Opticians, Dispensing pay range in Boulder
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $41,980 a year or less, while the top 10% make $70,190 or more. The middle half of opticians, dispensing in Boulder earn between $47,650 and $57,100.
- $42K10th
- $48K25th
- $51KMedian
- $57K75th
- $70K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $53,020 | $4,418 | $25.49 |
| Median | $50,840 | $4,237 | $24.44 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $47,650 | $3,971 | $22.91 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $57,100 | $4,758 | $27.45 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Opticians, Dispensing salary after taxes in Boulder
On the average salary of $53,020, a single filer in Boulder takes home about $43,157 a year, or $3,596 a month and $1,660 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 (2026 rules). Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
Is Boulder a good place for opticians, dispensing? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Boulder area are 5% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 105.2), so the average $53,020 buys what about $50,398 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Boulder ($69,580). A typical home costs $727,954, or 13.7 years of this average salary before tax.
Opticians, Dispensing salary in other Colorado cities
Boulder ranks 2nd of 7 Colorado metro areas for this job; Denver pays the most ($54,460).
- Denver$54,460
- Boulder$53,020
- Fort Collins$49,820
- Greeley$48,330
- Colorado Springs$46,820
- Grand Junction$43,650
- Pueblo$43,010
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 Boulder: questions
How much do opticians, dispensing make an hour in Boulder?
$25.49 an hour on average, and $24.44 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level opticians, dispensing salary in Boulder?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $41,980 a year and the 25th percentile is $47,650, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the opticians, dispensing take-home pay in Boulder?
About $43,157 a year ($3,596 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $53,020. Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
Do opticians, dispensing earn more in Boulder than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as 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 Boulder, CO (14500). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.9%.
- 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 (2026 rules). Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.29, this job is 1.3 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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