Opticians, Dispensing Salary in Ames, IA
According to the latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data, the median annual wage for Opticians, Dispensing in Ames, IA is $40,860. BLS estimates approximately 40 people work in this occupation in Ames, IA. Ames, IA is 13.5% below the national median ($47,260).
Salary Distribution
Not everyone earns the median. Percentile wages show the range of pay within this occupation.
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $36,650 | $17.62 |
| 25th percentile | $39,170 | $18.83 |
| Median (50th) | $40,860 | $19.64 |
| 75th percentile | $46,680 | $22.44 |
| 90th percentile | $50,670 | $24.36 |
Data Reliability
BLS OEWS is a survey, not a full census — every estimate carries a margin of error. The relative standard error (RSE) below is BLS’s own measure of how much an estimate could vary; lower is more precise.
- Wage estimate
- RSE 2% — Very reliable
- Employment estimate
- RSE 13.2% — Reliable
Where Does Your Salary Fall?
Enter an annual salary to see roughly where it falls among reported wages for this occupation, based on the percentile points above.
Concentration
- Jobs per 1,000
- 0.642
- Location quotient
- 1.36
Cost-of-Living Adjusted Salary
Ames, IA’s regional price level is below the national average (index 88.83, where 100 = U.S. average). Adjusted for that, the median salary has the purchasing power of $45,998 at the national price level.
This is a Career Atlas USA calculation based on BLS wage data and BEA Regional Price Parities. It is not a separate BLS wage estimate. Wage data: May 2025. Cost-of-living data: 2024.
Sources
Wage data: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) — May 2025 (release 25).
Figures shown as “Not available” reflect wages the source does not publish (e.g. suppressed for reliability), not zero.