- Salary statistics
- Craft optician
Craft optician
28 300 - 40 900 kr / month
Women earn 75% of what men do.
Hantverksyrken
Salary progression Craft optician
What does a craft optician do? – Tasks and work environment
A craft optician works with manufacturing, adjusting, and repairing optical aids, primarily glasses and sometimes custom lenses or instruments. Tasks include grinding glass, assembling into frames, and fine-tuning to meet customer needs and preferences. The work often takes place in small workshops, optical stores, or specialized laboratories where precision and dexterity are crucial. The environment is characterized by accuracy, concentration, and close collaboration with colleagues and customers to ensure the highest quality of products.
Salary development over time
The salary for craft opticians has shown steady growth over the past three years. In 2022, the average salary was 31,900 SEK per month. In 2023, this increased to 33 400 SEK, representing an increase of about 4.7%. In 2024, the average salary continued to rise to 34 800 SEK, which is an additional increase of approximately 4.2% from the previous year. This development reflects increased demand for qualified craft opticians and a generally stable job market within fine mechanics professions, where specialized skills and experience are highly valued. The salary increase can also be linked to technological advancements in the industry and the need for advanced competence to meet customer demands for individual solutions.
Craft optician salary – comprehensive overview
- Average salary: 34 800 SEK/month
- Lowest salary: 28,300 SEK/month (woman)
- Highest salary: 40,900 SEK/month (man)
- Hourly wage: 209 SEK/hour
- Gender difference: Women earn 75% of what men do (men: 37 900 SEK, women: 28,300 SEK)
- Regional differences: No specific data available
Education and qualifications
The path to becoming a craft optician usually involves secondary education with a focus on fine mechanics or optics, followed by specialized courses and practical training in the profession. It is common to supplement with shorter post-secondary education or certifications to enhance skills, especially in new technology and material handling. Practical experience and accuracy are highly valued, and many employers prefer candidates who have completed apprenticeship periods or trainee programs.
- Secondary education: Technical focus on fine mechanics or optics (3 years)
- Post-secondary courses: Specialization in optical manufacturing (up to 2 years)
- Practical/training period: Recommended for practical experience
- Certifications: Possible through industry organizations
- Prerequisites: Approved grades in mathematics and technical subjects
Many craft opticians develop a unique sense for materials and design over time, enabling them to create personalized and innovative solutions for customers with special needs. This creative aspect of the profession is appreciated by many and contributes to increased job satisfaction.
Common benefits and compensations
Craft opticians are often offered collective agreement benefits such as occupational pension, wellness allowance, and insurance. Some employers also offer skill development, subsidized work glasses, and bonus opportunities linked to performance or company results. Flexitime and opportunities for further education are other advantages within the profession.
Competition and challenges
The competition within the craft optician profession is moderate but can vary depending on the region and demand for specialized optical services. One of the biggest challenges is rapid technological development, which requires continuous skills updating. Additionally, smaller job markets may mean fewer available positions, even though there are a total of 341 available jobs within the skilled mechanics group. The ability to adapt to new materials and methods is crucial for continued success, as is staying updated on industry trends and requirements.
Tips for those wanting to become a craft optician
To succeed as a craft optician, it’s good to have an eye for detail and a lot of patience, as the work requires precision at every step. Accuracy is a key trait, ensuring each product maintains high quality and meets the customer's unique needs. A good technical understanding facilitates handling modern machines and new materials, while problem-solving skills help you quickly find solutions to unexpected challenges. Creativity can be an asset when working with custom solutions or unusual customer requests. Being service-minded and attentive makes communication with colleagues and customers easier, contributing to a pleasant work environment and strong customer relationships.
Key facts about Craft Opticians
- Education level: Secondary or shorter post-secondary education
- Work environment: Workshop, optical store, or specialized laboratory
- Typical employment type: Full-time or hourly employment
- Number of available jobs in the profession: 341
- Gender differences: Women earn 75% of men's salaries
Career paths and future prospects
After three to five years as a craft optician, there are opportunities to take on more responsibility within the workshop, such as supervisor or trainer for new employees. Some choose to specialize in advanced optical manufacturing or move towards entrepreneurship. The future outlook for the profession is difficult to assess precisely due to limited data, but according to the Swedish Public Employment Service statistics for the skilled mechanics group, there is stable demand and a certain number of available jobs. Technological development and an increased need for personalized optical solutions suggest that the profession will remain relevant and develop further.
Frequently asked questions about Craft Opticians
- What does a craft optician earn?
- The average salary for a craft optician is 34 800 SEK per month. - What are the gender differences in the profession?
- Men earn on average 37 900 SEK, while women earn 28,300 SEK, which means women earn approximately 75% of men's salaries. - What education is required to become a craft optician?
