Becoming an Optician via Online Education?
At the very least, online education can help you lay a foundation and/or open up alternate career paths.
Penn Foster Career School
is a US school (accredited) offering optician courses to train individuals
to become top-notch
opticians,
eye doctors,
optics scientists,
optics professionals,
optometrists,
doctor of optometrys, etc.
Currently, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics there are 60,840 people employed as
opticians, dispensing alone in America, and their average annual salary is
$34,790.
Optometrists make on average $106,960
per year and there are about 26,480
of them employed today.
Colleges and universities like Penn Foster Career School that provide online education are successfully launching workers into
this
field.
Typical Work Locations for an Optician
- Department Stores
- High Schools
- Middle Schools
- colleges
- malls
- research facilities
- doctors office
- glasses store
- wal marts
- pharmacy
Potential Advantages and Benefits of Working as an Optician
- base salary
- bonsues benefits
- benefits of social security
- disability benefits
- healthcare
- pension benefits
- vacation pay
- job growth
- self employed opportunities
- work environment
Potential Drawbacks
- deal with the public all day
- constantly answer questions
- look at eye balls all day
- touch people you would rather not touch
- get close to people who might smell bad
- be inside a building all day
- have some boring moments
- provide explanations for the costly exams
- deal with bargain shoppers who think the glasses should be free
- deal with insurance companies
Related Professions to Consider
- Doctor
- Physician
- Physician's Assistant
- Optometrist
- Optometrist Assistant
- Nurse
- Registered Nurse
- College of Optometry
- Hospital
- Nursing Home
Possible Interview Questions When Applying to be an Optician
- What are your strengths or abilities?
- What is your long-term goal?
- Why do you want to be a Optometrist?
- How will you maintain client confidentiality?
- What stimulated your interest in health care/medicine?
- Why do you think so many people want to be Optometrist?
- There are 100 applicants as qualified as you- Why should we choose you?
- What are your positive qualities and what are your negative qualities?
- What do you know about our company?
- Do you have any questions about our company or the job?
Common Collaborating Professions
- optometrist
- therapist
- professor in optometry
- eye-care professional
- physician
- doctor
- ophthalmic medical assistant
- ophthalmologist
- dispensing optician
- health care professional
Optician Training books
Optician (More) Popular books
Potential Companies to Work For
Common College Majors
- Biology
- Anatomy
- Physiology
- Chemistry
- Physics
- Microbiology
- Zoology
- Genetics
- Mathematics
- Nursing
Optician Salary Information
Category: Optometrists
| Total # Employed in the US |
26,480 |
| Average Hourly Wage: |
$51.42/hr |
| Hourly Wage Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $23.19 |
$34.23 |
$46.22 |
$60.63 |
$0.0 |
|
| Average Yearly Salary |
$106,960 |
| Yearly Salary Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $48,240 |
$71,190 |
$96,140 |
$126,110 |
$0 |
|
