Opticians, Dispensing pay in North Carolina
$55,810avg. a year
$26.83 an hour · 2,020 employed
Opticians, Dispensing in North Carolina earn an average of $55,810 a year. That is $4,040 (8%) more than the U.S. average of $51,770. The best-paying metro area is Durham-Chapel Hill, NC at $60,240.
$50,190Median pay
$26.83Average hourly
+25%Avg. pay since 2020
#12Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying North Carolina metro areas
Average pay for opticians, dispensing by metro area. Swipe to see all 12.
180 jobs
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
$60,240
$28.96 an hour
260 jobs
Fayetteville, NC
$58,900
$28.32 an hour
3120 jobs
Greensboro-High Point, NC
$58,750
$28.25 an hour
4490 jobs
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
$58,320
$28.04 an hour
5130 jobs
Winston-Salem, NC
$56,790
$27.30 an hour
640 jobs
Burlington, NC
$56,680
$27.25 an hour
730 jobs
Jacksonville, NC
$56,150
$26.99 an hour
8480 jobs
Raleigh-Cary, NC
$54,950
$26.42 an hour
970 jobs
Asheville, NC
$54,840
$26.37 an hour
10400 jobs
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
$53,690
$25.81 an hour
11130 jobs
Wilmington, NC
$52,140
$25.07 an hour
1280 jobs
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC
$50,640
$24.35 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Opticians, Dispensing pay in North Carolina, charted
Pay over time
North Carolina, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where North Carolina opticians, dispensing work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · North Carolina highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $44k$44k–$50k$50k–$55k$55k+North Carolina
North Carolina vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $51,770 | $24.89 |
| North Carolina | $55,810 | $26.83 |
| Virginia | $55,110 | $26.50 |
| Georgia | $53,570 | $25.76 |
| Tennessee | $51,920 | $24.96 |
| South Carolina | $51,010 | $24.53 |
Related jobs in North Carolina
Average pay, North Carolina, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do opticians, dispensing make in North Carolina?
The average is $55,810 a year, and the median is $50,190. That is $4,040 (8%) more than the U.S. average of $51,770.
What is the hourly wage in North Carolina?
$26.83 an hour on average; the median is $24.13.
Where in North Carolina do they earn the most?
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC ($60,240), followed by Fayetteville, NC ($58,900). The lowest average among 12 metro areas with data is Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC ($50,640).
How does North Carolina rank?
North Carolina ranks #12 of 51 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 29-2081. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national opticians, dispensing page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.