Dispensing optician demographics and statistics in the US
Dispensing optician demographics research summary. Zippia estimates dispensing optician demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our dispensing optician estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about dispensing opticians after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 55,498 dispensing opticians currently employed in the United States.
- 66.6% of all dispensing opticians are women, while 33.4% are men.
- The average dispensing optician age is 43 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of dispensing opticians is White (61.8%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (19.1%), Asian (9.2%) and Black or African American (5.6%).
- In 2022, women earned 90% of what men earned.
- 13% of all dispensing opticians are LGBT.
- Dispensing opticians are 82% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Dispensing optician demographics by:
Dispensing optician gender statistics
66.6% of dispensing opticians are women and 33.4% of dispensing opticians are men.
- Female, 66.6%
- Male, 33.4%
Dispensing optician gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 66.6% |
| Male | 33.4% |
Dispensing optician gender pay gap
Women earn 90¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$51,873
Female income
$46,909
Dispensing optician gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in dispensing optician positions over time. Currently, 66.6% of dispensing opticians are female.
Dispensing optician gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 29.09% | 70.91% |
| 2011 | 29.59% | 70.41% |
| 2012 | 33.53% | 66.47% |
| 2013 | 30.51% | 69.49% |
| 2014 | 23.51% | 76.49% |
| 2015 | 30.31% | 69.69% |
| 2016 | 22.71% | 77.29% |
| 2017 | 27.36% | 72.64% |
| 2018 | 29.88% | 70.12% |
| 2019 | 28.20% | 71.80% |
| 2020 | 20.73% | 79.27% |
| 2021 | 33.38% | 66.62% |
Dispensing optician related jobs gender ratio
We compared dispensing opticians with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, guitar technician and armorer technician have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Radiographer, Mammographer | 2% | 98% |
| Mammographer | 3% | 97% |
| Lead Mammographer | 3% | 97% |
| Dispensing Optician | 33% | 67% |
| Driver/Technician | 93% | 7% |
| Armorer Technician | 95% | 5% |
| Guitar Technician | 96% | 4% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Dispensing optician demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among dispensing opticians is White, which makes up 61.8% of all dispensing opticians. Comparatively, 19.1% of dispensing opticians are Hispanic or Latino and 9.2% of dispensing opticians are Asian.
- White, 61.8%
- Hispanic or Latino, 19.1%
- Asian, 9.2%
- Black or African American, 5.6%
- Unknown, 3.8%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
Dispensing optician race
| Dispensing optician race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 61.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 19.1% |
| Asian | 9.2% |
| Black or African American | 5.6% |
| Unknown | 3.8% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.5% |
Dispensing optician race and ethnicity over time
See how dispensing optician racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Dispensing optician race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 71.55% | 6.98% | 5.55% | 13.16% |
| 2011 | 71.74% | 7.10% | 4.43% | 14.96% |
| 2012 | 74.32% | 4.99% | 4.55% | 14.46% |
| 2013 | 68.01% | 7.60% | 5.68% | 16.05% |
| 2014 | 71.40% | 8.31% | 5.42% | 12.44% |
| 2015 | 71.47% | 5.29% | 5.97% | 14.86% |
| 2016 | 68.56% | 8.12% | 6.63% | 15.03% |
| 2017 | 66.67% | 7.82% | 6.46% | 16.43% |
| 2018 | 70.76% | 5.45% | 5.35% | 14.86% |
| 2019 | 67.94% | 6.74% | 6.58% | 16.22% |
| 2020 | 65.13% | 6.26% | 8.30% | 16.04% |
| 2021 | 61.85% | 5.61% | 9.20% | 19.15% |
Dispensing optician wage gap by race
According to our data, asian dispensing opticians have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Unknown dispensing opticians have the lowest average salary at $49,302.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $49,302 |
| White | $49,885 |
| Black or African American | $51,742 |
| Asian | $56,491 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $52,247 |
Average dispensing optician age
See how the average age of dispensing opticians varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Dispensing optician age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 46 | |
| White | 48 | 47 |
| Black or African American | 34 | |
| Asian | 36.5 | 41 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 37 | 31.5 |
Dispensing optician age breakdown
The average age of dispensing opticians is 40+ years years old, representing 59% of the dispensing optician population.
