Optometrists Salary
Optometrists in Boise City, ID make a median of $103,890 a year, or about $49.95 an hour. The range runs from $62K at the entry level to $190K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.39), that's roughly $105,590 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,655/month, or 25.2% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $104K get you in Boise City?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Boise City’s Regional Price Parity (98.39). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About optometrists
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What this looks like in Boise City
Pay for optometrists in Boise City runs about 24% below the U.S. median of $137K. Rent runs $1,655/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 98.39) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for optometrists in metros near Boise City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | $168K | $151K |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro | $136K | $129K |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas | $135K | $135K |
| Salt Lake City-Murray | $137K | $136K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Boise City, ID
Entry-level optometrists (10th percentile) start around $62K. Mid-career wages sit at $104K. Top earners bring in $190K or more, a $128K spread from bottom to top.
Optometrists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Optometrists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $170K | +25% | 60 |
| Maryland | $166K | +21% | 780 |
| North Carolina | $162K | +18% | 1,140 |
| Delaware | $161K | +18% | 190 |
| New York | $161K | +18% | 2,390 |
| New Jersey | $159K | +16% | 1,380 |
| Minnesota | $159K | +16% | 710 |
| Washington | $158K | +15% | 760 |
| Hawaii | $155K | +13% | 230 |
| Maine | $154K | +13% | 180 |
| Colorado | $152K | +11% | 880 |
| Massachusetts | $152K | +11% | 950 |
| Florida | $152K | +11% | 2,350 |
| Connecticut | $150K | +10% | 490 |
| South Carolina | $146K | +7% | 480 |
| Illinois | $146K | +7% | 1,540 |
| Alabama | $145K | +6% | 460 |
| New Mexico | $145K | +6% | 130 |
| Wisconsin | $140K | +2% | 790 |
| Kansas | $139K | +1% | 660 |
| Vermont | $137K | +1% | 90 |
| California | $136K | -0% | 6,890 |
| Michigan | $136K | -1% | 1,410 |
| Nevada | $136K | -1% | 430 |
| Indiana | $136K | -1% | 1,040 |
| Pennsylvania | $135K | -1% | 1,720 |
| Ohio | $135K | -1% | 1,300 |
| District of Columbia | $135K | -1% | 50 |
| Rhode Island | $135K | -2% | 250 |
| Tennessee | $134K | -2% | 660 |
| Missouri | $134K | -2% | 630 |
| North Dakota | $132K | -3% | 140 |
| Oregon | $132K | -3% | 560 |
| Virginia | $132K | -4% | 1,110 |
| Kentucky | $129K | -6% | 430 |
| Georgia | $129K | -6% | 870 |
| Texas | $126K | -8% | 4,110 |
| New Hampshire | $126K | -8% | 210 |
| Iowa | $125K | -8% | 450 |
| Nebraska | $125K | -8% | 340 |
| Arkansas | $124K | -9% | 320 |
| Arizona | $122K | -10% | 1,080 |
| Utah | $119K | -13% | 380 |
| Louisiana | $118K | -14% | 250 |
| West Virginia | $118K | -14% | 150 |
| Wyoming | $111K | -18% | 90 |
| Mississippi | $108K | -21% | 240 |
| Montana | $104K | -24% | 140 |
| Idaho | $103K | -24% | 160 |
| South Dakota | $102K | -25% | 190 |
| Oklahoma | $97K | -29% | 570 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track optometrists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Boise City numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a optometrist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Boise City?
Yes — at the median salary of $104K, rent takes 26% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,655/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for optometrists in Boise City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new optometrists typically earn — is $62K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,720/month. At HUD’s $1,655/month FMR, rent would take 44% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is optometrist a high-paying job in Boise City?
Local pay runs 24% below the national median — $104K here vs. $137K nationally.
How does Boise City compare to the national average for optometrists?
Boise City pays $104K median vs. the U.S. average of $137K — that’s -24%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.39), the purchasing-power equivalent is $106K — below the national median.
How much do optometrists make in Boise City, ID?
The median is $103,890 a year, that works out to about $50 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $62,000, and experienced optometrists can clear $189,570. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $104K enough to live in Boise City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,376/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,655/month, which eats 26% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a optometrists salary go in Boise City?
Boise City has a Regional Price Parity of 98.39 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median optometrists salary is worth about $105,590 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do optometrists get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.
