How to Become an Optician in New Mexico (2026)

Q: How long does optician training take in New Mexico?

Most people become an Optician in New Mexico 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 New Mexico?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), opticians in New Mexico earned a median annual wage of approximately $39,090. Employment concentration in New Mexico is roughly 0.83 of the national average, meaning fewer workers per capita than the U.S. as a whole.

Q: What is the job outlook for opticians in New Mexico?

New Mexico currently employs approximately 340 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

New Mexico employs about 340 opticians earning a median $39,090 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.

Key Facts

Median wage (New Mexico): $39,090/yr (Source: BLS OEWS, 2025)
Employed in New Mexico: 340 workers (Source: BLS OEWS, 2025)
Location quotient: 0.83x U.S. average (Source: BLS OEWS, 2025)
Projected growth: 2.9% (2024-2034) (Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024)

Compare Optician Schools in New Mexico

BOC Score, tuition, graduation rate, and median graduate earnings from federal IPEDS and U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard data. 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	Median grad earnings (all majors)	Graduation rate	Online	Distance
1	Pasadena City College	71.5	Contact school for pricing	$48,980	Not reported	Yes*	715 mi
2	Irvine Valley College	65.0	$1,156 - $13,001	$55,055	57%	—	699 mi
3	Front Range Community College	61.3	Contact school for pricing	$50,353	32%	Yes*	392 mi
4	Northwest Vista College	61.0	$3,412 - $11,932	$46,909	32%	Yes*	522 mi
5	Rio Salado College	60.8	Contact school for pricing	$58,656	6%	Yes*	371 mi
6	American Career College-Ontario	52.5	Contact school for pricing	$43,139	Not reported	Yes*	689 mi
7	Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute	52.4	Contact school for pricing	$34,652	Not reported	Yes*	88 mi
8	Iowa Western Community College	48.3	Contact school for pricing	$51,139	Not reported	Yes*	722 mi
9	Universal Technical Institute of Texas Inc.	47.7	Contact school for pricing	$57,080	Not reported	—	664 mi
10	College of Southern Nevada	46.6	Contact school for pricing	$51,080	19%	Yes*	560 mi

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.

New Mexico employs approximately 340 opticians according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $39,090 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 New Mexico, 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 (New Mexico): $39,090 per year ¹

Quick Answers About How to Become an Optician in New Mexico

How to become an Optician in New Mexico? 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 New Mexico? Yes. New Mexico typically registers this role through the program and employer. See the licensing section below.

What do opticians earn in New Mexico? The median annual wage for opticians in New Mexico is $39,090 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $31,010 and experienced professionals can earn $72,920 or more ¹.

How to Become an Optician in New Mexico

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 New Mexico

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 New Mexico

Opticians, Dispensing Wages by Metro Area in New Mexico

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

Metro Area	Employment	Median Annual Wage	Avg. Annual Wage	Entry Level (10th pctile)	Experienced (90th pctile)
Albuquerque	170	$39,230	$45,460	$31,010	$76,750
Santa Fe	50	$40,200	$45,850	$36,040	$58,650

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 New Mexico? New Mexico currently employs approximately 340 opticians ¹. Nationally, optician employment is projected to grow 2.9% from 2024 to 2034 ².

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

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

How much do opticians earn in New Mexico compared to the national average? The median annual wage for opticians in New Mexico is $39,090, which is $7,470 below the national median of $46,560 according to BLS data ¹.

In New Mexico

Best Trade Schools in New Mexico (2026)

Top local programs

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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)