $37,580 Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA — $37,580 Springfield, MO — $37,650 Huntsville, AL — $37,700 Longview, TX — $37,760 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI — $37,780 Evansville, IN — $37,790 Grand Island, NE — $37,830 Wichita, KS — $37,850 Johnstown, PA — $37,860 Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI — $37,870 Bloomington, IN — $37,890 Topeka, KS — $37,890 Abilene, TX — $37,920 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI — $38,000 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX — $38,050 Michigan City-La Porte, IN — $38,070 Midland, TX — $38,080 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX — $38,090 Parkersburg-Vienna, WV — $38,120 Charleston, WV — $38,130 Terre Haute, IN — $38,260 New Orleans-Metairie, LA — $38,300 Sioux City, IA-NE-SD — $38,330 Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN — $38,370 Kokomo, IN — $38,390 College Station-Bryan, TX — $38,510 Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA — $38,510 Niles, MI — $38,590 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH — $38,650 Saginaw, MI — $38,660 Oklahoma City, OK — $38,670 Rapid City, SD — $38,760 Janesville-Beloit, WI — $38,900 Logan, UT-ID — $39,000 Erie, PA — $39,120 Tulsa, OK — $39,190 Paducah, KY-IL — $39,210 Albuquerque, NM — $39,230 Flint, MI — $39,230 St. Louis, MO-IL — $39,230 Columbus, GA-AL — $39,450 Ogden, UT — $39,540 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN — $39,580 Albany, GA — $39,670 Wheeling, WV-OH — $39,780 Springfield, IL — $39,790 Elkhart-Goshen, IN — $39,800 Fort Wayne, IN — $39,840 Texarkana, TX-AR — $39,920 Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI — $39,950 Bloomington, IL — $40,150 Santa Fe, NM — $40,200 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN — $40,560 Odessa, TX — $40,570 Ames, IA — $40,860 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC — $40,910 Kansas City, MO-KS — $40,930 Lansing-East Lansing, MI — $41,390 Lincoln, NE — $41,450 Amarillo, TX — $41,710 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI — $41,820 Idaho Falls, ID — $41,990 Traverse City, MI — $42,050 Pueblo, CO — $42,060 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL — $42,070 Rockford, IL — $42,070 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT — $42,070 Reading, PA — $42,470 Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT — $42,710 St. George, UT — $43,040 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR — $43,280 Omaha, NE-IA — $43,340 Jefferson City, MO — $43,440 Appleton, WI — $43,620 Green Bay, WI — $43,660 Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV — $43,660 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI — $43,830 Eau Claire, WI — $43,910 Sioux Falls, SD-MN — $44,190 Valdosta, GA — $44,220 Grand Junction, CO — $44,360 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN — $44,530 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN — $44,620 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC — $44,700 Boise City, ID — $44,720 Macon-Bibb County, GA — $44,810 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA — $44,860 Warner Robins, GA — $44,870 Sheboygan, WI — $44,910 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA — $44,930 Fargo, ND-MN — $45,040 Elizabethtown, KY — $45,070 Ann Arbor, MI — $45,090 Cedar Rapids, IA — $45,090 Wausau, WI — $45,090 St. Cloud, MN — $45,210 Colorado Springs, CO — $45,240 Grand Forks, ND-MN — $45,280 York-Hanover, PA — $45,300 Gainesville, GA — $45,310 Bangor, ME — $45,360 Wilmington, NC — $45,400 Kenosha, WI — $45,420 Dubuque, IA — $45,560 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX — $45,590 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA — $45,710 Oshkosh-Neenah, WI — $45,740 Bismarck, ND — $45,770 Hot Springs, AR — $45,790 Medford, OR — $45,930 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI — $45,930 Iowa City, IA — $46,000 Lebanon, PA — $46,010 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR — $46,020 Salisbury, MD — $46,020 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX — $46,030 Redding, CA — $46,040 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA — $46,080 Albany, OR — $46,100 Columbia, SC — $46,150 State College, PA — $46,150 Duluth, MN-WI — $46,240 Yakima, WA — $46,240 Athens-Clarke County, GA — $46,250 Billings, MT — $46,260 Eugene-Springfield, OR — $46,270 Greeley, CO — $46,440 Savannah, GA — $46,440 Coeur d'Alene, ID — $46,450 Pittsburgh, PA — $46,470 Madison, WI — $46,480 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV — $46,850 Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC — $46,920 Tucson, AZ — $46,930 Bakersfield-Delano, CA — $46,970 Raleigh-Cary, NC — $47,090 Great Falls, MT — $47,120 Chattanooga, TN-GA — $47,140 Florence, SC — $47,150 Lexington-Fayette, KY — $47,310 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO — $47,360 Rochester, MN — $47,460 Jackson, TN — $47,480 Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL — $47,550 Salem, OR — $47,550 Memphis, TN-MS-AR — $47,620 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA — $47,650 Clarksville, TN-KY — $47,660 Reno, NV — $47,680 Charleston-North Charleston, SC — $47,900 Missoula, MT — $48,050 Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC — $48,120 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ — $48,190 Mansfield, OH — $48,260 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD — $48,320 Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC — $48,390 Canton-Massillon, OH — $48,410 Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ — $48,440 Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ — $48,450 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ — $48,530 Lancaster, PA — $48,620 Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA — $48,780 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI — $48,840 Akron, OH — $48,890 Lynchburg, VA — $48,890 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA — $48,940 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA — $48,960 Knoxville, TN — $49,050 Asheville, NC — $49,110 Portland-South Portland, ME — $49,240 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD — $49,300 Toledo, OH — $49,370 Kennewick-Richland, WA — $49,540 Yuma, AZ — $49,610 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA — $49,620 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO — $49,750 Youngstown-Warren, OH — $49,750 Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA — $50,490 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA — $50,520 Visalia, CA — $50,590 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN — $50,730 Columbus, OH — $50,730 Boulder, CO — $50,840 Fresno, CA — $50,960 Johnson City, TN — $51,010 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH — $51,030 Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL — $51,060 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC — $51,620 Bozeman, MT — $51,760 Morristown, TN — $51,770 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA — $51,890 Cleveland, OH — $52,060 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN — $52,300 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC — $52,390 Roanoke, VA — $52,650 Bellingham, WA — $53,050 Bend, OR — $54,750 Jacksonville, NC — $54,900 Richmond, VA — $55,020 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA — $55,070 Salinas, CA — $55,140 Spartanburg, SC — $55,170 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA — $55,380 Burlington, NC — $55,530 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA — $55,680 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA — $55,950 Winston-Salem, NC — $55,990 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL — $56,030 Chico, CA — $56,100 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA — $56,130 Jacksonville, FL — $57,000 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL — $57,100 Charlottesville, VA — $57,140 Manchester-Nashua, NH — $57,180 Napa, CA — $57,620 Wildwood-The Villages, FL — $57,670 Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL — $57,780 Fayetteville, NC — $57,780 Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL — $57,870 Winchester, VA-WV — $58,190 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL — $58,220 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA — $58,240 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA — $58,250 Stockton-Lodi, CA — $58,250 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC — $58,310 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA — $58,360 Tallahassee, FL — $58,700 Modesto, CA — $59,010 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL — $59,120 Burlington-South Burlington, VT — $59,310 Greensboro-High Point, NC — $59,420 Ocala, FL — $59,470 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV — $59,520 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL — $59,800 Anchorage, AK — $59,940 Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA — $60,140 Binghamton, NY — $60,290 Punta Gorda, FL — $60,360 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA — $60,480 Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL — $60,490 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY — $60,620 Gainesville, FL — $60,680 Port St. Lucie, FL — $61,150 Glens Falls, NY — $61,850 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL — $61,880 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL — $62,030 Rochester, NY — $62,230 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA — $62,240 Utica-Rome, NY — $62,930 Naples-Marco Island, FL — $62,940 Harrisonburg, VA — $62,980 Kingston, NY — $63,390 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY — $63,710 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH — $64,170 Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY — $64,280 Amherst Town-Northampton, MA — $65,000 Watertown-Fort Drum, NY — $65,870 Trenton-Princeton, NJ — $67,110 Worcester, MA — $67,630 Syracuse, NY — $68,880 Barnstable Town, MA — $69,530 Springfield, MA — $71,000 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ — $71,050 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT — $71,440 Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ — $72,290 New Haven, CT — $72,410 Urban Honolulu, HI — $75,300 Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT — $76,170 Waterbury-Shelton, CT — $76,820 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA — $77,460 Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT — $78,600 Vallejo, CA — $78,830 Baltimore metro area Each dot is one metro area with a published median — hover any dot for the name and figure. Metros without published estimates are not drawn.
The Baltimore metro area has the 118th-highest published median for this occupation among the 318 metro areas where BLS publishes it. Higher medians often track higher living costs — this is a pay comparison, not a ranking of where the job is “best”.
Other metro areas in Maryland Metro areas in the same state with published May 2025 medians for opticians, dispensing, highest first. Areas without published estimates are not listed.
Baltimore metro areathis page
$48,320 median for Baltimore metro area; middle half earns $42,790 to $56,520
$46,020 median for Salisbury metro area; middle half earns $41,430 to $48,860
$43,660 median for Hagerstown metro area; middle half earns $37,160 to $49,470
Bars span the 25th–75th percentile (the middle half of workers); the tick marks the median.
About this estimate These figures are survey estimates from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program — modeled from employer reports collected over three years and benchmarked to May 2025. They describe what employers in this area currently pay across all industries, not what any individual worker will be offered.
Employment counts wage-and-salary jobs in the occupation (self-employed workers are excluded). Estimates carry sampling error; percentile wages are rounded by BLS. Some values are suppressed by BLS for confidentiality or quality — suppressed values appear here as “not published”, never as zero. Read the full methodology .