Salary · KY · SOC 29-2081

Optician salary in Kentucky, per year and per hour

BLS data for May 2025. Median, mean, and percentile pay for opticians, dispensing in Kentucky, with every metro area BLS publishes.

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, released May 15, 2026. Publisher page

Quick answer

The median pay for opticians, dispensing in Kentucky was $44,290 a year, or $21.29 an hour, in May 2025 (BLS). The middle 80% earned $30,190 to $65,130. About 950 were employed.

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Optician pay in Kentucky vs the US

Optician wages in Kentucky and the US, May 2025
Measure	KY annual	KY hourly	US annual
Median (50th percentile)	$44,290	$21.29	$47,260
Mean (average)	$47,050	$22.62	$51,770
10th percentile	$30,190	$14.51	$35,610
25th percentile	$36,770	$17.68	$38,820
75th percentile	$59,340	$28.53	$61,700
90th percentile	$65,130	$31.31	$76,750

Employment in Kentucky: 950. Location quotient: 1 (1.0 = the national share of jobs).

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Publisher page

Optician salary by metro area in Kentucky

Optician median wage by metro area, Kentucky
Metro area	Median annual	Median hourly	Employed
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN	$40,560	$19.50	340
Lexington-Fayette, KY	$47,310	$22.74	120
Bowling Green, KY	$37,000	$17.79	60
Elizabethtown, KY	$45,070	$21.67	30
Paducah, KY-IL	$39,210	$18.85	30
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN	$50,730	$24.39	570
Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH	$38,650	$18.58	80
Clarksville, TN-KY	$47,660	$22.91	60

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Publisher page

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Optician salary in Kentucky

Median pay: $44,290 a year ($21.29 an hour)

Middle 80% earn $30,190 to $65,130 a year

Employed: 950

BLS OEWS, May 2025. Source: Rivvi

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<div style="font:14px/1.45 system-ui,sans-serif;color:#222;border:1px solid #E6E6EE;border-radius:12px;padding:14px 16px;max-width:360px;background:#fff"><div style="font-weight:600;font-size:15px;margin-bottom:6px">Optician salary in Kentucky</div><div style="margin:2px 0">Median pay: <strong>$44,290</strong> a year ($21.29 an hour)</div><div style="margin:2px 0">Middle 80% earn $30,190 to $65,130 a year</div><div style="margin:2px 0">Employed: 950</div><div style="margin-top:8px;font-size:12px;color:#555">BLS OEWS, May 2025. Source: <a href="https://rivvi.ai/salary/optician/ky" style="color:#3C38C9">Rivvi</a></div></div>

Questions

How much does an Optician make per hour in Kentucky?

The median hourly wage was $21.29 in May 2025, per BLS. The 10th percentile was $14.51 and the 90th was $31.31.

What is the average Optician salary in Kentucky?

BLS reports a mean (average) of $47,050 a year and a median of $44,290 for May 2025. The median is the middle wage; the mean is pulled up by the highest earners.

Do opticians, dispensing in Kentucky earn more than the US median?

The Kentucky median of $44,290 is 6% lower than the US median of $47,260 (BLS, May 2025).

How does Kentucky rank for optician pay?

Kentucky ranks 33 of 51 states (plus DC) by median annual wage for opticians, dispensing (BLS, May 2025).

Where do these numbers come from?

The BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates, SOC 29-2081. Figures BLS did not publish are left out.