Optometrists Salary
Optometrists in Boulder, CO make a median of $153,500 a year, or about $73.8 an hour. The range runs from $85K at the entry level to $215K for experienced workers.
Where the paycheck goes
What $154K actually covers in Boulder, month by month
About optometrists
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Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for optometrists in metros near Boulder, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $158K | , |
| Colorado Springs | $132K | , |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler | $116K | $112K |
| Tulsa | $100K | $112K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Boulder, CO
Entry-level optometrists (10th percentile) start around $85K. Mid-career wages sit at $154K. Top earners bring in $215K or more, a $130K 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 annually. We'll email you when Boulder numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a optometrist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Boulder?
Yes — at the median salary of $154K, rent takes 16.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,481/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for optometrists in Boulder?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new optometrists typically earn — is $85K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,379/month.
Is optometrist a high-paying job in Boulder?
Local pay is 12% above the national median — $154K here vs. $137K nationally.
How does Boulder compare to the national average for optometrists?
Boulder pays $154K median vs. the U.S. average of $137K — that’s +12%.
How much do optometrists make in Boulder, CO?
The median is $153,500 a year, that works out to about $74 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $85,160, and experienced optometrists can clear $214,820. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $154K enough to live in Boulder?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $9,076/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,481/month, which eats 16.3% 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 Boulder?
Boulder has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median optometrists salary is worth about $153,500 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.