| Employment Demographics |
| % OF WORKERS WITH |
| < High School Diploma |
High School Diploma |
Some College |
Associate Degree |
Bachelor Degree |
Master Degree |
Doctoral Degree |
| 0.1% |
0.9% |
1.0% |
0.4% |
0.9% |
1.1% |
95.7% |
|
Optometrists — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
| STATE | Average Hourly Wage | Average Annual Salary |
|---|
| Massachusetts |
$68.53/hr
|
$142,550
|
| Wisconsin |
$65.97/hr
|
$137,220
|
| Maine |
$62.22/hr
|
$129,420
|
| South Carolina |
$61.08/hr
|
$127,040
|
| Oregon |
$60.33/hr
|
$125,490
|
| Nebraska |
$58.57/hr
|
$121,830
|
| Arkansas |
$57.4/hr
|
$119,380
|
| Wyoming |
$56.88/hr
|
$118,300
|
| Maryland |
$56.67/hr
|
$117,880
|
| North Carolina |
$56.47/hr
|
$117,460
|
| Alaska |
$54.87/hr
|
$114,120
|
| Montana |
$54.61/hr
|
$113,580
|
| Oklahoma |
$54.43/hr
|
$113,220
|
| Pennsylvania |
$54.14/hr
|
$112,610
|
| Hawaii |
$53.97/hr
|
$112,260
|
| West Virginia |
$53.77/hr
|
$111,830
|
| North Dakota |
$53.46/hr
|
$111,210
|
| Missouri |
$53.21/hr
|
$110,670
|
| Michigan |
$52.13/hr
|
$108,430
|
| Virginia |
$51.92/hr
|
$108,000
|
| Delaware |
$51.65/hr
|
$107,430
|
| Mississippi |
$50.6/hr
|
$105,250
|
| Utah |
$49.63/hr
|
$103,230
|
| New Mexico |
$49.22/hr
|
$102,370
|
| Colorado |
$48.92/hr
|
$101,750
|
| Kansas |
$48.7/hr
|
$101,300
|
| Guam |
$48.55/hr
|
$100,980
|
| Ohio |
$48.05/hr
|
$99,940
|
| Kentucky |
$47.93/hr
|
$99,690
|
| New Hampshire |
$47.51/hr
|
$98,810
|
| Washington |
$46.87/hr
|
$97,480
|
| Florida |
$46.74/hr
|
$97,220
|
| Puerto Rico |
$46.34/hr
|
$96,390
|
| Louisiana |
$45.81/hr
|
$95,270
|
| Alabama |
$45.13/hr
|
$93,870
|
| South Dakota |
$44.76/hr
|
$93,110
|
| Indiana |
$44.29/hr
|
$92,120
|
| New York |
$43.81/hr
|
$91,130
|
| Idaho |
$43.14/hr
|
$89,730
|
| Nevada |
$42.98/hr
|
$89,390
|
| Connecticut |
$41.65/hr
|
$86,640
|
| Tennessee |
$36.63/hr
|
$76,190
|
| California |
$36.06/hr
|
$75,000
|
| District of Columbia |
$35.71/hr
|
$74,270
|
| Iowa |
$33.74/hr
|
$70,170
|
| New Jersey |
$29.51/hr
|
$61,380
|
Category: Therapists, all other
| Total # Employed in the US |
13,440 |
| Average Hourly Wage: |
$26.16/hr |
| Hourly Wage Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $13.66 |
$18.23 |
$24.7 |
$31.96 |
$39.9 |
|
| Average Yearly Salary |
$54,400 |
| Yearly Salary Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $28,400 |
$37,920 |
$51,370 |
$66,470 |
$82,980 |
|
| Employment Demographics |
| % OF WORKERS WITH |
| < High School Diploma |
High School Diploma |
Some College |
Associate Degree |
Bachelor Degree |
Master Degree |
Doctoral Degree |
| 0.8% |
4.5% |
5.7% |
6.9% |
23.6% |
51.9% |
6.4% |
|
Therapists, all other — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
| STATE | Average Hourly Wage | Average Annual Salary |
|---|
| New York |
$34.84/hr
|
$72,470
|
| Maryland |
$34.48/hr
|
$71,720
|
| Oklahoma |
$32.9/hr
|
$68,440
|
| Delaware |
$32.01/hr
|
$66,570
|
| Indiana |
$31.17/hr
|
$64,830
|
| Hawaii |
$30.97/hr
|
$64,430
|
| Virginia |
$29.3/hr
|
$60,950
|
| Massachusetts |
$28.9/hr
|
$60,120
|
| North Dakota |
$28.64/hr
|
$59,580
|
| Connecticut |
$27.93/hr
|
$58,090
|
| Iowa |
$27.88/hr
|
$57,990
|
| Nebraska |
$27.76/hr
|
$57,740
|
| Missouri |
$27.11/hr
|
$56,400
|
| Montana |