- A secondary education with a technical focus and specialized courses in optics and practical training are most common. - Are there many job openings for craft opticians?
- Within the skilled mechanics group, there are 341 available jobs according to current statistics. - What are the future prospects for craft opticians?
- The prognosis is uncertain due to limited data, but demand for specialized opticians remains. - What are the most common work environments for craft opticians?
- Workshops, optical stores, and specialized laboratories are the most common work environments. - How wide is the salary distribution within the profession?
- The lowest salary is 28,300 SEK and the highest is 40,900 SEK per month.
Salary distributed by age and sector
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 34700 kr | 37600 kr | |
| 35-44 | 32500 kr | 33800 kr | |
| 45-54 | 32000 kr | 32400 kr | |
| 55-64 | 36600 kr | 37500 kr | |
| Snitt | 75% | 33500 kr | 34800 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 88% | 29800 kr | 30900 kr |
| 25-34 | 86% | 33900 kr | 36200 kr |
| 35-44 | 92% | 35100 kr | 36500 kr |
| 45-54 | 97% | 36400 kr | 36700 kr |
| 55-64 | 96% | 36800 kr | 37700 kr |
| 65-68 | 38900 kr | 38900 kr | |
| Snitt | 88% | 35100 kr | 36300 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 88% | 29800 kr | 30900 kr |
| 25-34 | 86% | 33900 kr | 36200 kr |
| 35-44 | 92% | 35100 kr | 36500 kr |
| 45-54 | 97% | 36400 kr | 36700 kr |
| 55-64 | 96% | 36800 kr | 37700 kr |
| 65-68 | 38900 kr | 38900 kr | |
| Snitt | 88% | 35100 kr | 36300 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 35200 kr | 38500 kr | |
| 55-64 | 36400 kr | 37400 kr | |
| Snitt | 32900 kr | 34100 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 35200 kr | 38500 kr | |
| 55-64 | 36400 kr | 37400 kr | |
| Snitt | 32900 kr | 34100 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 35200 kr | 38500 kr | |
| 35-44 | 35700 kr | 37900 kr | |
| 45-54 | 37200 kr | 37900 kr | |
| 55-64 | 37400 kr | 38700 kr | |
| Snitt | 75% | 36100 kr | 37900 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 88% | 30700 kr | 32200 kr |
| 25-34 | 86% | 34600 kr | 37300 kr |
| 35-44 | 92% | 35200 kr | 36800 kr |
| 45-54 | 97% | 36500 kr | 36900 kr |
| 55-64 | 96% | 37000 kr | 37700 kr |
| 65-68 | 38900 kr | 38900 kr | |
| Snitt | 88% | 35600 kr | 36900 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 88% | 30700 kr | 32200 kr |
| 25-34 | 86% | 34600 kr | 37300 kr |
| 35-44 | 92% | 35200 kr | 36800 kr |
| 45-54 | 97% | 36500 kr | 36900 kr |
| 55-64 | 96% | 37000 kr | 37700 kr |
| 65-68 | 38900 kr | 38900 kr | |
| Snitt | 88% | 35600 kr | 36900 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 35600 kr | 39100 kr | |
| 55-64 | 37800 kr | 39500 kr | |
| Snitt | 36400 kr | 38500 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 35600 kr | 39100 kr | |
| 55-64 | 37800 kr | 39500 kr | |
| Snitt | 36400 kr | 38500 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snitt | 75% | 28100 kr | 28300 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 88% | 28200 kr | 28400 kr |
| 25-34 | 86% | 31000 kr | 32100 kr |
| 35-44 | 92% | 33800 kr | 34000 kr |
| 45-54 | 97% | 34900 kr | 35600 kr |
| 55-64 | 96% | 34700 kr | 36300 kr |
| Snitt | 88% | 31800 kr | 32500 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 88% | 28200 kr | 28400 kr |
| 25-34 | 86% | 31000 kr | 32100 kr |
| 35-44 | 92% | 33800 kr | 34000 kr |
| 45-54 | 97% | 34900 kr | 35600 kr |
| 55-64 | 96% | 34700 kr | 36300 kr |
| Snitt | 88% | 31800 kr | 32500 kr |
About the data
All information displayed on this page is based on data from the Swedish Central Bureau of Statistics (SCB), the Swedish Tax Agency and the Swedish employment agency. Learn more about our data and data sources here.
All figures are gross salaries, meaning salaries before tax. The average salary, or mean salary, is calculated by adding up the total salary for all individuals within the profession and dividing it by the number of individuals. For specific job categories, we have also considered various criteria such as experience and education.
Profession Craft optician has the SSYK code 7311, which we use to match against the SCB database to obtain the latest salary statistics.
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