Optometrist Salary in the U.S.
Median annual pay in the U.S.
$136,570
$65.66/hour
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Pay
| Annual | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $74,870 | $35.99 |
| 25th percentile | $109,400 | $52.59 |
| Median | $136,570 | $65.66 |
| 75th percentile | $165,120 | $79.39 |
| 90th percentile | $202,180 | $97.20 |
Employment
- Employment in the U.S.
- 42,790
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Comparison
Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
| Rank | Median annual pay | Adjusted for cost of living (annual) |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | ||
| 1st | $170,310 | $166,385 2nd |
| Maryland | ||
| 2nd | $165,840 | $158,005 7th |
| North Carolina | ||
| 3rd | $161,560 | $171,278 1st |
| Delaware | ||
| 4th | $161,270 | $161,580 4th |
| New York | ||
| 5th | $161,140 | $149,313 11th |
| New Jersey | ||
| 6th | $159,040 | $146,170 18th |
| Minnesota | ||
| 7th | $158,700 | $160,919 5th |
| Washington | ||
| 8th | $157,560 | $147,234 16th |
| Hawaii | ||
| 9th | $154,620 | $140,626 29th |
| Maine | ||
| 10th | $154,110 | $158,794 6th |
| Colorado | ||
| 11th | $152,000 | $147,498 14th |
| Massachusetts | ||
| 12th | $151,730 | $143,470 24th |
| Florida | ||
| 13th | $151,670 | $146,663 17th |
| Connecticut | ||
| 14th | $150,340 | $145,102 23rd |
| South Carolina | ||
| 15th | $145,950 | $155,682 9th |
| Illinois | ||
| 16th | $145,620 | $145,681 20th |
| Alabama | ||
| 17th | $145,090 | $163,347 3rd |
| New Mexico | ||
| 18th | $144,660 | $156,878 8th |
| Wisconsin | ||
| 19th | $139,720 | $148,488 13th |
| Kansas | ||
| 20th | $138,580 | $153,862 10th |
| Vermont | ||
| 21st | $137,290 | $140,152 30th |
| California | ||
| 22nd | $136,300 | $123,103 42nd |
| Michigan | ||
| 23rd | $135,650 | $140,983 28th |
| Nevada | ||
| 23rd | $135,650 | $135,678 33rd |
| Indiana | ||
| 25th | $135,500 | $145,185 22nd |
| Pennsylvania | ||
| 26th | $135,400 | $138,769 32nd |
| Ohio | ||
| 27th | $134,850 | $145,353 21st |
| District of Columbia | ||
| 28th | $134,840 | $122,692 43rd |
| Rhode Island | ||
| 29th | $134,520 | $131,521 37th |
| Tennessee | ||
| 30th | $134,170 | $146,043 19th |
| Missouri | ||
| 31st | $133,810 | $147,340 15th |
| North Dakota | ||
| 32nd | $132,110 | $148,507 12th |
| Oregon | ||
| 33rd | $132,020 | $127,727 40th |
| Virginia | ||
| 34th | $131,570 | $130,133 38th |
| Kentucky | ||
| 35th | $128,860 | $142,925 26th |
| Georgia | ||
| 36th | $128,830 | $133,790 35th |
| Texas | ||
| 37th | $126,000 | $129,821 39th |
| New Hampshire | ||
| 38th | $125,560 | $120,540 45th |
| Iowa | ||
| 39th | $125,380 | $142,864 27th |
| Nebraska | ||
| 40th | $125,040 | $138,775 31st |
| Arkansas | ||
| 41st | $124,470 | $143,173 25th |
| Arizona | ||
| 42nd | $122,250 | $121,428 44th |
| Utah | ||
| 43rd | $119,070 | $120,438 46th |
| Louisiana | ||
| 44th | $118,060 | $133,844 34th |
| West Virginia | ||
| 45th | $118,010 | $131,859 36th |
| Wyoming | ||
| 46th | $111,400 | $120,184 47th |
| Mississippi | ||
| 47th | $108,070 | $124,286 41st |
| Montana | ||
| 48th | $104,280 | $110,180 50th |
| Idaho | ||
| 49th | $103,390 | $108,269 51st |
| South Dakota | ||
| 50th | $102,320 | $115,504 48th |
| Oklahoma | ||
| 51st | $97,350 | $110,823 49th |
Places with the same median share a rank and are listed alphabetically.
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Similar occupations
Related occupations from O*NET, in O*NET's order, with their BLS median pay. Each figure shows the place it is for.
- General Internal Medicine Physician salary in the U.S.
$256,560/year U.S.
- Dermatologist salary in the U.S.
$328,730/year U.S.
- Physicians, All Other salary in the U.S.
$265,930/year U.S.
- Neurologist salary in the U.S.
$248,560/year U.S.
- Orthopedic Surgeon, Except Pediatric salary in the U.S.
$358,550/year U.S.
- Ophthalmic Medical Technician salary in the U.S.
$45,570/year U.S.
Outlook
- Projected employment change, 2025–35 (U.S.)
- +9.5%
- Typical education needed for entry (U.S.)
- Doctoral or professional degree
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35
Sources and update
- Wages and employment: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.
- Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
- Related occupations: O*NET® 31.0 Database, CC BY 4.0. Attributions
- Employment projections and typical education: BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Last updated