Dispensing optician age breakdown
| Dispensing Optician Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 59% |
| 30-40 years | 24% |
| 20-30 years | 17% |
Dispensing optician educational attainment
The most common degree for dispensing opticians is associate degree, with 32% of dispensing opticians earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 32% and bachelor's degree degree at 19%.
- Associate, 32%
- Bachelor's, 32%
- High School Diploma, 19%
- Diploma, 6%
- Other Degrees, 11%
Dispensing opticians by degree level
| Dispensing optician degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Associate | 32% |
| Bachelor's | 32% |
| High School Diploma | 19% |
| Diploma | 6% |
| Other Degrees | 11% |
Dispensing optician jobs you might like
Dispensing optician wage gap by degree level
According to the data, dispensing opticians with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $53,922 annually. With a Associate degree, dispensing opticians earn a median annual income of $50,869 compared to $48,010 for dispensing opticians with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $48,010 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $53,922 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $50,869 |
Dispensing optician employment statistics
Most dispensing opticians work for a private in the health care industry.
Company size where dispensing opticians work
Below, you can see the size of companies where dispensing opticians work.
Dispensing optician jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 15% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 28% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 20% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 3% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 18% |
| > 10,000 employees | 16% |
Dispensing optician jobs by company type
Employees with the dispensing optician job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most dispensing opticians prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Dispensing optician jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 4% |
| Public | 10% |
| Private | 82% |
| Government | 3% |
Dispensing optician jobs by industry
The most common industries for dispensing opticians are health care, retail and manufacturing.
Dispensing optician industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Health Care | 28% |
| Retail | 19% |
| Manufacturing | 7% |
| Fortune 500 | 6% |
| Professional | 6% |
| Non Profits | 5% |
| Education | 4% |
| Energy | 3% |
| Finance | 3% |
| Government | 3% |
| Media | 3% |
| Start-up | 3% |
| Insurance | 3% |
| Utilities | 2% |
| Real Estate | 2% |
| Construction | 2% |
| Hospitality | 2% |
| Technology | 2% |
| Agriculture | 1% |
Dispensing optician turnover and employment statistics
Dispensing optician unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for dispensing opticians between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Dispensing optician unemployment rate by year
| Year | Dispensing optician unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 2.51% |
| 2011 | 4.14% |
| 2012 | 4.99% |
| 2013 | 2.46% |
| 2014 | 2.76% |
| 2015 | 2.38% |
| 2016 | 2.14% |
| 2017 | 2.33% |
| 2018 | 1.82% |
| 2019 | 1.63% |
| 2020 | 2.40% |
| 2021 | 3.33% |
Average dispensing optician tenure
The average dispensing optician stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 991 dispensing opticians resumes in Zippia's database.
Dispensing optician tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 15% |
| 1-2 years | 37% |
| 3-4 years | 18% |
| 5-7 years | 13% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 12% |
Dispensing optician LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of dispensing opticians that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Darkroom Technician | 5.02% | 30,122 |
| Implant Coordinator | 6.89% | 17,619 |
| Assistant Laboratory Manager | 8.24% | 39,463 |
| Certified Professional Coder | 9.29% | 86,465 |
| Dispensing Optician | 12.53% | - |
| Obstetrics Technician | 12.80% | 55,214 |
| Nuclear Medical Technologist | 21.93% | 92,029 |
Similar dispensing optician jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Darkroom Technician | 5.02% | 30,122 |
| Implant Coordinator | 6.89% | 17,619 |
| Assistant Laboratory Manager | 8.24% | 39,463 |
| Certified Professional Coder | 9.29% | 86,465 |
| Obstetrics Technician | 12.80% | 55,214 |
| Nuclear Medical Technologist | 21.93% | 92,029 |
Foreign languages spoken by dispensing opticians
The most common foreign language among dispensing opticians is Spanish at 61.8%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is German at 5.9% and French is the third-most popular at 5.9%.
- Spanish, 61.8%
- German, 5.9%
- French, 5.9%
- Russian, 5.9%
- Polish, 5.9%
- Other, 14.6%
Dispensing optician languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 61.8% |
| German | 5.9% |
| French | 5.9% |
| Russian | 5.9% |
| Polish | 5.9% |
| Other | 14.6% |
