Optometrists Salary
Optometrists in California make a median of $136,300 a year, or about $65.53 an hour. The range runs from $100K at the entry level to $214K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.14), so that salary is closer to $128,415 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,471/month, about 30.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across California. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $136K get you in California?
About optometrists
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What this looks like in California
Optometrists pay in California tracks closely to the national median, $136K locally vs. $137K nationwide, a 0% difference. Rent runs $2,471/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31.2% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost-of-living overall is 6% above the national average (BEA RPP 106.14), so groceries and services cost more too. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, California
Entry-level optometrists (10th percentile) start around $100K. Mid-career wages sit at $136K. Top earners bring in $214K or more, a $114K spread from bottom to top.
Optometrists salary by metro in California
19 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | $165K | +21% | 80 |
| Vallejo | $156K | +14% | 90 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $143K | +5% | 1,180 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | $140K | +3% | 50 |
| Chico | $140K | +3% | 30 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $139K | +2% | 510 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $139K | +2% | 2,360 |
| Modesto | $137K | +1% | 90 |
| Fresno | $137K | +0% | 100 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $135K | -1% | 580 |
| Visalia | $135K | -1% | 30 |
| Salinas | $133K | -2% | 60 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $133K | -2% | 540 |
| Stockton-Lodi | $132K | -3% | 70 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $130K | -5% | 510 |
| Bakersfield-Delano | $129K | -5% | 100 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $129K | -5% | 120 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | $129K | -5% | 30 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | $122K | -10% | 50 |
Showing 1–10 of 19 metros
Compare to other states
Track optometrists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when California numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a optometrist afford a 2BR apartment alone in California?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $136K, rent takes 31.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,471/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $2,400/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for optometrists in California?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new optometrists typically earn — is $100K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,993/month. At HUD’s $2,471/month FMR, rent would take 41% 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 California?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $136K locally vs. $137K nationally, a 0% difference.
How does California compare to the national average for optometrists?
California pays $136K median vs. the U.S. average of $137K — that’s +0%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.14), the purchasing-power equivalent is $128K — below the national median.
How much do optometrists make in California?
The median is $136,300 a year, that works out to about $66 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $99,890, and experienced optometrists can clear $213,710. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $136K enough to live in California?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,925/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,471/month, which eats 31.2% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a optometrists salary go in California?
California has a Regional Price Parity of 106.14 (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 $128,415 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.