Pharmacy and optical dispensing assistants salary in North East
Full-time average annual pay in North East
£17,573
2025 · moderate suppression
Median
£17,573
Mean
£15,958
| Statistic | Annual pay (gross) |
|---|---|
| Median | £17,573 |
| Mean | £15,958 |
Region-level range withheld by ONS — UK-wide, the middle half of pharmacy and optical dispensing assistants earn £12,629–£23,643. See full methodology →
Understanding Pharmacy and optical dispensing assistants pay in North East
The typical pharmacy and optical dispensing assistants in North East earns a median salary of £17,573 in 2025/26 — 2.3% (£420) below the UK-wide median of £17,993. These figures come from the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), so they reflect actual reported pay rather than self-reported estimates or job-advert ranges.
Across the UK, North East ranks 5th of 11 regions for pharmacy and optical dispensing assistants pay. Regional medians run from £14,841 in Yorkshire and the Humber up to £20,569 in South West, a spread of £5,728 (39%).
The mean (average) salary is lower, at £15,958, which points to a cluster of lower-paid roles dragging the average down — so the median is the better guide to typical pay here.
To see what £17,573 means after income tax and National Insurance, use the take-home pay calculator below — it also factors in student loan repayments.
Take-home pay estimate
Tax year 2025/26| Monthly | Annual | |
|---|---|---|
| Gross salary | £1,464 | £17,573 |
| Income tax | £83 | £1,001 |
| National Insurance | £33 | £400 |
| Take-home pay | £1,348 | £16,172 |
Estimate only · 2025/26 HMRC rates · Standard tax code · No pension contribution · Not financial or tax advice
How Pharmacy and optical dispensing assistants pay varies by region
South West is the highest-paying region for pharmacy and optical dispensing assistants at £20,569 — 14% above the UK median. Yorkshire and the Humber is lowest at £14,841.
UK median £17,993
| Region | Median payUK median £17,993 | Median | Mean | vs UK median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South West | £20,569 | £20,569 | £20,002 | +14% |
| South East | £20,207 | £20,207 | £19,225 | +12% |
| East Midlands | £20,077 | £20,077 | £18,769 | +12% |
| East of England | £18,278 | £18,278 | £18,363 | +2% |
| North East (current region) | £17,573 | £17,573 | £15,958 | -2% |
| Scotland | £17,558 | £17,558 | £17,093 | -2% |
| Wales | £16,425 | £16,425 | £15,891 | -9% |
| West Midlands | £16,341 | £16,341 | £16,929 | -9% |
| London | £16,022 | £16,022 | £15,139 | -11% |
| North West | £15,730 | £15,730 | £17,932 | -13% |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | £14,841 | £14,841 | £15,410 | -18% |
| Region | Median | vs UK |
|---|---|---|
| South West £20,569 | £20,569Mean £20,002 | +14% |
| South East £20,207 | £20,207Mean £19,225 | +12% |
| East Midlands £20,077 | £20,077Mean £18,769 | +12% |
| East of England £18,278 | £18,278Mean £18,363 | +2% |
| North East (current region) £17,573 | £17,573Mean £15,958 | -2% |
| Scotland £17,558 | £17,558Mean £17,093 | -2% |
| Wales £16,425 | £16,425Mean £15,891 | -9% |
| West Midlands £16,341 | £16,341Mean £16,929 | -9% |
| London £16,022 | £16,022Mean £15,139 | -11% |
| North West £15,730 | £15,730Mean £17,932 | -13% |
| Yorkshire and the Humber £14,841 | £14,841Mean £15,410 | -18% |
Sorted highest median to lowest. The vertical line marks the UK median (£17,993); ‘Vs UK median’ compares each region’s median to it. Suppressed values mean ONS withheld this figure because the sample was too small to publish.
How pharmacy and optical dispensing assistants pay in North East has changed over time
Median annual pay for pharmacy and optical dispensing assistants in North East by year, shown against the UK-wide median (Source: ONS ASHE). The shaded band is the UK-wide 25th–75th percentile range — ONS does not publish percentile ranges at region level.
North East median
UK median
▪ UK-wide 25th–75th percentile range
Pre-2021 figures mapped from SOC 2010 via ONS concordance table
How the figures are sourced
Data sources: Official UK earnings data (2025 provisional)(opens in new tab)
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