Optician demographics and statistics in the US
Optician demographics research summary. Zippia estimates optician demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our 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 opticians after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 59,060 opticians currently employed in the United States.
- 77.8% of all opticians are women, while 22.2% are men.
- The average optician age is 43 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of opticians is White (61.7%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (19.2%), Asian (9.2%) and Black or African American (5.7%).
- Opticians are most in-demand in Los Angeles, CA.
- The manufacturing industry is the highest-paying for opticians.
- San Francisco, CA pays an annual average wage of $47,345, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women opticians earned 92% of what men earned.
- 13% of all opticians are LGBT.
- Alaska is the best state for opticians to live.
- Opticians are 84% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to education companies.
On this page
Optician demographics by:
Optician gender statistics
77.8% of opticians are women and 22.2% of opticians are men.
- Female, 77.8%
- Male, 22.2%
Optician gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 77.8% |
| Male | 22.2% |
Optician gender pay gap
Women earn 92¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$42,723
Female income
$39,274
Optician gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in optician positions over time. Currently, 77.8% of opticians are female.
Optician gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 18.93% | 81.07% |
| 2011 | 19.31% | 80.69% |
| 2012 | 22.31% | 77.69% |
| 2013 | 20.00% | 80.00% |
| 2014 | 14.90% | 85.10% |
| 2015 | 19.85% | 80.15% |
| 2016 | 14.34% | 85.66% |
| 2017 | 17.66% | 82.34% |
| 2018 | 19.53% | 80.47% |
| 2019 | 18.28% | 81.72% |
| 2020 | 12.96% | 87.04% |
| 2021 | 22.20% | 77.80% |
Optician related jobs gender ratio
We compared 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% |
| Optician | 22% | 78% |
| Driver/Technician | 93% | 7% |
| Armorer Technician | 95% | 5% |
| Guitar Technician | 96% | 4% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Optician demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among opticians is White, which makes up 61.7% of all opticians. Comparatively, 19.2% of opticians are Hispanic or Latino and 9.2% of opticians are Asian.
- White, 61.7%
- Hispanic or Latino, 19.2%
- Asian, 9.2%
- Black or African American, 5.7%
- Unknown, 3.8%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
Optician race
| Optician race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 61.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 19.2% |
| Asian | 9.2% |
| Black or African American | 5.7% |
| Unknown | 3.8% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.4% |
Optician race and ethnicity over time
See how optician racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Optician race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 71.41% | 7.02% | 5.57% | 13.23% |
| 2011 | 71.60% | 7.14% | 4.45% | 15.03% |
| 2012 | 74.18% | 5.03% | 4.57% | 14.53% |
| 2013 | 67.88% | 7.64% | 5.70% | 16.12% |
| 2014 | 71.26% | 8.35% | 5.44% | 12.51% |
| 2015 | 71.33% | 5.33% | 5.99% | 14.94% |
| 2016 | 68.43% | 8.16% | 6.65% | 15.10% |
| 2017 | 66.53% | 7.86% | 6.48% | 16.50% |
| 2018 | 70.62% | 5.48% | 5.37% | 14.93% |
| 2019 | 67.80% | 6.78% | 6.60% | 16.29% |
| 2020 | 64.99% | 6.30% | 8.31% | 16.11% |
| 2021 | 61.71% | 5.65% | 9.22% | 19.22% |
Optician wage gap by race
According to our data, asian opticians have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Unknown opticians have the lowest average salary at $40,944.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $40,944 |
| White | $41,349 |
| Black or African American | $42,633 |
| Asian | $45,883 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $42,981 |
Average optician age
See how the average age of opticians varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
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 |
Optician age breakdown
The average age of opticians is 40+ years years old, representing 59% of the optician population.
Optician age breakdown
| Optician Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 59% |
| 30-40 years | 24% |
| 20-30 years | 17% |
Optician educational attainment
The most common degree for opticians is bachelor's degree, with 31% of opticians earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are high school diploma degree at 27% and high school diploma degree at 26%.
- Bachelor's, 31%
- High School Diploma, 27%
- Associate, 26%
- Diploma, 7%
- Other Degrees, 9%
Opticians by degree level
| Optician degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 31% |
| High School Diploma | 27% |
| Associate | 26% |
| Diploma | 7% |
| Other Degrees | 9% |
Optician jobs you might like
Optician wage gap by degree level
According to the data, opticians with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $44,131 annually. With a Associate degree, opticians earn a median annual income of $42,030 compared to $40,045 for opticians with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $40,045 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $44,131 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $42,030 |
Optician employment statistics
Most opticians work for a private in the health care industry.
Company size where opticians work
Below, you can see the size of companies where opticians work.
Optician jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 15% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 24% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 32% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 5% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 11% |
| > 10,000 employees | 12% |
Optician jobs by company type
Employees with the optician job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most opticians prefer to work at private companies over education companies.
Optician jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 6% |
| Public | 6% |
| Private | 84% |
| Government | 5% |
Optician jobs by industry
The most common industries for opticians are health care, retail and manufacturing.
Optician industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Health Care | 33% |
| Retail | 18% |
| Manufacturing | 9% |
| Government | 5% |
| Education | 5% |
| Professional | 5% |
| Start-up | 3% |
| Non Profits | 3% |
| Fortune 500 | 3% |
| Hospitality | 3% |
| Technology | 3% |
| Construction | 3% |
| Agriculture | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Media | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
Optician turnover and employment statistics
Optician unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for opticians between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Optician unemployment rate by year
| Year | 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 optician tenure
The average optician stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 16,337 opticians resumes in Zippia's database.
Optician tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 21% |
| 1-2 years | 33% |
| 3-4 years | 16% |
| 5-7 years | 18% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 8% |
Optician LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Reprographics Technician | 5.02% | 47,234 |
| Implant Coordinator | 6.89% | 17,619 |
| Histology Specialist | 8.24% | 18,887 |
| Health Information Administrator | 9.29% | 153,896 |
| Optician | 12.53% | - |
| Obstetrics Technician | 12.80% | 55,214 |
| Nuclear Medicine Technologist | 21.93% | 56,975 |
Similar optician jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Reprographics Technician | 5.02% | 47,234 |
| Implant Coordinator | 6.89% | 17,619 |
| Histology Specialist | 8.24% | 18,887 |
| Health Information Administrator | 9.29% | 153,896 |
| Obstetrics Technician | 12.80% | 55,214 |
| Nuclear Medicine Technologist | 21.93% | 56,975 |
Foreign languages spoken by opticians
The most common foreign language among opticians is Spanish at 71.3%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Russian at 3.4% and French is the third-most popular at 3.2%.
- Spanish, 71.3%
- Russian, 3.4%
- French, 3.2%
- Arabic, 2.7%
- Vietnamese, 2.2%
- Other, 17.2%
Optician languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 71.3% |
| Russian | 3.4% |
| French | 3.2% |
| Arabic | 2.7% |
| Vietnamese | 2.2% |
| Other | 17.2% |
