How to Become an Optician in Illinois (2026)

Q: How long does optician training take in Illinois?

Most people become an Optician in Illinois through an opticianry program or apprenticeship where the state uses one, then a dispensing-optician license in states that license the trade.

Q: How much do opticians earn in Illinois?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), opticians in Illinois earned a median annual wage of approximately $43,960. Employment concentration in Illinois is about 1.13 times the national average for this occupation.

Q: What is the job outlook for opticians in Illinois?

Illinois currently employs approximately 3,250 workers, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 2.9% national employment change for this occupation from 2024 to 2034.

Updated June 8, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

Illinois employs about 3,250 opticians earning a median $43,960 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Training as an Optician here means completing an opticianry program or apprenticeship where the state uses one, then a dispensing-optician license in states that license the trade. Confirm credential rules with the program and employer.

Compare Optician Schools in Illinois

BOC Score, tuition, graduation rate, and median graduate earnings from federal IPEDS and U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard data. Tuition is the published annual figure for the latest reported year and excludes room, board, books and fees. Earnings are reported across all programs at the school (all majors), not a single trade. Distance is measured from the page's primary location.
#	School	BOC Score (0–100)	Tuition (published, per year)	Median grad earnings (all majors)	Graduation rate	Online	Distance
1	Southwestern Community College	62.2	$4,112 in-state / $13,184 out-of-state	$45,381	53%	Yes*	500 mi
2	Roane State Community College	59.9	$4,998 in-state / $18,630 out-of-state	$45,998	36%	Yes*	425 mi
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3	Indian Hills Community College	56.1	$5,040 in-state / $6,120 out-of-state	$50,322	40%	Yes*	180 mi
4	Cincinnati State Technical and Community College	50.7	$5,517 in-state / $10,044 out-of-state	$59,235	16%	Yes*	266 mi
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5	Elgin Community College	50.2	$3,252 in-state / $9,516 out-of-state	$54,220	41%	—	77 mi
6	Universal Technical Institute-Canton	50.1	$17,943	Not reported	64%	—	297 mi
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7	Ivy Tech Community College	49.2	$5,154 in-state / $9,935 out-of-state	$53,369	40%	Yes*	169 mi
8	Southwest Virginia Community College	48.9	$5,075 in-state / $11,513 out-of-state	$43,371	46%	Yes*	471 mi
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9	Iowa Western Community College	48.3	$6,930 in-state / $7,080 out-of-state	$51,139	40%	Yes*	357 mi
10	Cuyahoga Community College District	47.6	$3,249 in-state / $7,249 out-of-state	$49,698	31%	Yes*	379 mi
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Schools closest to the page's primary location are gathered first, then ranked by BOC Score; distance from the page's primary location is shown for reference. The BOC Score is an independent measure of school outcomes (graduation, earnings, net price, retention) expressed as a 0–100 percentile within each school's peer group; higher is better and advertising never affects it. *Online availability refers to coursework; hands-on trade training is completed in person. Read the full methodology.

Illinois employs approximately 3,250 opticians according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $43,960 ¹. Nationally, optician employment is projected to grow 2.9% from 2024 to 2034, with about 6,800 openings per year ². This page covers how to become an Optician in Illinois, including licensing requirements, training programs, and salary data.

At a Glance

Training paths: opticianry program or state-recognized apprentice path (find programs)
Typical timeline: an opticianry program or apprenticeship where the state uses one, then a dispensing-optician license in states that license the trade
Exam: ABO-NCLE and/or the state dispensing-optician exam
Median wage (Illinois): $43,960 per year ¹

Quick Answers About How to Become an Optician in Illinois

How to become an Optician in Illinois? Complete an opticianry program or apprenticeship where the state uses one, then a dispensing-optician license in states that license the trade. Apply through the program and employer.

How long does it take? Most people finish an opticianry program or apprenticeship where the state uses one, then a dispensing-optician license in states that license the trade. Confirm current hour totals with the program and the program and employer.

