Opticians, Dispensing pay range in San Jose
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $50,750 a year or less, while the top 10% make $83,570 or more. The middle half of opticians, dispensing in San Jose earn between $50,750 and $78,910.
- $51K10th
- $51K25th
- $60KMedian
- $79K75th
- $84K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $66,100 | $5,508 | $31.78 |
| Median | $60,480 | $5,040 | $29.08 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $50,750 | $4,229 | $24.40 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $78,910 | $6,576 | $37.94 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Opticians, Dispensing salary after taxes in San Jose
On the average salary of $66,100, a single filer in San Jose takes home about $53,076 a year, or $4,423 a month and $2,041 every two weeks. Taxes take 20% 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 San Jose a good place for opticians, dispensing? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the San Jose area are 10% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 110.4), so the average $66,100 buys what about $59,861 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in San Jose ($84,050). A typical home costs $1,610,466, or 24.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Opticians, Dispensing salary in other California cities
San Jose ranks 3rd 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 San Jose: questions
How much do opticians, dispensing make an hour in San Jose?
$31.78 an hour on average, and $29.08 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level opticians, dispensing salary in San Jose?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $50,750 a year and the 25th percentile is $50,750, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the opticians, dispensing take-home pay in San Jose?
About $53,076 a year ($4,423 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $66,100. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do opticians, dispensing earn more in San Jose than elsewhere?
The average here is 26% 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 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA (41940). 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 0.73, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.73).
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