Opticians, Dispensing pay range in Modesto
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,580 a year or less, while the top 10% make $79,090 or more. The middle half of opticians, dispensing in Modesto earn between $45,010 and $78,830.
- $38K10th
- $45K25th
- $59KMedian
- $79K75th
- $79K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $60,400 | $5,033 | $29.04 |
| Median | $59,010 | $4,918 | $28.37 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $45,010 | $3,751 | $21.64 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $78,830 | $6,569 | $37.90 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Opticians, Dispensing salary after taxes in Modesto
On the average salary of $60,400, a single filer in Modesto takes home about $48,895 a year, or $4,075 a month and $1,881 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is Modesto a good place for opticians, dispensing? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Modesto area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 104.1), so the average $60,400 buys what about $58,017 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.2 times the median wage of all jobs in Modesto ($50,610). A typical home costs $468,302, or 7.8 years of this average salary before tax.
Opticians, Dispensing salary in other California cities
Modesto ranks 10th of 21 California metro areas for this job; Santa Rosa pays the most ($70,420).
- Santa Rosa$70,420
- Vallejo$69,690
- San Jose$66,100
- San Francisco$65,260
- Sacramento$63,200
- Napa$63,080
- San Diego$62,200
- Stockton$61,670
- Santa Maria$60,530
- Modesto$60,400
Highest-paying cities for opticians, dispensing
Bridgeport, CT pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($74,410).
- Bridgeport, CT$74,410
- Norwich, CT$72,040
- Waterbury, CT$70,540
- Santa Rosa, CA$70,420
- Syracuse, NY$70,310
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Opticians, Dispensing salary in Modesto: questions
How much do opticians, dispensing make an hour in Modesto?
$29.04 an hour on average, and $28.37 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level opticians, dispensing salary in Modesto?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,580 a year and the 25th percentile is $45,010, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the opticians, dispensing take-home pay in Modesto?
About $48,895 a year ($4,075 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $60,400. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do opticians, dispensing earn more in Modesto than elsewhere?
The average here is 15% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($52,330).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 29-2081; area Modesto, CA (33700). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 4.5%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.28, this job is 1.3 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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