Licensed optician demographics and statistics in the US
Licensed optician demographics research summary. Zippia estimates licensed optician demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our licensed 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 licensed opticians after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 55,498 licensed opticians currently employed in the United States.
- 63.8% of all licensed opticians are women, while 36.2% are men.
- The average licensed optician age is 43 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of licensed opticians is White (62.1%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (19.0%), Asian (9.2%) and Black or African American (5.5%).
- In 2022, women earned 90% of what men earned.
- 13% of all licensed opticians are LGBT.
- Licensed opticians are 75% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Licensed optician demographics by:
Licensed optician gender statistics
63.8% of licensed opticians are women and 36.2% of licensed opticians are men.
- Female, 63.8%
- Male, 36.2%
Licensed optician gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 63.8% |
| Male | 36.2% |
Licensed optician gender pay gap
Women earn 90¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$52,043
Female income
$46,896
Licensed optician gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in licensed optician positions over time. Currently, 63.8% of licensed opticians are female.
Licensed optician gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 31.72% | 68.28% |
| 2011 | 32.25% | 67.75% |
| 2012 | 36.36% | 63.64% |
| 2013 | 33.21% | 66.79% |
| 2014 | 25.82% | 74.18% |
| 2015 | 33.01% | 66.99% |
| 2016 | 24.97% | 75.03% |
| 2017 | 29.90% | 70.10% |
| 2018 | 32.55% | 67.45% |
| 2019 | 30.79% | 69.21% |
| 2020 | 22.85% | 77.15% |
| 2021 | 36.20% | 63.80% |
Licensed optician related jobs gender ratio
We compared licensed 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% |
| Licensed Optician | 36% | 64% |
| Driver/Technician | 93% | 7% |
| Armorer Technician | 95% | 5% |
| Guitar Technician | 96% | 4% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Licensed optician demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among licensed opticians is White, which makes up 62.1% of all licensed opticians. Comparatively, 19.0% of licensed opticians are Hispanic or Latino and 9.2% of licensed opticians are Asian.
- White, 62.1%
- Hispanic or Latino, 19.0%
- Asian, 9.2%
- Black or African American, 5.5%
- Unknown, 3.8%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
Licensed optician race
| Licensed optician race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 62.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 19.0% |
| Asian | 9.2% |
| Black or African American | 5.5% |
| Unknown | 3.8% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.4% |
Licensed optician race and ethnicity over time
See how licensed optician racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Licensed optician race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 71.78% | 6.92% | 5.51% | 13.03% |
| 2011 | 71.97% | 7.03% | 4.39% | 14.83% |
| 2012 | 74.54% | 4.92% | 4.52% | 14.34% |
| 2013 | 68.24% | 7.53% | 5.65% | 15.92% |
| 2014 | 71.62% | 8.24% | 5.39% | 12.32% |
| 2015 | 71.69% | 5.22% | 5.94% | 14.74% |
| 2016 | 68.79% | 8.06% | 6.60% | 14.91% |
| 2017 | 66.90% | 7.76% | 6.43% | 16.31% |
| 2018 | 70.99% | 5.38% | 5.32% | 14.73% |
| 2019 | 68.16% | 6.67% | 6.55% | 16.09% |
| 2020 | 65.36% | 6.20% | 8.26% | 15.91% |
| 2021 | 62.07% | 5.55% | 9.17% | 19.03% |
Licensed optician wage gap by race
According to our data, asian licensed opticians have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Unknown licensed opticians have the lowest average salary at $49,375.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $49,375 |
| White | $49,980 |
| Black or African American | $51,907 |
| Asian | $56,847 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $52,431 |
Average licensed optician age
See how the average age of licensed opticians varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Licensed 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 |
Licensed optician age breakdown
The average age of licensed opticians is 40+ years years old, representing 59% of the licensed optician population.
Licensed optician age breakdown
| Licensed Optician Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 59% |
| 30-40 years | 24% |
| 20-30 years | 17% |
Licensed optician educational attainment
The most common degree for licensed opticians is associate degree, with 49% of licensed 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 8%.
- Associate, 49%
- Bachelor's, 32%
- High School Diploma, 8%
- Diploma, 4%
- Other Degrees, 7%
Licensed opticians by degree level
| Licensed optician degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Associate | 49% |
| Bachelor's | 32% |
| High School Diploma | 8% |
| Diploma | 4% |
| Other Degrees | 7% |
Licensed optician jobs you might like
Licensed optician wage gap by degree level
According to the data, licensed opticians with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $54,172 annually. With a Associate degree, licensed opticians earn a median annual income of $51,001 compared to $48,037 for licensed opticians with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $48,037 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $54,172 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $51,001 |
Licensed optician employment statistics
Most licensed opticians work for a private in the health care industry.
Company size where licensed opticians work
Below, you can see the size of companies where licensed opticians work.
Licensed optician jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 12% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 18% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 29% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 7% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 20% |
| > 10,000 employees | 13% |
Licensed optician jobs by company type
Employees with the licensed optician job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most licensed opticians prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Licensed optician jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 4% |
| Public | 14% |
| Private | 75% |
| Government | 7% |
Licensed optician jobs by industry
The most common industries for licensed opticians are health care, retail and government.
Licensed optician industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Health Care | 27% |
| Retail | 24% |
| Government | 6% |
| Fortune 500 | 6% |
| Construction | 4% |
| Manufacturing | 4% |
| Start-up | 4% |
| Education | 4% |
| Media | 3% |
| Finance | 3% |
| Professional | 3% |
| Technology | 3% |
| Internet | 2% |
| Hospitality | 2% |
| Non Profits | 2% |
| Insurance | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Agriculture | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
Licensed optician turnover and employment statistics
Licensed optician unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for licensed opticians between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Licensed optician unemployment rate by year
| Year | Licensed 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 licensed optician tenure
The average licensed optician stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 1,533 licensed opticians resumes in Zippia's database.
Licensed optician tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 10% |
| 1-2 years | 26% |
| 3-4 years | 16% |
| 5-7 years | 20% |
| 8-10 years | 8% |
| 11+ years | 20% |
Licensed optician LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of licensed 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Pharmaceutical Technician | 5.02% | 48,829 |
| Hygienist | 6.89% | 13,991 |
| Contract Laboratory Technician | 8.24% | 51,701 |
| Health Information Manager | 9.29% | 121,247 |
| Licensed Optician | 12.53% | - |
| Endoscopic Technician | 12.80% | 48,259 |
| Nuclear Medical Technologist | 21.93% | 92,029 |
Similar licensed optician jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Pharmaceutical Technician | 5.02% | 48,829 |
| Hygienist | 6.89% | 13,991 |
| Contract Laboratory Technician | 8.24% | 51,701 |
| Health Information Manager | 9.29% | 121,247 |
| Endoscopic Technician | 12.80% | 48,259 |
| Nuclear Medical Technologist | 21.93% | 92,029 |
Foreign languages spoken by licensed opticians
The most common foreign language among licensed opticians is Spanish at 62.5%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Korean at 6.3% and Swedish is the third-most popular at 3.1%.
- Spanish, 62.5%
- Korean, 6.3%
- Swedish, 3.1%
- Portuguese, 3.1%
- Chinese, 3.1%
- Other, 21.9%
Licensed optician languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 62.5% |
| Korean | 6.3% |
| Swedish | 3.1% |
| Portuguese | 3.1% |
| Chinese | 3.1% |
| Other | 21.9% |
