Optometrists Salary
Optometrists in Chico, CA make a median of $139,890 a year, or about $67.26 an hour. The range runs from $99K at the entry level to $334K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 101.2), that's roughly $138,231 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,625/month, or 19.7% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $140K get you in Chico?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Chico’s Regional Price Parity (101.2). 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 Chico
Optometrists pay in Chico tracks closely to the national median, $140K locally vs. $137K nationwide, a 2% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,625/month, 20.1% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 101.2) 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 Chico, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $139K | $122K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $143K | $123K |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $135K | $123K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $133K | $119K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Chico, CA
Entry-level optometrists (10th percentile) start around $99K. Mid-career wages sit at $140K. Top earners bring in $334K or more, a $235K 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 Chico numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a optometrist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Chico?
Yes — at the median salary of $140K, rent takes 20.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,625/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for optometrists in Chico?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new optometrists typically earn — is $99K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,931/month. At HUD’s $1,625/month FMR, rent would take 27% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is optometrist a high-paying job in Chico?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $140K locally vs. $137K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Chico compare to the national average for optometrists?
Chico pays $140K median vs. the U.S. average of $137K — that’s +2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 101.2), the purchasing-power equivalent is $138K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do optometrists make in Chico, CA?
The median is $139,890 a year, that works out to about $67 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $98,850, and experienced optometrists can clear $333,540. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $140K enough to live in Chico?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,102/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,625/month, which eats 20.1% 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 Chico?
Chico has a Regional Price Parity of 101.2 (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 $138,231 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.