Optical
Optical Salary
$23K - $28K
3% of jobs
$28K - $33K
16% of jobs
$34.1K is the 25th percentile. Wages below this are outliers.
$33K - $38K
26% of jobs
The median wage is $39.1K / yr.
$38K - $43K
22% of jobs
$46.8K is the 75th percentile. Wages above this are outliers.
$43K - $48K
10% of jobs
$48K - $53K
6% of jobs
$53K - $58K
3% of jobs
$58K - $63K
3% of jobs
$63K - $68K
4% of jobs
$68K - $73K
4% of jobs
$73K - $78K
3% of jobs
$23K
$39K
$77.5K
$44,592
/year
$21.44
/hour
Optical Salary Comparison by Location
Nationwide
United States
$44,592
Columbus
Ohio
$43,072
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How much does an Optical make?
As of Aug 1, 2026, the average annual pay for an Optical in the United States is $44,592 a year.
Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $21.44 an hour. This is the equivalent of $857/week or $3,716/month.
While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $77,500 and as low as $23,000, the majority of Optical salaries currently range between $34,000 (25th percentile) to $48,500 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $70,000 annually across the United States. The average pay range for an Optical varies greatly (by as much as 14500), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location and years of experience.
An Optical in your area makes on average $43,072 per year, or $1,520 (3.409%) less than the national average annual salary of $44,592. Ohio ranks number 39 out of 50 states nationwide for Optical salaries.
To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for Optical jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America.
Find your next high paying job as an Optical on ZipRecruiter today.
What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Optical Jobs
We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for an Optical job is above the national average. Topping the list is Surry, VA, , with Kentville, NS, and Whitehorse, YT, close behind in the second and third positions. Whitehorse, YT, beats the national average by $16,694 (37.4%), and Surry, VA, furthers that trend with another $19,542 (43.8%) above the $44,592 average.
With these 10 cities having average salaries higher than the national average, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as an Optical appears to be exceedingly fruitful.
Finally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies very little at 9% between Surry, VA, and Dauphin, MB, , reinforcing the limited potential for much wage advancement. The possibility of a lower cost of living may be the best factor to use when considering location and salary for an Optical role.
City | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|
Surry, VA | $64,134 | $30.83 |
Kentville, NS | $61,679 | $29.65 |
Whitehorse, YT | $61,286 | $29.46 |
Carcross, YT | $61,251 | $29.45 |
Duncan, BC | $60,628 | $29.15 |
Victoria, BC | $60,261 | $28.97 |
Alberton, PE | $59,698 | $28.70 |
Courtenay, BC | $59,538 | $28.62 |
Saint John, NB | $59,146 | $28.44 |
Dauphin, MB | $58,354 | $28.05 |
What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Optical Jobs in the U.S.
We found a few related jobs that pay more than jobs in the Optical category.
For example Powerline Construction jobs pay as much as $35,079 (78.7%) more than the average Optical salary of $44,592. If you're qualified, finding work as an Powerline Construction may help you make more money than that of the average Optical position.
Job Title | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|
Powerline Construction | $79,671 | $38.30 |
Osp Technician | $55,711 | $26.78 |
Fiber Optic Electrician | $55,130 | $26.50 |
Fusion Splicer | $55,000 | $26.44 |
Bicsi Technician | $44,888 | $21.58 |
About Our Data
ZipRecruiter salary estimates, histograms, trends and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third party data sources.
