SOC 29-2081 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Opticians, Dispensing — Abilene
Abilene, TX · 10 metro areas compared
The median wage for Opticians, Dispensing in Abilene, TX is $37,920 per year, 19.8% below the national median of $47,260.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to grow about as fast as average
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- +2.9%
- Openings per year
- 6,800
- Typical entry-level education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for Abilene, TX.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
The median wage for Opticians, Dispensing in Abilene, TX is $37,920 per year, 19.8% below the national median of $47,260. Half of workers earn between $33,380 and $44,320. Beyond that band, the tenth percentile sits at $30,410 and the ninetieth at $47,380.
Employment stands at 30, or 0.5 jobs per thousand held locally. Within the state, Dallas records the highest median at $46,030. Of the 287 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 216th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $30,410 | −35.7% |
| 25th | $33,380 | −29.4% |
| Median (50th) | $37,920 | −19.8% |
| 75th | $44,320 | −6.2% |
| 90th | $47,380 | +0.3% |
| Mean | $39,330 | −16.8% |
Other metro areas in Texas
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dallas | $46,030 | 2,070 | |
| 2 | Austin | $45,590 | 610 | |
| 3 | Amarillo | $41,710 | 70 | |
| 4 | Odessa | $40,570 | 50 | |
| 5 | Texarkana | $39,920 | 40 | |
| 6 | College Station | $38,510 | 50 | |
| 7 | San Antonio | $38,090 | 600 | |
| 8 | Midland | $38,080 | 40 | |
| 9 | Houston | $38,050 | 1,660 | |
| 10 | Longview | $37,760 | 60 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Abilene run 9.6% below the national average, so the median of $37,920 goes as far as $41,947 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 11.2% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$37,920as reported by BLSLocal price level
90.4US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$41,947US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $37,920 a year, 19.8% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $30,410 to $47,380 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 30 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Dallas, at $46,030.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Opticians, Dispensing in Abilene, TX?
The median annual wage is $37,920, or $18.23 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $47,260, so pay in Abilene, TX is 19.8% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Abilene, TX earns more than $47,380 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $30,410 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Dallas, at $46,030 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 30 jobs in this occupation in Abilene, TX. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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