Opticians, Dispensing · SOC 29-2081
Opticians, Dispensing Salary in the West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area
Figures describe the West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area, a BLS-defined region outside metropolitan areas — not a single city or town.
Opticians, Dispensing in the West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area earned a median of $42,890 per year ($20.62 per hour) as of the May 2025 BLS OEWS estimates. Pay ranged from $29,760 at the 10th percentile to $61,170 at the 90th. BLS estimates 60 people work in this occupation in the area.
Pay distribution
Half of Opticians, Dispensing in the West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area earn more than $42,890 per year, half earn less; the middle half earn between $34,340 and $60,480.
| Wage | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual | $29,760 | $34,340 | $42,890 | $60,480 | $61,170 |
| Hourly | $14.31 | $16.51 | $20.62 | $29.08 | $29.41 |
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
- West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area$42,890 median for West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area; middle half earns $34,340 to $60,480
- Kentuckystate$44,290 median for Kentucky; middle half earns $36,770 to $59,340
- 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 −3% vs Kentucky overall and −9% vs the U.S. median for this occupation.
Other metro areas in Kentucky
Metro areas in the same state with published May 2025 medians for opticians, dispensing, highest first. Areas without published estimates are not listed.
- West Kentucky nonmetropolitan areathis page$42,890 median for West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area; middle half earns $34,340 to $60,480
- $47,310 median for Lexington metro area; middle half earns $39,690 to $61,850
- $45,070 median for Elizabethtown metro area; middle half earns $37,260 to $61,210
- $40,560 median for Louisville/Jefferson County metro area; middle half earns $36,750 to $47,760
- $39,210 median for Paducah metro area; middle half earns $35,840 to $58,690
- $37,000 median for Bowling Green metro area; middle half earns $36,180 to $44,840
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 West Kentucky 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.