SOC 7114 Sales occupations

Pharmacy and optical dispensing assistants Salary

Median salary £17,993 per year (2025). Based on ONS ASHE data.

Gross pay, before deductions. See take-home pay on £18,000 after tax and National Insurance →

For pharmacy and optical dispensing assistants, £23,783 is the typical (median) pay. That is well below the UK full-time median of £39,039 — -39% versus the national average. Experienced pharmacy and optical dispensing assistants (top 25%) earn over £23,643.

About this role

Pharmacy and optical dispensing assistants support pharmacists and opticians by serving customers, processing prescriptions, managing stock and providing advice on over-the-counter medicines and optical products under professional supervision.

Key responsibilities

Assisting customers with over-the-counter medicine purchases
Processing prescriptions and assembling dispensed items
Managing pharmacy or optical retail stock
Advising customers on product selection within scope of role
Maintaining records and complying with regulatory requirements

Qualifications and entry routes

Pharmacy dispensing assistants need NVQ Level 2 in Pharmacy Service Skills. Optical assistants may train towards dispensing optician qualifications. On-the-job training under pharmacist or optician supervision.

Career outlook

Stable demand with opportunities to progress to pharmacy technician or dispensing optician qualifications.

Key skills

Product knowledge Customer service Accuracy Regulatory awareness Communication

Common industries

Community pharmacies
Optical retailers
Hospital pharmacies
Supermarket pharmacies
Online pharmacies

Data coverage

SOC code 7114

Data source ONS ASHE

Years available 2015–2025

Estimated jobs 47,000

Median Salary

£17,993

Mean Salary

£17,724

Jobs (000s)

47k

Data Years

11 years

Salary Range (2025)

P25: £12,629Median: £17,993P75: £23,643

P10: £8kP25: £13kMedian: £18kP75: £24kP90: --

Estimated Career Progression

Based on salary percentile distribution for this occupation

Entry Level

£7,852

0-2 years

Mid Level

£12,629

3-7 years

Senior

£23,643

8-15 years

Potential career growth: +201% from entry to leadership

Salary Trend (2015-2025)

Adjust for inflation

Nominal growth: +58.7%Real growth: +15.0%

Gender Pay Comparison (2025)

Gender pay gap: 26.9%

Full-time vs All Employees (2025)

All Employees

£17,993

Full-time Only

£23,783

Full-time premium: +£5,790

Pharmacy and optical dispensing assistants salary: common questions

How much do pharmacy and optical dispensing assistants earn in the UK?

Pharmacy and optical dispensing assistants earn a median of £23,783 a year (ONS ASHE 2025). The middle half earn between £12,629 and £23,643.

Is £23,783 a good salary in the UK?

What is the starting salary for pharmacy and optical dispensing assistants?

Entry-level pharmacy and optical dispensing assistants typically start near the lower end of the range. The bottom 25% earn up to £12,629, and the lowest-paid 10% earn under £7,852.

Have pharmacy and optical dispensing assistants salaries kept up with inflation?

Since 2015, median pharmacy and optical dispensing assistants pay has risen from £15,319 to £23,783 — +55% in cash terms, or +13% after CPIH inflation. That is ahead of inflation over the period.

Is there a gender pay gap for pharmacy and optical dispensing assistants?

Male pharmacy and optical dispensing assistants earn a median £23,622 and female pharmacy and optical dispensing assistants £17,270 — a gap of +27% in 2025.

Figures: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, gross annual pay. UK full-time median £39,039 (2025).