Best institutions to study Opticianry/Ophthalmic Dispensing Optician
A program that prepares individuals to adapt and fit corrective eyewear, including eyeglasses and contact lenses, as prescribed by ophthalmologists or optometrists; to assist patients in selecting appropriate frames; and to prepare work orders for ophthalmic laboratory technicians.
23 U.S. institutions graduated 407 Opticianry/Ophthalmic Dispensing Optician students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 51.1801, a specialization of Ophthalmic and Optometric Support Services and Allied Professions (CIP 51.18), and leads most directly to the Opticians, Dispensing occupation (BLS SOC 29-2081).
About Opticianry/Ophthalmic Dispensing Optician programs
A program that prepares individuals to adapt and fit corrective eyewear, including eyeglasses and contact lenses, as prescribed by ophthalmologists or optometrists; to assist patients in selecting appropriate frames; and to prepare work orders for ophthalmic laboratory technicians. Includes instruction in geometrical optics, ophthalmic optics, anatomy of the eye, optical instrumentation, use and maintenance of adjustment and cleaning tools, prescription interpretation, contact lens adaptation and fitting, prosthesis fitting, facial and eye measuring, pathology identification, record-keeping, and patient and business administrative tasks.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The Opticianry/Ophthalmic Dispensing Optician program prepares students to adapt and fit corrective eyewear, including eyeglasses and contact lenses, as prescribed by eye care professionals. This program is ideal for individuals interested in a career in the health professions, specifically in supporting ophthalmic and optometric services.
Learn more about Opticianry/Ophthalmic Dispensing Optician →
Students will gain knowledge in geometrical optics, ophthalmic optics, and the anatomy of the eye. Coursework includes training in prescription interpretation, contact lens fitting, and the use of optical instruments, alongside essential skills in customer service and administrative tasks.
Credentials awarded
What Opticianry/Ophthalmic Dispensing Optician graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Associate's degree250 graduates / yr · 21 institutions61%
- Award of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years88 graduates / yr · 3 institutions22%
- Award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year54 graduates / yr · 5 institutions13%
- Award of at least 2 but less than 4 academic years15 graduates / yr · 2 institutions3.7%
Graduates over time
Opticianry/Ophthalmic Dispensing Optician completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 783 |
| 2013 | 620 |
| 2014 | 778 |
| 2015 | 686 |
| 2016 | 608 |
| 2017 | 563 |
| 2018 | 522 |
| 2019 | 519 |
| 2020 | 501 |
| 2021 | 513 |
| 2022 | 445 |
| 2023 | 397 |
| 2024 | 352 |
| 2025 | 407 |
Top 23 institutions for Opticianry/Ophthalmic Dispensing Optician, ranked by graduates
Graduates (IPEDS completions), 2024–25. Award levels show which credentials each institution confers in this specialization.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Field earnings* (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | American Career College - Ontario Ontario, CAPrivate for-profitAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 44 | 66% | $31,076 | $32,524 |
| 2 | American Career College - Los Angeles Los Angeles, CAPrivate for-profitAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 43 | 75% | $28,906 | $27,698 |
| 3 | College of Southern Nevada Las Vegas, NVPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearAssociate's | 40 | 19% | — | — |
| 4 | Hillsborough College Tampa, FLPublicAssociate's | 39 | 34% | — | $48,106 |
| 5 | Connecticut State Community College New Britain, CTPublicAssociate's | 24 | 24% | — | — |
| 6 | Essex County College Newark, NJPublicAssociate'sAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 24 | 20% | — | $37,740 |
| 7 | Georgia Piedmont Technical College Clarkston, GAPublicAward of at least 2 but less than 4 academic yearsAssociate's | 24 | 44% | — | — |
| 8 | Miami Dade College Miami, FLPublicAssociate's | 23 | 46% | — | $57,932 |
| 9 | J Sargeant Reynolds Community College Richmond, VAPublicAssociate'sAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 22 | 32% | — | — |
| 10 | Durham Technical Community College Durham, NCPublicAssociate's | 18 | 45% | — | $61,860 |
| 11 | Camden County College Blackwood, NJPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearAssociate's | 16 | 31% | — | — |
| 12 | Raritan Valley Community College Branchburg, NJPublicAssociate's | 16 | 31% | — | — |
| 13 | CUNY New York City College of Technology Brooklyn, NYPublicAssociate's | 14 | 21% | — | $29,187 |
| 14 | Broward College Fort Lauderdale, FLPublicAssociate's | 13 | 39% | — | — |
| 15 | Benjamin Franklin Cummings Institute of Technology Boston, MAPrivate not-for-profitAssociate's | 13 | 46% | $17,988 | $44,504 |
| 16 | Roane State Community College Harriman, TNPublicAssociate's | 11 | 36% | — | $33,853 |
| 17 | Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute Albuquerque, NMPublicAssociate's | 6 | 14% | — | — |
| 18 | Erie Community College Buffalo, NYPublicAssociate's | 4 | 28% | — | $26,746 |
| 19 | Cuyahoga Community College District Cleveland, OHPublicAssociate'sAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 4 | 31% | — | — |
| 20 | Elgin Community College Elgin, ILPublicAssociate's | 3 | 41% | — | — |
| 21 | Southwestern Community College Sylva, NCPublicAssociate'sAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 3 | 53% | — | — |
| 22 | Ogeechee Technical College Statesboro, GAPublicAssociate'sAward of at least 2 but less than 4 academic years | 2 | 43% | — | — |
| 23 | East Mississippi Community College Scooba, MSPublicAssociate's | 1 | 48% | — | — |
* Median earnings 1 year after graduation for the broader Ophthalmic and Optometric Support Services and Allied Professions field (CIP 51.18) at these institutions; College Scorecard does not publish earnings at the 6-digit level.
