Optometrists Salary
Optometrists in Burlington-South Burlington, VT make a median of $143,700 a year, or about $69.09 an hour. The range runs from $102K at the entry level to $250K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.95), that's roughly $142,348 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $2,140/month, or 25.2% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $144K get you in Burlington-South Burlington?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Burlington-South Burlington’s Regional Price Parity (100.95). 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 Burlington-South Burlington
Optometrists pay in Burlington-South Burlington tracks closely to the national median, $144K locally vs. $137K nationwide, a 5% difference. Rent runs $2,140/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 25.2% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 100.95) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for optometrists in metros near Burlington-South Burlington, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $161K | $143K |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton | $155K | $143K |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga | $166K | $173K |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy | $164K | $165K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Burlington-South Burlington, VT
Entry-level optometrists (10th percentile) start around $102K. Mid-career wages sit at $144K. Top earners bring in $250K or more, a $148K 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 Burlington-South Burlington numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a optometrist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Burlington-South Burlington?
Yes — at the median salary of $144K, rent takes 25.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,140/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for optometrists in Burlington-South Burlington?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new optometrists typically earn — is $102K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $6,097/month. At HUD’s $2,140/month FMR, rent would take 35% 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 Burlington-South Burlington?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $144K locally vs. $137K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Burlington-South Burlington compare to the national average for optometrists?
Burlington-South Burlington pays $144K median vs. the U.S. average of $137K — that’s +5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.95), the purchasing-power equivalent is $142K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do optometrists make in Burlington-South Burlington, VT?
The median is $143,700 a year, that works out to about $69 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $101,610, and experienced optometrists can clear $250,020. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $144K enough to live in Burlington-South Burlington?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,478/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,140/month, which eats 25.2% 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 Burlington-South Burlington?
Burlington-South Burlington has a Regional Price Parity of 100.95 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median optometrists salary is worth about $142,348 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.