Optician Salary

Though a career as an optician is not directly related to a medical job, it is believed to have more job security, less impact of any kind of global financial crises, and a respectable salary. Normally, many people get confused regarding the work profiles of an ophthalmologist, optometrist and an optician. Note that an ophthalmologist is a medical doctor who is responsible for diagnosing and treating complications related to the eyes. An optometrist is not a physician; but he is qualified to practice optometry, carry out vision tests, and suggests the use of appropriate glasses and contact lenses to his clients. An optician helps clients to choose the right kind of glasses and contacts, and suggests frames that will look good on the face of his clients. Before taking a look at the optician salary range, let us first get to know in brief about the optician job description.

Optician Job Description

An optician takes the prescriptions from the clients’ suggested by their optometrist; and recommends appropriate frames, contact lenses, or any other type of vision improving accessories. Before helping the client, decide on a spectacle frame, he assesses the client’s facial attributes and shape, and also considers his occupation. An optician arranges duplicate glasses for those with broken lenses. Opticians make sure that all vision enhancers look good on the face of clients and provide them with the clearest sight. Following is a general explanation on the optician salary range.

Optician Salary Range

Licensed opticians with one to four years of experience can expect to receive a yearly pay of around $30,500 on an average. Those with five to nine years of experience can receive a median per annum pay of approximately $41,000. For licensed opticians with a total experience of 10 to 18 years, the median per annum salary is recorded to be at $49,500. Those professionals with 20 or more years of experience in this field can attract an average annual pay of $49,000.

The optician salary also varies tremendously from state to state. If you are thinking of the average optician salary in NY state, it is recorded at a high of $59,500 yearly. The median licensed optician salary in Florida is somewhere about $49,000 per annum. Those wanting to know the median optician salary in Ohio and North Carolina; the amounts are considered to be around $41,000 and $53,500 per annum. In New Jersey, Georgia and Virginia; the average yearly pay of opticians is about $49,500, $44,500 and $45,000 respectively.

If you are self employed, the optician salary range is likely to be high at $58,500 per annum. Opticians working for a company can earn a median yearly pay of $45,000; whereas those providing their services in private firms can receive an annual salary of $48,000. The salary range for those hired by non profit organizations is recorded to be around $51,000 annually. In addition to the salary difference in states, it also depends on the city of employment. In New York City, the median pay is $59,000 per annum; whereas in Cincinnati, the salary is limited to an average of $40,000. The yearly median optician salary in cities such as Columbus and Greensboro falls somewhere near $42,500 and $48,000 approximately.

Considering all determinants of the licensed optician salary, the average pay falls somewhere around $45,500 yearly. If you are planning for a simple job, with a decent amount of yearly pay, a career opportunity as an optician is the most appropriate. Remember that opticians may even be entitled to receive an hourly pay, which can be an important part of the yearly earnings.

Tags: Optician, Salary