Do I need a license in Illinois? Yes. Illinois typically registers this role through the program and employer. See the licensing section below.

What do opticians earn in Illinois? The median annual wage for opticians in Illinois is $43,960 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $37,080 and experienced professionals can earn $62,830 or more ¹.

How to Become an Optician in Illinois

Meet entry rules. Confirm age and education with the program and employer. Do not treat minimum age as years of work.
Complete an opticianry program or recognized apprentice path. Some states use a two-year program; others use a board-registered apprentice path. That is not a DAS construction apprenticeship.
Pass ABO-NCLE or the state exam. Confirm which exam the program and employer requires.
Apply for the dispensing-optician license. Apply to the program and employer in states that license opticians. Do not treat optometrist rows as the optician path.

Steps and hour totals vary by credential level; confirm current requirements with the state board before you apply.

Optician License Requirements in Illinois

Dispensing opticians are licensed in some states. The path is an opticianry program or board apprentice route, then the state exam. Optometrist licenses are a different occupation.

Typical path

Complete an opticianry program or board apprentice path.
Pass the required exam.
Apply to the program and employer where the state licenses opticians.

Hour totals, fees, and reciprocity rules change. Confirm current requirements with the program and employer before you enroll.

Optician Wages by Metro Area in Illinois

Opticians, Dispensing Wages by Metro Area in Illinois

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), opticians, dispensing wages in Illinois vary by metro area.

Metro Area	Employment	Median Annual Wage	Avg. Annual Wage	Entry Level (10th pctile)	Experienced (90th pctile)
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin	2,420	$44,530	$47,180	$37,530	$63,560
St. Louis	750	$39,230	$44,940	$36,050	$54,810
Peoria	150	$37,040	$42,930	$36,610	$58,130
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island	90	$42,070	$44,340	$35,650	$55,360
Bloomington	80	$40,150	$42,100	$36,000	$50,380
Rockford	60	$42,070	$44,370	$36,600	$55,460
Springfield	60	$39,790	$44,680	$37,950	$59,840
Cape Girardeau	50	$36,100	$38,270	$30,320	$46,510
Champaign-Urbana	40	$37,080	$43,970	$36,250	$58,400
Paducah	30	$39,210	$44,650	$30,520	$62,890

Wages reflect survey data and vary based on experience, credentials, employer, and local market conditions. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May .

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the job outlook for opticians in Illinois? Illinois currently employs approximately 3,250 opticians ¹. Nationally, optician employment is projected to grow 2.9% from 2024 to 2034 ².

Can I work as an optician in Illinois with an out-of-state license? Contact the program and employer for details on reciprocity and credential transfer.

What training programs are available in Illinois? Options include trade schools, community colleges, and state-approved training programs. Use the school finder above to search for programs in Illinois.

How much do opticians earn in Illinois compared to the national average? The median annual wage for opticians in Illinois is $43,960, which is $2,600 below the national median of $46,560 according to BLS data ¹.

In Illinois

Illinois Trade Schools 2026: Programs, Costs, Licensing

Top local programs

Explore More Trades in Illinois

Citations

About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics - Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics: https://www.bls.gov/oes/ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎
Bureau of Labor Statistics - Employment Projections: https://www.bls.gov/emp/ ↩︎ ↩︎

Data sources

Figures on this page are sourced from the federal and state datasets below. Methodology: how we rank and source data.

Data	Provider	Vintage
Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)	U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics	May 2025
Employment Projections	U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics	2024-2034
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System	National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)	2024
College Scorecard (school-level outcomes)	U.S. Department of Education	latest release
College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings)	U.S. Department of Education	latest release (updated 2026-06-12)
Occupational licensing requirements	CareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor)	latest release (updated 2026-02-22)
Registered apprenticeship programs	CareerOneStop / Apprenticeship.gov (U.S. Department of Labor)	latest release (updated 2025-10-25)
O*NET occupation profiles (skills, tasks, tools, job zones)	U.S. Department of Labor (O*NET / Employment & Training Admin.)	O*NET 29.1 (updated 2026-06-13)