Opticians, Dispensing · SOC 29-2081
Opticians, Dispensing Salary in the Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area
Figures describe the Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area, a BLS-defined region outside metropolitan areas — not a single city or town.
Opticians, Dispensing in the Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area earned a median of $41,580 per year ($19.99 per hour) as of the May 2025 BLS OEWS estimates. Pay ranged from $37,340 at the 10th percentile to $45,950 at the 90th. BLS estimates 140 people work in this occupation in the area.
Pay distribution
Half of Opticians, Dispensing in the Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area earn more than $41,580 per year, half earn less; the middle half earn between $37,940 and $45,600.
| Wage | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual | $37,340 | $37,940 | $41,580 | $45,600 | $45,950 |
| Hourly | $17.95 | $18.24 | $19.99 | $21.92 | $22.09 |
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
- Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area$41,580 median for Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area; middle half earns $37,940 to $45,600
- Iowastate$44,480 median for Iowa; middle half earns $38,570 to $46,570
- United Statesnational$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 −7% vs Iowa overall and −12% vs the U.S. median for this occupation.
Other metro areas in Iowa
Metro areas in the same state with published May 2025 medians for opticians, dispensing, highest first. Areas without published estimates are not listed.
- Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan areathis page$41,580 median for Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area; middle half earns $37,940 to $45,600
- $46,080 median for Des Moines metro area; middle half earns $39,140 to $49,500
- $46,000 median for Iowa City metro area; middle half earns $40,090 to $49,100
- $45,560 median for Dubuque metro area; middle half earns $39,210 to $47,240
- $45,090 median for Cedar Rapids metro area; middle half earns $37,930 to $46,430
- $44,930 median for Waterloo metro area; middle half earns $38,030 to $46,550
- $42,070 median for Davenport metro area; middle half earns $37,450 to $50,240
Bars span the 25th–75th percentile (the middle half of workers); the tick marks the median.
Keep exploring
Other occupations in the same SOC group with published medians here, largest employment first:
Highest-paying metro areas for opticians, dispensings · Highest-paying occupations in Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area
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.
About this data. Estimates are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 release, retrieved from bls.gov/oes/tables.htm on July 24, 2026. OEWS estimates describe metropolitan/nonmetropolitan areas and states — not city limits — and are not designed for year-over-year comparisons. See BLS methodology, our plain-English methodology, and sources. CitySalaryData is independent and not affiliated with BLS.