Offered in 15 states
Where Opticianry/Ophthalmic Dispensing Optician graduates come from. Each state links to all Ophthalmic and Optometric Support Services and Allied Professions programs offered there.
| State | Institutions | Graduates / yr | Top institution by graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 2 | 87 | American Career College - Ontario44 / yr |
| Florida | 3 | 75 | Hillsborough College39 / yr |
| New Jersey | 3 | 56 | Essex County College24 / yr |
| Nevada | 1 | 40 | College of Southern Nevada40 / yr |
| Georgia | 2 | 26 | Georgia Piedmont Technical College24 / yr |
| Connecticut | 1 | 24 | Connecticut State Community College24 / yr |
| Virginia | 1 | 22 | J Sargeant Reynolds Community College22 / yr |
| North Carolina | 2 | 21 | Durham Technical Community College18 / yr |
| New York | 2 | 18 | CUNY New York City College of Technology14 / yr |
| Massachusetts | 1 | 13 | Benjamin Franklin Cummings Institute of Technology13 / yr |
| Tennessee | 1 | 11 | Roane State Community College11 / yr |
| New Mexico | 1 | 6 | Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute6 / yr |
| Ohio | 1 | 4 | Cuyahoga Community College District4 / yr |
| Illinois | 1 | 3 | Elgin Community College3 / yr |
| Mississippi | 1 | 1 | East Mississippi Community College1 / yr |
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 29-2081, Opticians, Dispensing, and its national outlook.
Graduates can pursue careers as dispensing opticians, with an annual job outlook of approximately 6,800 openings and a median wage of $46,560. The typical education required is a high school diploma or equivalent, and job growth is projected to be about as fast as average at 2.9%.
Top-paying metros
Career pathways for CIP 51.1801
The occupations the NCES crosswalk maps this 6-digit code to, with BLS pay and 10-year outlook.
| Occupation | US median pay | Growth | Openings / yr | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Opticians, Dispensingprimary SOC 29-2081 | $47,260 | +2.9% About as fast as average | ~6,800 | High school diploma or equivalent |
Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
- Education
- Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
- Experience
- Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
- Training
- Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Related careers
Skills & knowledge in Opticianry/Ophthalmic Dispensing Optician programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this specialization most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
Abilities that matter most
Day-to-day work activities
What graduates do on the job
- Measure clients' bridge and eye size, temple length, vertex distance, pupillary distance, and optical centers of eyes, using measuring devices.
- Verify that finished lenses are ground to specifications.
- Evaluate prescriptions in conjunction with clients' vocational and avocational visual requirements.
- Recommend specific lenses, lens coatings, and frames to suit client needs.
- Assist clients in selecting frames according to style and color, and ensure that frames are coordinated with facial and eye measurements and optical prescriptions.
- Maintain records of customer prescriptions, work orders, and payments.
Tools and technology used
Other Ophthalmic and Optometric Support Services and Allied Professions specializations
The 4 other 6-digit CIP codes under Ophthalmic and Optometric Support Services and Allied Professions (CIP 51.18).
- Optometric Technician/CIP 51.1802
Assistant 196 graduates / yr14 institutions - Ophthalmic Technician/CIP 51.1803
Technologist 172 graduates / yr19 institutions - Ophthalmic and Optometric Support Services and Allied ProfessionsCIP 51.1899partial data34 graduates / yr4 institutions
- Orthoptics/CIP 51.1804
Orthoptist limited data2 graduates / yr2 institutions
See all Ophthalmic and Optometric Support Services and Allied Professions programs →
Common questions
What types of credentials can I earn in this program?+
You can earn an Associate's degree, an award of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years, an award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year, or an award of at least 2 but less than 4 academic years.
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop skills in speaking, active listening, critical thinking, and mathematics, among others.
What tasks will I be trained to perform?+
You will learn to measure clients' eye sizes, verify lens specifications, evaluate prescriptions, and assist clients in selecting frames.
How many colleges offer this program in the U.S.?+
There are 23 colleges in the U.S. offering the Opticianry/Ophthalmic Dispensing Optician program.
What is the CIP code for Opticianry/Ophthalmic Dispensing Optician?+
Opticianry/Ophthalmic Dispensing Optician is CIP 51.1801 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within Ophthalmic and Optometric Support Services and Allied Professions (CIP 51.18). NCES defines it as: A program that prepares individuals to adapt and fit corrective eyewear, including eyeglasses and contact lenses, as prescribed by ophthalmologists or optometrists; to assist patients in selecting appropriate frames; and to prepare work orders for ophthalmic laboratory technicians. Includes instruction in geometrical optics, ophthalmic optics, anatomy of the eye, optical instrumentation, use and maintenance of adjustment and cleaning tools, prescription interpretation, contact lens adaptation and fitting, prosthesis fitting, facial and eye measuring, pathology identification, record-keeping, and patient and business administrative tasks.
How many institutions offer Opticianry/Ophthalmic Dispensing Optician programs?+
23 U.S. institutions reported Opticianry/Ophthalmic Dispensing Optician graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 15 states, awarding 407 credentials in the year. That is 50.2% of all Ophthalmic and Optometric Support Services and Allied Professions graduates.
How much do Opticianry/Ophthalmic Dispensing Optician graduates earn?+
Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Opticians, Dispensing occupation, which Opticianry/Ophthalmic Dispensing Optician most directly leads to, pays a median of $47,260 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025), and graduates of the broader Ophthalmic and Optometric Support Services and Allied Professions field report median earnings of $37,740 one year after graduation (College Scorecard).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
Program definitions are from the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020). Skills, knowledge, abilities, work activities, tools, and job zones are from the O*NET database by the U.S. Department of Labor, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
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