Salary · NC · SOC 29-2081

Optician salary in North Carolina, per year and per hour

BLS data for May 2025. Median, mean, and percentile pay for opticians, dispensing in North Carolina, 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 North Carolina was $50,190 a year, or $24.13 an hour, in May 2025 (BLS). The middle 80% earned $36,500 to $81,340. About 2,020 were employed.

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Optician pay in North Carolina vs the US

Optician wages in North Carolina and the US, May 2025
Measure	NC annual	NC hourly	US annual
Median (50th percentile)	$50,190	$24.13	$47,260
Mean (average)	$55,810	$26.83	$51,770
10th percentile	$36,500	$17.55	$35,610
25th percentile	$38,620	$18.57	$38,820
75th percentile	$73,080	$35.14	$61,700
90th percentile	$81,340	$39.11	$76,750

Employment in North Carolina: 2,020. Location quotient: 0.87 (1.0 = the national share of jobs).

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

Optician salary by metro area in North Carolina

Optician median wage by metro area, North Carolina
Metro area	Median annual	Median hourly	Employed
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC	$51,620	$24.82	490
Raleigh-Cary, NC	$47,090	$22.64	480
Wilmington, NC	$45,400	$21.83	130
Winston-Salem, NC	$55,990	$26.92	130
Greensboro-High Point, NC	$59,420	$28.57	120
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC	$58,310	$28.03	80
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC	$40,910	$19.67	80
Asheville, NC	$49,110	$23.61	70
Fayetteville, NC	$57,780	$27.78	60
Burlington, NC	$55,530	$26.70	40
Jacksonville, NC	$54,900	$26.39	30
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC	$52,390	$25.19	400

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

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Optician salary in North Carolina

Median pay: $50,190 a year ($24.13 an hour)

Middle 80% earn $36,500 to $81,340 a year

Employed: 2,020

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 North Carolina</div><div style="margin:2px 0">Median pay: <strong>$50,190</strong> a year ($24.13 an hour)</div><div style="margin:2px 0">Middle 80% earn $36,500 to $81,340 a year</div><div style="margin:2px 0">Employed: 2,020</div><div style="margin-top:8px;font-size:12px;color:#555">BLS OEWS, May 2025. Source: <a href="https://rivvi.ai/salary/optician/nc" style="color:#3C38C9">Rivvi</a></div></div>

Questions

How much does an Optician make per hour in North Carolina?

The median hourly wage was $24.13 in May 2025, per BLS. The 10th percentile was $17.55 and the 90th was $39.11.

What is the average Optician salary in North Carolina?

BLS reports a mean (average) of $55,810 a year and a median of $50,190 for May 2025. The median is the middle wage; the mean is pulled up by the highest earners.

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

The North Carolina median of $50,190 is 6% higher than the US median of $47,260 (BLS, May 2025).

How does North Carolina rank for optician pay?

North Carolina ranks 14 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.