Opticians, Dispensing pay range in Portland
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $42,160 a year or less, while the top 10% make $60,660 or more. The middle half of opticians, dispensing in Portland earn between $45,590 and $56,640.
- $42K10th
- $46K25th
- $49KMedian
- $57K75th
- $61K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $51,320 | $4,277 | $24.67 |
| Median | $49,240 | $4,103 | $23.67 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $45,590 | $3,799 | $21.92 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $56,640 | $4,720 | $27.23 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Opticians, Dispensing salary after taxes in Portland
On the average salary of $51,320, a single filer in Portland takes home about $41,629 a year, or $3,469 a month and $1,601 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). Maine's standard deduction phase-out above $102,250 of income is not modelled.
Is Portland a good place for opticians, dispensing? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Portland area are 2% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 101.9), so the average $51,320 buys what about $50,384 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.9 times the median wage of all jobs in Portland ($56,960). A typical home costs $542,063, or 10.6 years of this average salary before tax.
Opticians, Dispensing salary in other Maine cities
Portland ranks 1st of 2 Maine metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Portland$51,320
- Bangor$45,780
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 Portland: questions
How much do opticians, dispensing make an hour in Portland?
$24.68 an hour on average, and $23.67 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level opticians, dispensing salary in Portland?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $42,160 a year and the 25th percentile is $45,590, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the opticians, dispensing take-home pay in Portland?
About $41,629 a year ($3,469 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $51,320. Maine's standard deduction phase-out above $102,250 of income is not modelled.
Do opticians, dispensing earn more in Portland 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 Portland-South Portland, ME (38860). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.6%.
- 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). Maine's standard deduction phase-out above $102,250 of income is not modelled.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.23, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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