Opticians, Dispensing Salary in New York, NY
Opticians, Dispensing in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area earn a median $71,050 a year — 50% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $55,574 take-home, or $4,631 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median opticians, dispensing salary in New York, NY. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$6,801
- Social Security (6.2%)$4,405
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,030
- New York income tax$3,240
- Take-home pay$55,574
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 5.40% state
Living in New York City? City residents also pay New York City’s city income tax — about $2,319 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $53,255 ($4,438 a month). Choose “New York City” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
The New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro spans New York, New Jersey. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Opticians, Dispensing pay by experience in New York, NY
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $43,060 | $20.70 | $35,050 | $2,921 |
| 25th percentile | $56,290 | $27.06 | $44,966 | $3,747 |
| Median (50th) | $71,050 | $34.16 | $55,574 | $4,631 |
| 75th percentile | $78,220 | $37.61 | $60,231 | $5,019 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $85,050 | $40.89 | $64,667 | $5,389 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, New York resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $71,050 buys in New York, NY
Prices in New York, NY are 12.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.49× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median opticians, dispensing's $55,574 take-home pay has the buying power of $49,371 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Opticians, Dispensing jobs are less concentrated in New York, NY than nationally (location quotient 0.77), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for opticians, dispensing, adjusted for cost of living
New York, NY ranks #1 of 3 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $71,050 | $55,574 | $49,371 |
| 2 | Los Angeles, CA | $56,130 | $45,133 | $39,742 |
| 3 | Chicago, IL | $44,530 | $35,900 | $34,655 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 3 metros →
About the job: opticians, dispensing
Design, measure, fit, and adapt lenses and frames for client according to written optical prescription or specification. Assist client with inserting, removing, and caring for contact lenses. Assist client with selecting frames. Measure customer for size of eyeglasses and coordinate frames with facial and eye measurements and optical prescription. Prepare work order for optical laboratory containing instructions for grinding and mounting lenses in frames. Verify exactness of finished lens spectacles. Adjust frame and lens position to fit client. May shape or reshape frames.
- Typical education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +4.2% (about average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a opticians, dispensing make in New York, NY?
The median opticians, dispensing salary in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area is $71,050 a year, or about $34.16 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $56,290 and $78,220.
What is a opticians, dispensing’s take-home pay in New York, NY?
On the median $71,050 salary, a single filer living in New York takes home about $55,574 a year ($4,631 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $3,240 in New York taxes in 2026.
Is New York, NY a good place to work as a opticians, dispensing?
Pay here is 50% above the national median of $47,260. Local prices are 12.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $49,371 would in a typical U.S. city. New York, NY ranks #1 of 3 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a opticians, dispensing afford rent in New York, NY?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in New York, NY is $2,378 a month ($2,697 for two bedrooms) — 51% of a median opticians, dispensing’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in New York, NY
- Anesthesiologist — $239,200+
- Surgeons, All Other — $239,200+
- Obstetrician and Gynecologist — $239,200+
- Emergency Medicine Physician — $239,200+
- Physicians, All Other — $239,200+
- Family Medicine Physician — $239,200+
- Psychiatrist — $239,200+
- Pediatricians, General — $216,040
- Dentists, General — $190,010
- Physician Assistant — $167,650
- Nurse Practitioner — $163,340
- Optometrist — $161,030