$26.78/hr
|
$55,700
|
| South Carolina |
$25.79/hr
|
$53,650
|
| Utah |
$25.26/hr
|
$52,530
|
| Wyoming |
$25.2/hr
|
$52,420
|
| Tennessee |
$25.15/hr
|
$52,300
|
| California |
$25/hr
|
$51,990
|
| Wisconsin |
$24.58/hr
|
$51,130
|
| District of Columbia |
$24.48/hr
|
$50,930
|
| North Carolina |
$24.39/hr
|
$50,730
|
| New Hampshire |
$24.1/hr
|
$50,140
|
| Louisiana |
$23.98/hr
|
$49,880
|
| Maine |
$23.6/hr
|
$49,080
|
| Colorado |
$23.55/hr
|
$48,980
|
| Alabama |
$22.76/hr
|
$47,340
|
| Mississippi |
$22.22/hr
|
$46,220
|
| Oregon |
$22.01/hr
|
$45,790
|
| Arkansas |
$21.94/hr
|
$45,640
|
| Idaho |
$21.81/hr
|
$45,360
|
| Kansas |
$21.68/hr
|
$45,090
|
| Michigan |
$20.14/hr
|
$41,880
|
| Kentucky |
$18.98/hr
|
$39,480
|
| South Dakota |
$18.59/hr
|
$38,660
|
| Florida |
$16.99/hr
|
$35,330
|
| New Mexico |
$16.11/hr
|
$33,520
|
Category: Opticians, dispensing
| Total # Employed in the US |
60,840 |
| Average Hourly Wage: |
$16.73/hr |
| Hourly Wage Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $10.16 |
$12.54 |
$15.74 |
$20.03 |
$24.31 |
|
| Average Yearly Salary |
$34,790 |
| Yearly Salary Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $21,120 |
$26,070 |
$32,740 |
$41,660 |
$50,560 |
|
| Employment Demographics |
| % OF WORKERS WITH |
| < High School Diploma |
High School Diploma |
Some College |
Associate Degree |
Bachelor Degree |
Master Degree |
Doctoral Degree |
| 2.7% |
28.3% |
34.6% |
17.8% |
13.7% |
1.1% |
1.7% |
|
Opticians, dispensing — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
| STATE | Average Hourly Wage | Average Annual Salary |
|---|
| Delaware |
$25.09/hr
|
$52,180
|
| Missouri |
$23.89/hr
|
$49,690
|
| North Dakota |
$23.62/hr
|
$49,130
|
| Oklahoma |
$22.09/hr
|
$45,940
|
| Indiana |
$20.34/hr
|
$42,310
|
| Virginia |
$19.17/hr
|
$39,870
|
| Alaska |
$18.89/hr
|
$39,290
|
| North Carolina |
$18.47/hr
|
$38,410
|
| New York |
$18.19/hr
|
$37,830
|
| Colorado |
$18.01/hr
|
$37,460
|
| Hawaii |
$17.87/hr
|
$37,170
|
| District of Columbia |
$17.51/hr
|
$36,420
|
| Oregon |
$17.49/hr
|
$36,380
|
| Nebraska |
$17.38/hr
|
$36,140
|
| Tennessee |
$17.28/hr
|
$35,950
|
| Connecticut |
$17.15/hr
|
$35,660
|
| Puerto Rico |
$17.04/hr
|
$35,440
|
| Florida |
$17/hr
|
$35,360
|
| Mississippi |
$16.99/hr
|
$35,340
|
| Idaho |
$16.88/hr
|
$35,110
|
| South Carolina |
$16.47/hr
|
$34,250
|
| Washington |
$16.21/hr
|
$33,720
|
| Maryland |
$16.08/hr
|
$33,450
|
| Utah |
$15.78/hr
|
$32,820
|
| Arkansas |
$15.68/hr
|
$32,620
|
| Michigan |
$15.63/hr
|
$32,520
|
| Wisconsin |
$15.52/hr
|
$32,290
|
| Montana |
$15.48/hr
|
$32,210
|
| Guam |
$14.76/hr
|
$30,700
|
| Ohio |
$14.67/hr
|
$30,520
|
| Alabama |
$14.63/hr
|
$30,430
|
| Kansas |
$14.46/hr
|
$30,090
|
| Massachusetts |
$14.35/hr
|
$29,850
|
| Nevada |
$14.05/hr
|
$29,220
|
| California |
$13.79/hr
|
$28,680
|
| New Jersey |
$13.53/hr
|
$28,150
|
| Pennsylvania |
$13.5/hr
|
$28,070
|
| Kentucky |
$13.4/hr
|
$27,870
|
| West Virginia |
$13.35/hr
|
$27,760
|
| Louisiana |
$13.32/hr
|
$27,700
|
| Wyoming |
$13.28/hr
|
$27,630
|
| New Hampshire |
$12.78/hr
|
$26,580
|
| Iowa |
$12.59/hr
|
$26,190
|
| Maine |
$12.58/hr
|
$26,170
|
| New Mexico |
$12.39/hr
|
$25,760
|
| South Dakota |
$11.54/hr
|
$24,000
|
